Physical Therapy and Outdoor Assistance with the Myosuit: Preliminary Results

Abstract

Soft robotic suits are good candidates both for supporting physical therapy in clinical environments and for improving mobility in outdoor settings. Here, we investigate both modes of use using the Myosuit, a lightweight robotic suit for the lower limbs: (1) we show that it can be safely used to support a supervised physical therapy program, and (2) present a single-case study on the immediate effects that Myosuit assistance can have in an outdoor setting. Eight participants with diverse walking impairments completed a five-sessions Myosuit-assisted training program, showing an average improvement in walking performance that is encouraging for the design of a future controlled study. When walking on a sloped mountain path, one participant with incomplete spinal cord injury showed a 30% increase in walking speed and 9% reduction in cost of transport when assisted by the Myosuit, compared to when not wearing the device.