ExoDoF: Robotic Exoskeleton for Upper Limb Motor Rehabilitation After Stroke

October 1, 2026 updated by: Pablo Burgos, University of Chile

Two decades ago, the projection of recovery of the upper extremity (UE) after a stroke had a very poor prognosis worldwide. Nowadays, thanks to medical advances and early rehabilitation, the prognosis for recovery has improved; however, there is still a limit that no therapy has been able to overcome, related to spontaneous recovery as part of the natural evolution of the pathophysiological process, rather than with the contribution of rehabilitation. Additionally, existing therapies show partial effectiveness on the recovery of UE function, but do not avoid the use of compensatory strategies or alternatives to normal movement. Given this situation, there is an active search for new therapeutic approaches. In this clinical trial the investigators propose a rehabilitation paradigm that promotes the recovery of control of specific planes of movement through the selective restriction of degrees of freedom, simplifying control demands. The investigators sought to test the hypothesis that people with stroke in the early subacute stage and who present alterations in the movement of the upper extremity, a rehabilitation protocol that reduces the degrees of freedom of the UE and trunk, enables greater recovery of the movement of the UE and less use of compensatory movements compared to a protocol without DoF control. The general objective is to demonstrate the effect of training with restriction of the degrees of freedom of UE and trunk, mediated by an exoskeleton and videogames, on the control of the UE.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
44

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Chile
      • Santiago, Chile
        • Recruiting
        • Hospital El Carmen
        • Contact:
      • Santiago, Chile
        • Recruiting
        • Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile
        • Contact:
      • Santiago, Chile
      • Temuco, Chile
        • Recruiting
        • Hospital Dr. Hernán Henríquez Aravena
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 81 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosis of ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke with zero to twelve weeks of evolution.
  • Subjects with alterations in active voluntary movement of ES with Fugl Meyer less than or equal to 50 points. Strength of shoulder abduction and finger extension from palpable contraction (1 in Medical Research Council (MRC) scale for muscle strength).

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Cognitive impairment that prevents signing the informed consent, following the instructions and understanding the procedures. (MOCA < 18).
  • Inability to perform activities sitting for more than 90 minutes or inability to perform activities without severe pain (VAS > 6) or having limited reach ranges.
  • Have severe visual impairment that does not allow to carry out the activities associated with the task.
  • Previous stroke with neurological sequelae in the upper extremity.
  • Present bilateral sensorimotor alterations.
  • Damage to the cerebellum/peduncles described in the radiological report or classic signs of cerebellar damage (Upper extremity SARA items of 2 or more)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: DoF Group

The experimental group with control of the degrees of freedom will receive treatment for 4 weeks using an exoskeleton and also it will be supervised by a physiotherapist.The exoskeleton will restrict the movement of the trunk and upper extremity to leave only the joint free to work in the plane of interest. The training will be selective in an articular plane with biofeedback of movement through videogames and external movement sensors installed in the upper extremity. This movement sensor will allow to interact with the videogames through the movement of the trained movement.
Behavioral: DoF intervention

Training of specific uniarticular and single plane movement of the upper limb through an exoskeleton and videogames that will be supervised by a physiotherapist.
Active Comparator: Task Group

The group without control of the degrees of freedom (Task Group) will receive a therapeutic intervention equivalent in dose, but without any restriction of joint movement (without the exoskeleton). Each session will be divided into two parts. In the first part, participants will train with combined planes and in a multi-joint manner with the same video games as DoF Group but with the movement sensor in your hand performing 4 direction movements with the upper limb (horizontal, vertical and diagonals).

In the second training part, patients will perform functional tasks: raise and lower your hand on the table, cleaning a table, put cream on the non-paretic arm, hold a bottle, put a piece of bread or something similar in your mouth, wash your face, brush your hair, store items in a basket, brush teeth, wrote and serve water in glass.
Behavioral: Task intervention

Training of multiarticular upper limb movements (vertical, horizontal and diagonal) through videogames and also training of functional task (raise and lower your hand on the table, cleaning a table, put cream on the non-paretic arm, hold a bottle, put a piece of bread or something similar in your mouth, wash your face, brush your hair, store items in a basket, brush teeth, wrote and serve water in glass). This activities will be supervised by a physiotherapist.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in UE-FMA at the end of the training
Time Frame: 3 days post training

Differences between the Upper Extremity Fugl-Meyer Assessment (UE-FMA) at the beginning of the recruitment and at the end of the training
3 days post training
Change in UE-FMA at 6 months post stroke
Time Frame: 180 days post stroke

Differences between the Upper Extremity Fugl-Meyer Assessment (UE-FMA) at the beginning of the recruitment and at 6 months post stroke
180 days post stroke

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in ARAT at the end of the training
Time Frame: 3 days post training

Differences between the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) at the beginning of the recruitment and at the end of the training
3 days post training
Change in ARAT at 6 months post stroke
Time Frame: 180 days post stroke

Differences between the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) at the beginning of the recruitment and at 6 months post stroke
180 days post stroke
Change in iCoh at the end of the training
Time Frame: 3 days post training

Differences between EEG Ipsi-Contralateral Motor Cortex connectivity (iCoh) at the beginning of the training and at the end of the training
3 days post training
Change in iCoh connectivity at 6 months post stroke
Time Frame: 180 days post stroke

Differences between EEG Ipsi-Contralateral Motor Cortex connectivity (iCoh) at the beginning of the training and at 6 months post stroke
180 days post stroke
Change in arm kinematics at the end of the training
Time Frame: 3 days post training

Differences between arm kinematics (shoulder, elbow, wrist and finger angles during reaching and grasping a glass) at the beginning of the training and at the end of the training
3 days post training
Change in arm kinematics at 6 months post stroke
Time Frame: 180 days post stroke

Differences between arm kinematics (shoulder, elbow, wrist and finger angles during reaching and grasping a glass) at the beginning of the training and at 6 months post stroke
180 days post stroke

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Chile

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Study Director: Pablo Burgos, PhD, University of Chile

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
March 1, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 30, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 30, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
July 3, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 3, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 11, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
October 6, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
October 1, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
October 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • FONDEF IDeA 2023 ID23I104

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

all collected IPD

IPD Sharing Time Frame

After the publication of the clinical trial, for 5 years.

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Based on reasonable request to the project director (Pablo Burgos, pburgos@uchile.cl), the data will be shared.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP
  • ANALYTIC_CODE

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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