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Congenital and Acquired Neuromotor DisordersNCT07092436

Pediatric Upper-Limb Rehabilitation With PhiCube, a Modular Bilateral End-Effector Device

A study testing Robotic bilateral upper limb rehabilitation training in people with Congenital and Acquired Neuromotor Disorders and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), run by Istituto di Sistemi e Tecnologie Industriali Intelligenti per il Manifatturiero Avanzato at 6 sites in Italy.

Recruiting

Looking for participants now. Contact the study team or a site below to ask about taking part.

Sites and contacts
Official record
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Trial summary

The present investigation is configured as a multicenter clinical study in a within-group pilot phase. This study aims to investigate primarily the feasibility of use and effectiveness of a treatment for upper limb function in children aged 4 to 18 years with congenital and acquired neuromotor disorders through a new… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 4 to 18 years
What is being tested?
Robotic bilateral upper limb rehabilitation training
Type of treatment
Medical device
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
54 participants
Where
6 sitesItaly
Study dates
17 Nov 2025to Nov 2026
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 4 to 18 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child, Adult

Who may be able to join

  • For subjects with congenital and acquired neuromotor disorders:
  • Diagnosis of congenital and acquired neuromotor disorders
  • Age between 4 and 18 years at the time of recruitment
  • Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) less than 3
  • MACS level I-IV
  • Sufficient capacity to understand the proposed activities
Show all 12Show fewer
  • Availability to attend the facility
  • For subjects with developmental coordination disorder (DCD):
  • Diagnosis of developmental coordination disorder (DCD)
  • Age between 4 and 18 years at the time of recruitment
  • Sufficient capacity to understand the proposed activities
  • Availability to attend the facility

Who cannot join

  • For subjects with congenital and acquired neuromotor disorders:
  • Severe sensory deficits
  • Onset of pathologies that prevent participation
  • Worsening of pre-existing comorbidities
  • For subjects with developmental coordination disorder (DCD):
  • Severe sensory deficits
  • Onset of pathologies that prevent participation
  • Worsening of pre-existing comorbidities

Trial locations and contacts

6 sites in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Matteo Malosio, PhD contact

+39.0341.235.0203

matteo.malosio@cnr.it

6 sites in 1 country

Italy6 sites, 6 recruiting
  • IRCCS Eugenio Medea

    Bosisio Parini, LC, 23842

    Emilia Biffi, PhD, +39.031.877862, emilia.biffi@lanostrafamiglia.it

    Eleonora Diella, MD

    Recruiting
  • IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris

    Calambrone, PI, 56128

    Giuseppina Sgandurra, PhD, +39.050.886284, giuseppina.sgandurra@fsm.unipi.it

    Giuseppina Sgandurra, PhD

    Recruiting
  • IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini

    Genova, 16147

    Alessia Aiello, MD, +39.010.56363137, alessia.aiello@gaslini.org

    Alessia Aiello, MD

    Recruiting
  • Fondazione Don Gnocchi IRCCS - Centro Santa Maria Nascente

    Milan, 20148

    Angela Cavalagli, MD, +39.02.40308279, acavalagli@dongnocchi.it

    Angela Cavalagli, MD

    Recruiting
  • IRCCS Fondazione Mondino

    Pavia, 27100

    Sabrina Signorini, MD, +39.0382.380233

    Sabrina Signorini, MD

    Recruiting
  • Fondazione Don Gnocchi - Centro S. Maria al Mare

    Salerno, SA, 84131

    Marco Germanotta, PhD, +39.089.334425, mgermanotta@dongnocchi.it

    Irene Giovanna Aprile, PhD

    Recruiting

Other trials in Italy

About this study

Official title: Pediatric Upper-Limb Rehabilitation With PhiCube, a Modular Bilateral End-Effector Device.

The present investigation is configured as a multicenter clinical study in a within-group pilot phase.

This study aims to investigate primarily the feasibility of use and effectiveness of a treatment for upper limb function in children aged 4 to 18 years with congenital and acquired neuromotor disorders through a new portable robotic system, called PhiCube, designed for bilateral neuromotor rehabilitation of the upper limbs in subjects with neuromotor disorders.

Read more

In order to specifically investigate also the potential impact of PhiCube on movement planning aspects, the study will also involve a small group of children aged 4 to 18 years with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD).

Before (PreT0 and T0) and after (T1 and T2) treatment, standardized assessment tests will be administered. Regarding the investigation objectives reported above, the primary outcome measure will be the Melbourne Assessment-2 (MA2), a standardized, valid and reliable instrument for evaluating the quality of upper limb movement in children with neurological deficits, capable of measuring four elements of movement quality: range of motion, accuracy, dexterity and fluency. As secondary outcome measures, Abilhand-Kids has been chosen, a brief questionnaire that measures 21 main daily bimanual activities completed by the parent or caregiver, and various subtests and questionnaires aimed at evaluating the neuropsychological processes involved and the effects related to auditory feedback perception.

