Objective:To explore the utility of a robotic trunk support brace (a RoboBDsys) in evaluating seated trunk control after a spinal cord injury (SCI).Methods:Twenty wheelchair-dependent SCI patients were tested for trunk resistance while seated and wearing the RoboBDsys. In the test they were required to maintain an upright seated position for 1 minute while external forces were applied from the left, right, anterior and posterior directions. The system generated eight observations of swings of the center of pressure (COP), their mean velocity and their standard deviations. Sway area, sway path (SP), mean sway frequency (MF) and mean sway amplitude (MA) were also recorded along with the maximum voluntary contraction torque (MVC). The trunk control test (TCT), the Tinetti Balance Scale (Tinetti), the modified Functional Reach Test (mFRT) and Spinal Cord Independence Measure III (SCIM-III) were also administerd and their results were correlated with the RoboBDsys resistance test results.Results:All twenty of the patients completed the resistance test in the left and right directions, but only 11 did it in the anterior and posterior directions. In the left and right-direction resistance tests the average center of pressure deviation, sway area and MVC showed some significant correlation with the TCT, Tinetti, mFRT and SCIM-III results (| r| ranging from 0.46 to 0.74). The average MVC in the anterior-direction correlated moderately with the TCT, mFRT and SCIM-III results (| r|=0.63 to 0.67), while that in the posterior-direction had moderate correlation with the TCT and mFRT results only (| r|=0.63 to 0.67). Conclusion:The Robotic Brace for Dynamic Trunk Support system can be effective in assessing reactive postural control and functional independence after a spinal cord injury.

Objective:To investigate the test-retest reliability and criterion validity of the Robotic Brace for Dynamic Trunk Support System(RoboBDsys)in evaluating seated trunk control function in patients with spinal cord in-jury(SCI). Method:From October to December,2022,20 patients with spinal cord injury who were unable to walk were recruited.All participants completed RoboBDsys trunk control test including static control test and dynam-ic control test on the seated platform.The evaluation indexes were the supporting torque regression slope exert-ed by the robot platform on the direction of x,y,α,and θ,recorded as Kx,Ky,Kθ,Kα;the average sup-porting torque recorded as Fx,Fy,Mθ,Mα in the static control test;and the the Range of Motion(ROM)of trunk in four directions in the dynamic control test.All the participants completed Trunk Control Test(TCT)as criterion assessment.The test interval was one week,intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC)values were calculated between two RoboBDsys trunk control test. Result:There were 13 participants completed two tests.In the static control test,the ICCs of four indexes were 0.418-0.742 between 2 tests;the ICCs of all indexes in dynamic control test were 0.633-0.848,which all showed moderate to high test-retest reliability.In regards of criterion validity,there was low to mod-erate correlation between Ky,Mθ,Mα in static control test and TCT(|r|=0.467-0.561,P＜0.05);all indexes except right lateral flection ROM in dynamic control test showed moderate to high correlation with TCT(r=0.559-0.758,P＜0.05). Conclusion:RoboBDsys is a reliable and valid tool for evaluating seated trunk control function in patients with SCI.