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Citation
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Chen S, Wang Z, Li Y, Tang J, Wang X, Huang L, Fang Z, Xu T, Xu J, Guo F, Wang Y, Long J, Wang X, Liu F, Luo J, Wang Y, Huang X, Jia Z, Shuai M, Li J. Front. Neurorobotics 2022; 16: e848443. |
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Abstract
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OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety, walking efficiency, physiological cost, don and doff time cost, and user satisfaction of Ai-robot.
DESIGN: Prospective, multi-center, and cross-over trial. SUBJECTS: Paraplegic subjects (n = 40) with T6-L2 level spinal cord injury.
METHODS: Subjects who could walk independently using Aiwalker, Ailegs, and hip knee ankle foot orthosis (HKAFO) for 6 min within 30 days of training underwent 10 sets of tests. In each set, they completed three 6-min walk test (6MWT) sessions using the three aids in random order.
RESULTS: Skin lesions, pressure sores, and fractures, were the main adverse events, likely due to a lack of experience in using exoskeleton systems. The average 6MWT distances of the Aiwalker, Ailegs, and HKAFO groups were 134.20 ± 18.74, 79.71 ± 18.06, and 48.31 ± 19.87 m, respectively. The average heart rate increases in the Aiwalker (4.21 ± 8.20%) and Ailegs (41.81 ± 23.47%) groups were both significantly lower than that in the HKAFO group (62.33 ± 28.32%) (both p < 0.001). The average donning/doffing time costs for Ailegs and Aiwalker were significantly shorter than that of HKAFO (both p < 0.001). Satisfaction was higher in the Ailegs and Aiwalker groups (both p < 0.001).
CONCLUSION: Subjects with paraplegia below T6 level were able to ambulate safely and efficiently with Ai-robot. The use of Ai-robot should be learned under the guidance of experienced medical personnel.
Language: en |