The treatment will have a total duration of approximately 3 months and will be organized in 3 weekly sessions lasting 45 minutes each, to reach a total of 30.

Descriptive statistics of the clinical and technological variables obtained in the evaluation and rehabilitation phases will be calculated. Subsequently, treatment efficacy analyses through the robotic device are planned, comparing pre-post clinical variables. All collected data will finally be analyzed in order to compare the rehabilitative efficacy of the device with respect to the different groups of participants identified based on diagnostic profile.

Being tested
Robotic bilateral upper limb rehabilitation training
Keywords
Pediatric Rehabilitation, Upper Limb Rehabilitation, Robotic Rehabilitation, Bilateral Training, Neuromotor Disorders
Medical subject headings
Motor Skills Disorders

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Robotic bilateral upper limb rehabilitation trainingDevice

    Bilateral upper limb rehabilitation using PhiCube, a modular robotic end-effector device with two motorized axes that can assist or resist patient movements. Treatment consists of 30 sessions over 3 months (3 sessions/week, 45 minutes each) combining motor training with gaming elements specifically designed for pediatric populations. The device's modular design allows customization for individual patient needs and bilateral coordination training. Sessions focus on improving range of motion, precision, dexterity, and movement fluidity through controlled, repetitive, high-intensity exercises in children aged 4-18 years with neuromotor disorders and developmental coordination disorder.

Study groups in NCT07092436
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
PhiCube Bilateral Upper Limb RehabilitationExperimentalNot described
Receives: Device: Robotic bilateral upper limb rehabilitation training

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Upper limb movement quality in children with neurological deficits

    Quality of upper limb movement in children with neurological deficits, measured through Melbourne Assessment-2 (MA2), which is able to measure four elements of movement quality: range of motion, precision, dexterity and fluidity.

    Measured: Assessed at 4 time points: - PreT0: 2 months before treatment initiation - T0: Immediately before starting PhiCube treatment - T1: Immediately after completing the treatment period - T2: 1 month after treatment completion

Secondary outcomes (16)
  1. ABILHAND-Kids Questionnaire

    A brief questionnaire measuring 21 main bimanual daily activities. Scores are assigned by parents based on the child's difficulty in performing daily activities, with a 3-point scale (impossible, difficult, easy).

    Measured: Assessed at 4 time points: - PreT0: 2 months before treatment initiation - T0: Immediately before starting PhiCube treatment - T1: Immediately after completing the treatment period - T2: 1 month after treatment completion

  2. Leiter-3 Sustained Attention Subtest

    A subtest of the Leiter-3 non-verbal cognitive scale that evaluates sustained visual attention through tasks of increasing complexity within a specific time period. The number of correctly selected target elements is recorded.

    Measured: Assessed at 4 time points: - PreT0: 2 months before treatment initiation - T0: Immediately before starting PhiCube treatment - T1: Immediately after completing the treatment period - T2: 1 month after treatment completion

  3. NEPSY-II Inhibition Subtest

    Evaluates inhibitory control abilities of automatic verbal responses through administration of 3 different conditions for two different stimulus sets, requiring naming, inhibition with reversal, and alternating responses based on color.

    Measured: Assessed at 4 time points: - PreT0: 2 months before treatment initiation - T0: Immediately before starting PhiCube treatment - T1: Immediately after completing the treatment period - T2: 1 month after treatment completion

  4. NEPSY-II Auditory Attention Subtest

    Assesses the ability to maintain sustained attention to auditory stimuli performance and inhibit automatic motor responses in two tasks of increasing complexity with incremental executive control demands.

    Measured: Assessed at 4 time points: - PreT0: 2 months before treatment initiation - T0: Immediately before starting PhiCube treatment - T1: Immediately after completing the treatment period - T2: 1 month after treatment completion

  5. NEPSY-II Manual Posture Imitation subtest

    This subtest assesses the child's ability to accurately imitate a series of progressively complex hand and finger postures demonstrated by the examiner. The raw score is obtained by summing the number of correctly executed postures, separately recorded for the dominant and non-dominant hands. From the total raw score, a weighted score is derived, which in turn is used to calculate the standard score based on normative data.

