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Comfort Thresholds for Repetitive Forces

NCT05347810 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 15

Last updated 2022-06-22

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Exoskeletons can be used for rehabilitation, as assistive device for patients, or to support workers during strenuous tasks. To fulfil their purpose, they need to apply forces to the user's musculoskeletal system. The forces are transmitted at skin level through an interface, often in the form of cuffs. Adverse events causing discomfort and injuries to the skin and underlying tissue can be attributed to those interaction forces. While there is some information about safe limit values for impact forces or pressure and shear applied for short durations, little is known regarding comfort and safety thresholds for repetitive forces applied over long durations as is the case in exoskeleton use. This study therefore aims at gaining new knowledge on safe and limit values, based on discomfort (staying below pain threshold), for continuous repetitive shear and normal forces applied through a cuff.

Therefore, the primary objective is to determine comfort thresholds for prolonged exposure to repetitive normal and shear stress exerted to the human thigh via a cuff with straps, using different force patterns comparable to those exerted during exoskeleton use. The secondary objectives are to determine the feasibility of the experiment, the influence of subject characteristics on comfort thresholds, the occurrence of skin injuries or other negative signs, and whether characteristics of muscle activity can be related to discomfort.

Conditions

  • Healthy

Interventions

OTHER

Application of repetitive forces mimicking exoskeleton use

The investigational treatment consists of applying a predefined set of continuous and repetitive forces to the participant's thigh. It is applied using a custom device that has been designed specifically for this study. The forces to be applied are based on forces measured during exoskeleton use and will not exceed pain pressure thresholds reported in literature. The participants will hold an enabling switch at all times which they can activate to release the force exerted to their thigh. Alternatively, the experimenter can activate an emergency switch if the situation seems unsafe.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Roessingh Research and Development

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Gerdienke Prange, PhD · Roessingh Research and Development

Study Design

Allocation
NA
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Model
SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
85 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2022-05-11
Primary Completion
2022-06-10
Completion
2022-06-10

Countries

  • Netherlands

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT05347810 on ClinicalTrials.gov