G-EO – Robotic-assisted gait therapy

Description

G-EO System is an advanced robotic-assisted gait therapy device based on the end-effector principle. It simplifies therapists’ work, reduces physical strain, and supports a wide range of patients with limited movement.

Because the affected limb is secured only distally — at the feet — there are no lengthy setup steps: average patient setup is around five minutes. The device simulates a physiological gait pattern and muscle activation, and gait settings can be changed without interrupting the session.

G-EO ensures correct hip and body positioning, a key factor for lasting neurological gait rehabilitation. Mechanical torso and hip control operates in three planes (frontal, transverse, sagittal) and is adjusted in real time from the touchscreen. Mechanical knee braces give stable guidance of the knee and ankle for patients with severely limited or absent knee control (FAC 0 to 1). Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) targets affected muscle groups and supports their activation at the right point in the gait cycle.

Range of applications

• Stroke
• Parkinson’s disease
• Multiple sclerosis
• Spinal cord injuries
• Traumatic brain injury
• Cerebral palsy
• Orthopedic and trauma surgery

Gait modes

• Walking on flat surfaces — forward and backward
• Walking on sloping surfaces — uphill and downhill
• Walking on stairs — ascent and descent

Activity modes

• Passive — the device performs the movement, simulating the walking cycle
• Assisted — the patient initiates the movement, the device provides support
• Active — the patient performs the movement independently, with optional resistance

Biofeedback

• Feedback for the physiotherapist: distance covered, achieved speed, therapy duration, number of steps and stairs climbed, patient activity graph
• Feedback for the patient: activity shown as a coloured circular chart, number of steps and stairs climbed, therapy duration, load distribution across the feet
• Footrests carry four intelligent pressure sensors, so the force exerted at movement initiation can be monitored

Specifications

• Weight: 800 kg
• Power supply: 230 V
• Max. speed: 2,3 km/h
• Max. cadence: 70 steps/min
• Max. step length: 55 cm
• Step height: 8,5 – 20 cm
• Ankle angle correction: -10° / +10°
• Torso guidance: +/- 15 cm
• Weight support: up to 200 kg, dynamic and static
• Patient height: 90 – 200 cm

Clinical evidence

A 2012 study (Hesse, S. et al., JRRD Volume 49, Number 4, 2012, p. 613-622) found that patients receiving robot-assisted therapy improved twice as much in walking and stair-climbing ability compared with standard physiotherapy alone; 7 of 15 patients achieved independent walking and stair climbing after four weeks, against 1 of 15 in the control group. On step count per session, conventional therapy reaches up to 100 steps and a treadmill up to 400, while G-EO reaches up to 1400.

Additional information