Hybrid Assistive Limb to Enhance Neuromotor Control of Ankle to Reduce Tripping Risk: Pilot-study: Effects of Ankle-Hybrid Assistive Limb on Minimum Foot Clearance

Ankle Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) is the wearable cyborg, specifically aiming to improve impaired ankle joint motions. The current pilot-study investigated whether a single 5-minute HAL session would change ankle joint motions especially during the swing phase of the gait cycle. Minimum foot clearance (MFC) is the mid-swing phase event with the lowest vertical swing toe displacement from the walking surface and insufficient MFC height poses the high tripping risk. In the current pilot-study, one male participant's gait patterns (38 yrs., 174cm., 68kg) were tested before and after the HAL session. Positive changes to MFC height and ankle joint control were observed. Most interesting was improved consistency in gait patterns, indicated by reduced standard deviation over multiple gait cycles' data possibly due to HAL's interactive biofeedback approach. The current pilot-study showed the great potential of HAL to reduce the risk of tripping falls.