Modulating hip stiffness with a robotic exoskeleton immediately changes gait

Restoring healthy kinematics is a critical component of assisting and rehabilitating impaired locomotion. Here we tested whether spatio-temporal gait patterns can be modulated by applying mechanical impedance to hip joints. Using the Samsung GEMS-H exoskeleton, we emulated a virtual spring (positive and negative) between the user's legs. We found that applying positive stiffness with the exoskeleton decreased stride time and hip range of motion for healthy subjects during treadmill walking. Conversely, the application of negative stiffness increased stride time and hip range of motion. These effects did not vary over long nor short repeated exposures to applied stiffness. In addition, minimal transient behavior was observed in spatio-temporal measures of gait when the stiffness controller transitioned between on and off states. These results suggest that changes in gait behavior induced by applying hip stiffness were purely a mechanical effect. Together, our findings indicate that applying mechanical impedance using lower-limb assistive devices may be an effective, minimally-encumbering intervention to restore healthy gait patterns.