MORE | Spring 2023

Gait Entrainment Using a Soft Robot Hip Exoskeleton

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Asymmetrical walking is an indicator of unhealthy biomechanics that not only restricts movement but also disrupts posture and balance. This research aims toward improving the existing rehabilitation processes for post-stroke patients with asymmetrical walking by investigating the phenomenon of entrainment (synchronization of rhythms) and implementing it using a flexible, pneumatically controlled fabric-based actuator to improve the walking pattern by providing the necessary stimulus. This study is a targeted attempt to find if there is a particular stable attractor for entrainment with stimulus to the hip and to understand the effect of pressure on the success of entrainment.