Clinical Trial Continues on Indego Robotic Exoskeleton to Assist Walking

Shepherd Center is the lead clinical partner in the critical final stage of trials for a robotics-assisted walking device that could improve the lives of people with limited mobility caused by spinal cord or brain injury, stroke or multiple sclerosis.

Developer Parker Hannifin Corp. describes the exoskeleton device – called Indego® – as a “powered orthosis worn around the waist and legs that allows individuals with spinal cord injuries to stand and walk." The device is being tested at Shepherd Center and a few other facilities across the nation in people with spinal cord and brain injury, multiple sclerosis and stroke.

Parker hopes to obtain FDA approval for the device in late 2015.

Shepherd Center researcher Casey Kandilakis, PT, DPT, NCS, discusses the research and development of Indego in a new, 10-minute podcast on Shepherd Center Radio. This podcast and others are available at shepherd.org/news/radio or can be downloaded as an MP3 file from the link above. A transcript of the interview is also available on the Shepherd Center Radio web page.

Kandilakis earned a bachelor of science degree in exercise science from the University of Tennessee and a doctorate in physical therapy at East Tennessee State University. She also earned a board-certified clinical specialty in neurology in 2014. Dr. Kandilakis has been a physical therapist working in the field of spinal cord injury rehabilitation and research for more than four years. She has lectured at numerous national and international conferences on the use of advanced technologies in rehabilitation. She practices as a clinical research scientist at Shepherd Center, focusing on the use of advanced technologies and exoskeletons for people with spinal cord injury.

People interested in participating in the study can learn more and complete an intake form at shepherd.org/research/Indego.