Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients Regain Head-Neck Control Using a Powered Neck Exoskeleton

Abstract

A cross-sectional human study was conducted to validate a powered neck exoskeleton to assist with head-neck motions in five head drop patients. Head drop, a condition caused by neck muscle weakness, is commonly seen in patients with neurological disorder, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Current clinical practice of using static braces has low acceptance by head drop patients due to their discomfort from these braces and their inability to restore motion. Previously, a powered neck exoskeleton was developed to assist with head-neck motion but its efficacy was not evaluated by patients with head drop. In the present study, ALS head drop patients were recruited to use this exoskeleton and follow prescribed head-neck motions. Their performance with the exoskeleton was compared with their own performance when not receiving any assistance from the exoskeleton. Head orientations and surface electromyography of four select neck muscles were recorded. Outcome variables were derived from these data and compared between the two experimental conditions. We observed that the subjects decreased their motion tracking errors and reduced their neck muscle activation when receiving the robotic assistance. We conclude that the powered neck exoskeleton could help ALS patients regain their head-neck control.