Soft ankle exoskeleton

A dropfoot gait pattern, or difficulty to lift the foot, is a common occurrence after a stroke, and is frequently combined with excessive inward rotation of the foot. In dropfoot gait, it can be difficult to advance the leg to take a step and to support weight safely.

We have developed a soft exoskeleton that helps to both lift the foot during swing and to align the rotation of the foot. We adjust the way the exoskeleton works in real-time to fit each user’s unique walking patterns, with a goal to lift the foot and make walking more symmetric.

We have performed pilot tests on a cohort of persons with a dropfoot gait pattern following a stroke. Early results show promising results; the exoskeleton is able to lift and normalize the position of the foot and to make steps more symmetric.

If you or someone you know might benefit from our exoskeleton and would like to participate in a study, feel free to contact us .