Toward Ubiquitous Lower Limb Exoskeleton Use in Children and Young Adults

People with cerebral palsy (CP), muscular dystrophy (MD), spina bifida, or spinal cord injury often have muscle weakness, and problems moving their arms and legs. The NIH designed a new brace device, called an exoskeleton, that is worn on the legs and helps people walk. This study is investigating new ways the exoskeleton can be used in multiple settings while performing different walking or movement tasks, which we call ubiquitous use. For example, we will ask you to walk on a treadmill at different speeds, walk up and down a ramp, or walk through an obstacle course. Optionally, the exoskeletons may also use functional electrical stimulation (FES), a system that sends electrical pulses to the muscle to help it move the limb.

NCT Number	NCT06998134
Lead Sponsor	National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)
Conditions	Muscle Weakness, Problems Moving Their Arms and Legs
Enrollment	23 participants
Start Date	2026-06-23
Primary Completion	2028-08-18 (estimated)
Study Completion	2028-08-18 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-07-23