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VALSE: Integration of Neuromodulation and Exoskeleton Systems for Mobility in Individuals With Chronic Spinal Cord Injury

NCT07745686 · Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 12

Last updated 2026-08-04

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The purpose of this clinical study is to evaluate the preliminary safety and feasibility of using the VALSE system, which combines spinal cord stimulation with the TWIICE robotic exoskeleton, to support motor recovery and reduce reliance on laboratory-based equipment during rehabilitation in participants with traumatic spinal cord injury. The TWIICE exoskeleton is integrated through the NR system, a platform developed by EPFL. The goal is to assess the clinical safety and practical application of this combined neuroprosthetic approach in a small number of participants, in order to guide future refinements of the device and protocol, support the development of scalable interventions integrating spinal stimulation with robotic assistance, and inform strategies for delivering rehabilitation in more accessible, real-world environments.

Conditions

Interventions

COMBINATION_PRODUCT

TWIICE Rise 1.0 robotic exoskeleton combined with epidural electrical stimulation (EES)

Participants will use the VALSE system, which combines the TWIICE Rise 1.0 robotic exoskeleton with epidural electrical stimulation (EES) delivered through previously implanted neuromodulation systems. The system is intended to support upright mobility and overground walking in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) who are currently enrolled in, or have completed key phases of, neuromodulation clinical trials at CHUV, including Think2Go (NCT06243952), STIMO-BSI (NCT04632290), and BoxSwitch (NCT05942339). The TWIICE exoskeleton provides robotic gait assistance, while EES facilitates activation of spinal motor circuits below the level of injury. Exoskeleton movements are initiated and controlled through participant-generated inputs, including finger-click commands and, where applicable, brain-derived control signals from previously implanted brain-spine interface systems. The VALSE system is used in supervised clinical and controlled real-world.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Jocelyne Bloch, Prof. · Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV)

Study Design

Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2026-09-15
Primary Completion
2028-05-31
Completion
2028-09-30

Countries

  • Switzerland

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Entities

Diseases

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 NCT07745686 on ClinicalTrials.gov