Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40321475›Full record

ArticleIEEE transactions on medical robotics and bionics2025

Optimizing the Mechanics of a Variable-Stiffness Orthosis with Energy Recycling to Mitigate Foot Drop.

Emily A Bywater, Nikko Van Crey, Elliott J Rouse

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in IEEE transactions on medical robotics and bionics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Ankle-foot orthosis mechanical testing: a scoping review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Emily A BywaterRobotics Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Nikko Van CreyRobotics Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Elliott J RouseRobotics Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.

Funding

Assessing Design Trade-Offs in an Orthosis with Enhanced Functionality and CustomizabilityF31HD115309 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI Emily Ann Bywater · 2024 to 2026
$144k
NICHD NIH HHS F31 HD115309
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

In ankle-foot orthosis development, it is challenging to both specify the appropriate ankle mechanics and design systems that can physically render them. Recently, a new ankle-foot orthosis - the Variable Stiffness Orthosis (VSO) - was introduced to allow customization of the shape of the joint's torque-angle relationship via a cam-based transmission. A module in the VSO permits switching between two coupled torque-angle relationships at desired kinematic transitions. This module decouples energy storage and return (DESR), enabling new functionality, including varying the ankle's equilibrium position and exchanging energy between gait phases. However, the torque-angle relationships are defined by many parameters and subject to substantial constraints. We developed an optimization framework to design two versions of the DESR module to address foot drop. The

Identifiers

PMID40321475
PMCPMC12045141

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.