Environment-dependent modulation of ankle impedance during the stance phase of walking

This study reports the effects of mechanical environment on the modulation of ankle impedance during the stance phase of walking. We used a robotic platform, capable of simulating different mechanical environments and providing accurate perturbations, to investigate how ankle impedance vary during walking over the rigid and compliant grounds. A pilot study with three healthy individuals demonstrated that ankle stiffness was modulated in a highly environment-dependent manner over the stance phase of walking, while ankle damping was less affected by the compliance of environments.