    Measured: Assessed at 4 time points: - PreT0: 2 months before treatment initiation - T0: Immediately before starting PhiCube treatment - T1: Immediately after completing the treatment period - T2: 1 month after treatment completion

  6. NEPSY-II Manual Motor Sequences subtest

    This subtest evaluates the child's ability to observe and reproduce sequences of hand movements demonstrated by the examiner. The sequences become progressively more complex and require the integration of motor planning, attention, and imitation abilities. The raw score is calculated by summing the number of correctly imitated sequences. From the total raw score, a weighted score is derived, which is then converted into a standard score based on normative data.

    Measured: Assessed at 4 time points: - PreT0: 2 months before treatment initiation - T0: Immediately before starting PhiCube treatment - T1: Immediately after completing the treatment period - T2: 1 month after treatment completion

  7. NEPSY-II Arrow subtest

    This subtests evaluates the ability to judge line orientation considering direction, distance, orientation, and angularity. The task requires the integration of visual attention, orientation discrimination, and mental rotation.

    The raw score is obtained by summing the number of correct responses across all items. From this total raw score, a weighted score is calculated and then converted into a standard score based on age-specific normative data.

    Measured: Assessed at 4 time points: - PreT0: 2 months before treatment initiation - T0: Immediately before starting PhiCube treatment - T1: Immediately after completing the treatment period - T2: 1 month after treatment completion

  8. NEPSY-II Route Finding subtest

    This subtest assesses the ability to use a small schematic map to locate targets on a larger schematic map.

    The raw score corresponds to the number of correctly identified routes. From this raw score, a weighted score is derived and then transformed into a standard score using normative tables based on the child's age.

    Measured: Assessed at 4 time points: - PreT0: 2 months before treatment initiation - T0: Immediately before starting PhiCube treatment - T1: Immediately after completing the treatment period - T2: 1 month after treatment completion

  9. BRIEF P/2 Questionnaire

    Parent-administered questionnaire evaluating executive functions in daily life contexts. Parents rate behaviors on a 3-point Likert scale based on frequency over the past six months.

    Measured: Assessed at 4 time points: - PreT0: 2 months before treatment initiation - T0: Immediately before starting PhiCube treatment - T1: Immediately after completing the treatment period - T2: 1 month after treatment completion

  10. Usability questionnaire

    Custom questionnaire administered to stakeholders (children and operators) at treatment completion to investigate system usability.

    Measured: T1: Immediately after completing the treatment period

  11. Acceptability questionnaire

    Custom questionnaire administered to stakeholders (children and operators) at treatment completion to investigate system acceptability.

    Measured: T1: Immediately after completing the treatment period

  12. Compliance questionnaire

    Custom questionnaire administered to stakeholders (children and operators) at treatment completion to investigate child and operator compliance.

    Measured: T1: Immediately after completing the treatment period

  13. Movement smoothness

    Measures of how continuous and even a movement is, without sudden stops or changes in speed. It is measured by the normalized jerk.

    Measured: - T0: Immediately before starting PhiCube treatment - T1: Immediately after completing the treatment period

  14. Trajectory error

    Measures the error made by one limb in following a proposed trajectory via the screen.

    Measured: - T0: Immediately before starting PhiCube treatment - T1: Immediately after completing the treatment period

  15. Bilateral coordination

    Measures coordination between limbs in performing the same movement simultaneously by calculating the difference between axes coordinates.

    Measured: - T0: Immediately before starting PhiCube treatment - T1: Immediately after completing the treatment period

  16. Audio Feedback Effect Evaluation

    Assessment of how audio feedback influences motivational and satisfaction aspects through three interaction conditions (no feedback, reward feedback, help feedback) using VAS scales for fun and engagement, adapted In-game Questionnaire, and open-ended questions about the child's experience.

    Measured: - T0: Immediately before starting PhiCube treatment - T1: Immediately after completing the treatment period

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted29 Jul 2025
  2. Study start17 Nov 2025
  3. Primary completionOct 2026 (estimated)
  4. Study completionNov 2026 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
54 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07092436
Sponsor's protocol ID
PhiCube-Pediatric
Status last verified
Apr 2026
First submitted
2 Jul 2025
Last updated
2 Apr 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Robotic bilateral upper limb rehabilitation training in people with Congenital and Acquired Neuromotor Disorders and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), run by Istituto di Sistemi e Tecnologie Industriali Intelligenti per il Manifatturiero Avanzato at 6 sites in Italy.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 12 inclusion and 8 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 2 Apr 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 6 sites in Italy. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact Matteo Malosio, PhD (+39.0341.235.0203, matteo.malosio@cnr.it), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Upper limb movement quality in children with neurological deficits (time frame: Assessed at 4 time points: - PreT0: 2 months before treatment initiation - T0: Immediately before starting PhiCube treatment - T1: Immediately after completing the treatment period - T2: 1 month after treatment completion). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 2 Apr 2026.

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