Lokomat®
Lokomat, BWS
The Lokomat® exoskeleton is comprised of two actuated hip and knee leg orthoses that are attached to the participant’s limbs and torso by cuffs and straps. Spring assisted ankle dorsiflexion is implemented via a strap over the shoe. The orthoses, size and position of leg cuffs were measured and adjusted to the participant ensuring that walking in the device was as natural and comfortable as possible. Individually tailored levels of body weight support and walking velocity were determined for the Lokomat®. For the present study, the level of guidance force during the Lokomat® training was set to 50%, which allowed for small deviations and required more active patient participation compared to fully guided walking training. At subsequent training sessions, a therapist made individual determinations about adjustments to speed (increases) and BWS (decreases) based on the participant’s performance – with the goal of increasing active participation time (i.e. decreasing rest time) and increasing overall number of steps taken.