APA Dictionary of Psychology

a method of gait rehabilitation that uses a robot to move a patient who is trying to improve walking ability compromised by disease or is relearning how to walk after a stroke or an injury. The patient’s legs are strapped to the robot’s limbs, which then move the patient’s legs in a controlled, natural walking motion while a computer measures the body’s response to the movement and controls the speed. Some robots (end-effector devices) work by moving the distal segments of the patient’s limbs, whereas exoskeleton devices work by moving the joints. The repetitive walking motion is thought to help the spine and brain reestablish the signals used to control walking, strengthen muscles, and improve circulation. Under debate is how much effort the patient needs to be exerting to maximize the therapeutic effectiveness of the robot-assisted movement.