Thesis (Ed. D.)--West Virginia University, 2003. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vi, 79 p. : ill. Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 54-58).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2008. / Principal faculty advisor: Sunil K. Agrawal, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering. Includes bibliographical references.

The following work presents a novel, overground robotic gait trainer: the mobile Tethered Pelvic Assist Device, or mTPAD. The mTPAD is a parallel, cable-driven platform that can apply three-dimensional forces and moments to the user’s pelvis as they walk overground. These forces and moments applied to the pelvis can be timed to the user’s gait and motivated through gait deficits to target specific motions or gait adaptations. An overview of both traditional and robotic gait training is given as an introduction in Chapter 1. The state-of-the-art pelvic robotic gait trainers are discussed, and the need for an overground device that can apply timed forces and moments to the pelvis is highlighted. The design of the mTPAD is covered in Chapter 2. The mechanical structure and the novel controller are discussed and validated through experiments with human participants. The mTPAD device is evaluated on its transparency, accuracy of pelvic localization, and ability to apply specific forces. Chapter 3 illustrates a continuous moment that is applied to the pelvis and synchronized with the user’s gait cycle. The controller is evaluated on its accuracy and ability to alter pelvic kinematics and muscle activations in a group of neurotypical adults. Chapters 4 and 5 highlight the mTPAD’s ability to alter gait characteristics and muscle responses of two groups that exhibit gait deficits: stroke survivors and children with Cerebral Palsy. By evaluating the effects of different force and moment profiles on individuals who may benefit from gait training, this work aims to illustrate the mTPAD’s potential as an overground gait training tool.