DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF AN ASSISTIVE WALKWAY WITH VISUAL CUES FOR GAIT TRAINING IN PEOPLE WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE

• Grant number: 25/17910-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: April 01, 2026
• End date: February 28, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physical Education
• Principal Investigator: Fabio Augusto Barbieri
• Grantee: Gabriel Nunes Almeida
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências (FC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Bauru. Bauru , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 24/01132-2 - Multidisciplinary Center for the Development of Assistive Technology (MCDAT), AP.CCD

Abstract

Gait is one of the motor functions most affected in people with Parkinson's disease (PwPD), compromising mobility, autonomy, and quality of life. Strategies such as the use of visual cues have demonstrated positive effects on gait improvement, modulating parameters such as cadence, speed, and symmetry. However, their use in clinical contexts remains limited due to the lack of tools that allow controlled, safe, and personalized application of these stimuli. Currently available assistive technologies (AT) primarily focus on the immediate compensation of deficits, without promoting sustained improvements in locomotor function. Therefore, there is a clear need to develop solutions that combine therapeutic functionality, reproducibility, and support for professional rehabilitation practice. The present project aims to develop and validate an assistive walkway equipped with modulable visual cues, designed for gait training in PwPD. The initial phase includes the construction of a prototype using LED strips controlled by a digital interface. Subsequently, testing and adjustments will be conducted to calibrate variables such as cue spacing, speed, and activation rhythm. Technical validation will be performed with a sample of 105 participants, distributed into three groups: young adults, neurologically healthy older adults, and PwPD (Hoehn & Yahr stages I-III). Spatiotemporal gait parameters will be collected using the Vicon Motion System®, and technology usability will be assessed using the System Usability Scale. It is expected that PAMParkinson will be able to modulate gait parameters in a precise, safe, and personalized manner, establishing itself as a valid tool for gait training and rehabilitation. (AU)