The investigators will develop and evaluate controllers for a powered neck exoskeleton in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to understand how to allow adequate personalization and function and achieves satisfaction from users. In this small device feasibility study, participants will be enrolled from the ALS clinic at the University of Utah Hospital. After obtaining written consent, participants will perform tasks while using the neck exoskeleton with the controllers. Tasks include computerized tracking tasks and simulated activities of daily living. Breaks will be added between tasks to avoid fatigue. Head-neck kinematics, gaze data, controller preferences, and survey responses will be recorded.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
12
Subjects will use the neck exoskeleton controller to move their head-neck and complete tasks involving head-neck motions. The neck exoskeleton will be worn and controlled by the users to assist them during tasks.
Utah Wearable Robotics Laboratory, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
RECRUITINGnumber of tuning
number of user feedback provided to personalize/tune controller parameters for their preferred exoskeleton performance
Time frame: during the intervention (using the exoskeleton to complete tasks) approximately 1 hour
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