Postprandial Glycemic and Physiological Responses to Walking With a Wearable Hip Exoskeleton in Healthy Adults

NCT07695441 | Completed

• 3 other identifiers: BOTFIT-HA-2025S-2025-0600-000-1CHAMC 1044308-202503-BR-237-02
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 22
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This randomized crossover proof-of-concept study evaluated the effects of walking with a wearable hip exoskeleton on postprandial glycemic and physiological responses in healthy adults. Participants completed four experimental conditions: seated control, walking without the wearable hip exoskeleton, walking with the Bot-Fit device in Aqua mode, and walking with the Bot-Fit device in Boost mode. The primary aim was to determine whether walking with the wearable hip exoskeleton alters postprandial glucose responses compared with seated control and conventional walking conditions.

Conditions

Postprandial Glycemic Response; Healthy Adults

Keywords

Wearable hip exoskeleton; Bot-Fit; Postprandial glucose; Walking; Energy expenditure; Healthy adults

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Incremental Area Under the Curve for Postprandial Glucose

  Incremental area under the curve for postprandial glucose was calculated during the postprandial measurement period for each experimental condition.

  Up to 120 minutes after meal ingestion during each experimental trial

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Peak Postprandial Glucose Concentration

  Up to 120 minutes after meal ingestion during each experimental trial

• Heart Rate Response

  From the start to the end of the 30-minute intervention or control period on each experimental trial day

• Rating of Perceived Exertion

  Immediately after each experimental condition

Study Arms (4)

Seated Control

NO INTERVENTION

Participants remained seated during the postprandial period without walking or wearable hip exoskeleton assistance.

Walking Without Bot-Fit

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants performed walking without wearing the Bot-Fit wearable hip exoskeleton.

Behavioral: Walking Without Bot-Fit

Bot-Fit Aqua Mode

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants performed walking while wearing the Bot-Fit wearable hip exoskeleton in Aqua mode.

Device: Bot-Fit Aqua Mode

Bot-Fit Boost Mode

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants performed walking while wearing the Bot-Fit wearable hip exoskeleton in Boost mode.

Device: Bot-Fit Boost Mode

Interventions

Walking Without Bot-Fit BEHAVIORAL

Participants performed walking without wearing the Bot-Fit wearable hip exoskeleton during the postprandial period.

Walking Without Bot-Fit

Bot-Fit Aqua Mode DEVICE

Participants performed walking while wearing the Bot-Fit wearable hip exoskeleton in Aqua mode during the postprandial period.

Bot-Fit Aqua Mode

Bot-Fit Boost Mode DEVICE

Participants performed walking while wearing the Bot-Fit wearable hip exoskeleton in Boost mode during the postprandial period.

Bot-Fit Boost Mode

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 20 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Healthy adults aged 20 to 65 years.
• Participants who were able to complete walking trials with and without the wearable hip exoskeleton.
• Participants who provided written informed consent before participation.

You may not qualify if:

• Participants with diagnosed metabolic, cardiovascular, neurological, or musculoskeletal disorders.
• Participants with conditions that could affect walking ability or safe use of the wearable hip exoskeleton.
• Participants taking medications known to affect glucose metabolism.
• Participants who were unable to comply with the study procedures.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• CHA University: lead
• Samsung Electronics: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

CHA University

Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13503, South Korea

Location

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Walking

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Locomotion; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena; Exercise; Motor Activity

Study Officials

• Seung-Bo Park, Ph.D

  CHA University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Each participant completed four experimental conditions in a randomized crossover design: seated control, walking without the wearable hip exoskeleton, walking with the Bot-Fit device in Aqua mode, and walking with the Bot-Fit device in Boost mode.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 5, 2026
• First Posted: July 10, 2026
• Study Start: March 17, 2026
• Primary Completion: April 25, 2026
• Study Completion: April 25, 2026
• Last Updated: July 10, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Time Frame: Data may be made available after publication of the main study results and will be available for a reasonable period thereafter.
• Access Criteria: Data may be shared with qualified researchers who submit a reasonable research proposal to the corresponding author. Access will be granted only after review and approval by the investigators and, where required, appropriate institutional or ethics committee approval. Data will be shared only for scientific purposes and in a deidentified form.

Locations

KR (1)