Can a robotic suit help kids with neurological conditions walk better?
NCT ID NCT07745712
First seen Aug 04, 2026 · Last updated Sep 09, 2026 · Updated 5 times
Summary
This trial is testing a robotic exoskeleton called ABLE Kids to see if it is safe and practical for children who have trouble walking due to conditions like cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, or muscle weakness. Fifteen children will use the device in up to ten one-hour training sessions over three weeks. The study will measure how well the device works, how easy it is to put on and take off, and whether it may offer any benefits for walking and quality of life.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- ABLE Kids exoskeleton
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could provide a safe, effective way for children with neurological gait disorders to practice walking, potentially improving mobility and independence.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small early-stage study focused on safety and feasibility, not proof of benefit. The device may not work for all children, and there is a risk of discomfort or device-related issues.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 15 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Sep 2026
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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A company
The lead sponsor is a pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical-device company.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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Up to 17 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Minors with gait impairments, ranging from mild to severe, resulting from neurological conditions or muscular weakness * Anthropometric measurements compatible with the use of the exoskeleton, particularly: * Weight under 75 kg * Height between 1.0-1.5 m * Hip: maximum distance between greater trochanters of 35 cm * Thigh: maximum distance from trochanter to knee joint line of 36 cm * Lower leg: maximum distance from knee joint line to shoe sole of 45 cm * Medically stable * Intact skin in areas in contact with the device * Favorable medical assessment for standing, gait training, and weight-bearing activities * Signed informed consent from parents or legal guardians, and assent from the minor whenever possible, according to age and cognitive ability Exclusion Criteria: * Severe spasticity in the lower limbs (Modified Ashworth Scale \[MAS\] \> 3) * Severe osteoporosis resulting in atraumatic bone fractures * Unhealed fractures or history of fragility fractures in the lower extremities within the past 2 years * Unstable or painful hip dislocation (Migration Percentage \[MP\] \> 50%) * Symptomatic heterotopic ossification with mechanical limitation or pain * Anatomical limitations incompatible with proper fitting and safe use of the device: * Leg length discrepancy \>1.5 cm in the upper segment or \>2.0 cm in the lower segment * Severe scoliosis (Cobb angle \>40° without the possibility of orthotic use during operation) * Inability to achieve proper adjustment within the device * Joint range of motion limitations preventing use of the exoskeleton: * Knee flexion contracture ≥40° * Hip flexion contracture ≥20° * Rigid equinus foot * Spine or lower extremity surgery within the last 3 months * Recently implanted pacemakers * Inability to communicate pain, fear, or discomfort (verbally or nonverbally) * Daytime mechanical ventilation * Uncontrolled epileptic seizures * Medical or cardiovascular instability * Considered unsuitable by physicians and physiotherapists. Any acute medical condition such as fever, infection, respiratory problems, urinary symptoms, uncontrolled pain, new swelling or redness in the extremities, active deep vein thrombosis, or severe comorbidities considered incompatible with the use of ABLE Kids until clinical resolution * Absence of head or trunk control in sitting or standing that cannot be compensated through the use of orthotic support during exoskeleton use
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Som·hi Rehab
RECRUITINGGirona, Girona, 17001, Spain
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can video games rewire young brains after injury?
- Can imagining exercise boost brain power after spinal cord injury?
- Spinal implant aims to restore bladder control after paralysis
- Can virtual walking trick the brain into easing chronic pain?
- Can a moving platform help kids with cerebral palsy steady their steps?
- Can brain stimulation plus neurofeedback sharpen attention after injury?