Thomas A. Schildhauer

About

Thomas A. Schildhauer is a pioneering researcher in neurorehabilitation and assistive robotics, with a primary focus on restoring mobility and function in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and stroke. His major contributions center on the clinical application of the Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) exoskeleton, demonstrating that robotic-assisted bodyweight-supported treadmill training can improve walking parameters, normalize cortical excitability, and enhance bladder and bowel function in SCI patients. His landmark 2015 study on HAL training (120 citations) showed normalization of primary somatosensory cortex excitability, while his HALESTRO trial (2019, 53 citations) extended these benefits to chronic stroke survivors. Schildhauer also explores brain-machine interfaces for severely paralyzed individuals, as evidenced by his work on BMI-driven wheelchairs (2022, 48 citations). His cumulative research, spanning over a decade and summarized in a 2023 narrative review, has established HAL exoskeleton therapy as a viable neurorehabilitative tool, influencing both clinical practice and rehabilitation engineering. His work bridges neuroscience, robotics, and patient-centered outcomes, making him a leading figure in wearable cyborg technology for paralysis.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   HAL® exoskeleton training improves walking parameters and normalizes cortical excitability in primary somatosensory cortex in spinal cord injury patients

   120 citations · 2015
2. 2
   A Randomized and Controlled Crossover Study Investigating the Improvement of Walking and Posture Functions in Chronic Stroke Patients Using HAL Exoskeleton – The HALESTRO Study (HAL-Exoskeleton STROke Study)

   53 citations · 2019
3. 3
   Learning to control a BMI-driven wheelchair for people with severe tetraplegia

   48 citations · 2022
4. 4
   Functional Outcome of Neurologic-Controlled HAL-Exoskeletal Neurorehabilitation in Chronic Spinal Cord Injury: A Pilot With One Year Treatment and Variable Treatment Frequency

   28 citations · 2017
5. 5
   Improved Physiological Gait in Acute and Chronic SCI Patients After Training With Wearable Cyborg Hybrid Assistive Limb

   13 citations · 2021
6. 6
   Influence of Locomotion Therapy With the Wearable Cyborg HAL on Bladder and Bowel Function in Acute and Chronic SCI Patients

   10 citations · 2021
7. 7
   HAL Training in Spinal Cord Injured Patients: A Narrative Review of 10 Years Experience

   8 citations · 2023
8. 8
   Exoskelettales Rehabilitationstraining bei Querschnittgelähmten

   2 citations · 2013
9. 9
   Neue Technologien und Robotik

   2 citations · 2022

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links