An interventional study of Dephy Exoboot in Knee Osteoarthristis, sponsored by Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 21 Years to 100 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-06-17.
Sponsored by Massachusetts Institute of Technology · Not applicable, Interventional, and Device feasibility
Knee osteoarthritis (OA) affects an estimated 654 million people over age 40 world-wide. In the United States, approximately 16% of adults over the age of 40 have knee OA. Pain, activity limitations and disability are common symptoms. Exercise is widely recommended as a non-invasive, first line strategy for people with knee OA. Yet, less than 1/3 of adults with knee OA meet recommended levels of physical activity, and rates are even lower among people who are overweight. Furthermore, adherence to evidence-based structured programs is poor once the therapeutic support is removed. End stage disease is treated by total joint replacement. Under-active people with knee OA would benefit from general walking activity, even if joint replacement surgery is expected; however, walking is difficult and motivation is low. Thus, people with knee OA encounter a difficult paradox: exercise could help decrease pain and improve function but doing so can be difficult and may not always be possible. There is a tremendous need to address this situation. This is a small device-feasibility study evaluating the Dephy ExoBoot, a wearable powered exoskeleton, in individuals with knee OA. The study assesses whether the device can reliably deliver positive assistance during walking and is tolerated across walking tasks. Additional measures, including changes in knee loading and walking speed with versus without the device, are also collected.
3,292 studies on the registry are indexed under Osteoarthritis, Knee; 623 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 9 is below the median of 68 across 2,714 interventional studies indexed under Osteoarthritis, Knee.
Browse Osteoarthritis, Knee studies →Massachusetts Institute of Technology is the lead sponsor of 34 studies on the registry; 11 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Participants wear the Dephy ExoBoot, a powered wearable exoskeleton, while completing walking tasks. Non-invasive sensors and motion capture monitor gait and device performance, and device assistance settings may be adjusted during sessions.
Device: Dephy Exoboot
Individuals administered the wearable intervention will have the device accurately predict appropriate dynamics based on non-invasive sensor inputs, adapt assistance timing and magnitude to match individual gait patterns, demonstrate reliable performance across various walking conditions and provide assistance that integrates naturally with the user's biomechanics
Number of Participants that Complete Walking Protocol with Real-time Device Assistance
Number of participants that complete the walking protocol with device providing assistance without device-related restrictions.
Time frame: Up to 4 sessions across 4 weeks, each lasting up to 2 days.
Peak external knee adduction moment
Quantitative analysis of knee adduction moment (N\*m / kg) between device and no device condition.
Time frame: Up to 4 sessions across 4 weeks, each lasting up to 2 days.
Change in self-selected walking speed
Analysis of walking speed (m/s) changes between device and no device conditions
Time frame: Up to 4 sessions across 4 weeks, each lasting up to 2 days.
Plan to share: No — IPD will not be available as it may contain identifying information.
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Started Dec 2025 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Jul 2028, 30 months after the start.
Of 1,111 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Osteoarthritis, Knee, half reached primary completion within 18 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 8 and three quarters within 36. This study's planned 30 months is above that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 1,251 studies reached it within 18 months; a quarter within 8 and three quarters within 36.
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology