Robot suit helps kids with cerebral palsy take steps forward
NCT ID NCT07049523
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested whether a robotic exoskeleton could help children aged 6 to 12 with severe cerebral palsy improve their walking and motor skills. Participants used the robot for 45-minute sessions three times a week over six months. The trial aimed to measure changes in movement, joint flexibility, and quality of life compared to usual care.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Robotic exoskeleton gait training device
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could offer a new therapy to improve walking and motor function in children with severe cerebral palsy.
- What could go wrong
- The trial was terminated early, so results may be limited. The device is still experimental, and benefits may not apply to all children.
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
-
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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36 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Oct 2025
- Finished
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Mar 2026
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
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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6 to 12 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.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * No history of heart disease or family history of heart disease; * Children classified as GMFCS level IV; * Dependent on assistive mobility devices, such as wheelchairs or posture support walkers, for activities of daily living; * Medically stable and able to sit upright for at least 30 minutes; * Able to understand simple verbal or visual instructions. Exclusion Criteria: * Aged under 6 years or over 12 years; * Received botulinum toxin A injections for lower limb muscles within six months prior to baseline assessment; * Implanted with an intrathecal baclofen pump, or has a history of lower limb-related orthopedic or neurosurgical interventions (such as tendon lengthening, osteotomy, or selective dorsal rhizotomy); * Has uncontrolled epilepsy, severe cognitive impairment, or other comorbidities.
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Hunan Normal University
Changsha, Hunan, 81000, China
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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