Healthy ElderlyNCT07821346
Development of a Visual and Motion Dual-Mirror Robot-Assisted Upper Limb Training System
A study testing Robot-Mirror Therapy (RMT), Robot therapy (RT) and Mirror Therapy (MT) in people with Healthy Elderly, run by National Cheng-Kung University Hospital at 1 site in Taiwan.
Trial summary
Stroke is a major cause of disability and death worldwide. It can also cause sensory, cognitive, and unilateral upper-limb motor impairments. Thus, there is strong need for rehabilitative approaches enhancing motor recovery for stroke patients. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any ageHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Healthy Elderly
- What is being tested?
- Robot-Mirror Therapy (RMT), Robot therapy (RT) and Mirror Therapy (MT)
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 21 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTaiwan
- Study dates
- 1 Oct 2025to 19 Apr 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
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 Any age
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- 20 years old above
- Able to understand in Mandarin Chinese or Taiwanese
- Without past medical history of skeletal muscle or neurological disease
- Dominant hand is right
- Normal cognitive function to understand and follow the instructions
Who cannot join
- Use of medications that lower the seizure threshold or use of psychotropic medications.
- Having shoulder pain, dislocation, or fracture.
- Having metallic implants , skull defects, or experiencing motion sickness after prolonged usage of fNIRS.
- With history of mental disorders or current use of any antipsychotic medications.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Stroke is a major cause of disability and death worldwide. It can also cause sensory, cognitive, and unilateral upper-limb motor impairments. Thus, there is strong need for rehabilitative approaches enhancing motor recovery for stroke patients. To maximize neural, motor and functional recovery, various physical rehabilitation approaches can be employed, including somatosensory training, bilateral arm training, mirror therapy, and robotic therapy. However, few existing system combines mirror visual feedback with robotic assistance simultaneously.
This motivated our study to integrate both approaches, providing simultaneous visual and physical feedback to create stronger multisensory stimulation and promote neuroplasticity.
- Conditions
- Healthy Elderly
- Being tested
- Robot-Mirror Therapy (RMT), Robot therapy (RT), Mirror Therapy (MT), Motor Imagery (MI), No Treatment (NT)
- Keywords
- Functional near infrared spectroscopy, Robotic arm, Robot-Mirror therapy, Upper extremity rehabilitation
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Robot-Mirror Therapy (RMT)Behavioural
In this condition, the participants focused on the mirror illusion of the non-dominant arm moving while the robotic arm guided the non-dominant hand to perform the mirrored movements.
Robot therapy (RT)Behavioural
This condition involves robotic-assisted bilateral movements without mirror visual feedback.
Mirror Therapy (MT)Behavioural
In this condition, participants moved the dominant hand to create a mirrored illusion of movement of the non-dominant while performing the motor task.
Motor Imagery (MI)Behavioural
Required participants to imagine bilateral movements without physical execution.
No Treatment (NT)Behavioural
Participants performed the task using the dominant hand only without mirror or robotic arm
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Water-Pouring Task Under Five Conditions | Experimental | Participants performed a water-pouring task under five conditions : Robot-Mirror Therapy(RMT), Robot Therapy(RT), Mirror Therapy(MT), Motor Imagery(MI), No Treatment(NT), while functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) measured brain activation. Receives: Behavioral: Robot-Mirror Therapy (RMT); Behavioral: Robot therapy (RT); Behavioral: Mirror Therapy (MT); Behavioral: Motor Imagery (MI); Behavioral: No Treatment (NT) |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Oxygenated hemoglobin
The oxygenated hemoglobin was measured while the participants perform the task under five conditions.
Measured: Day 1
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted15 Sep 2026
- Study start1 Oct 2025
- Primary completion19 Apr 2026
- Study completion19 Apr 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (16)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Healthy ElderlyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by National Cheng-Kung University HospitalThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
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
- Other
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 21 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- National Cheng-Kung University Hospital
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Fong Chin Su, National Cheng-Kung University Hospital
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07821346
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 114-0274
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 9 Sep 2026
- Last updated
- 28 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Publications
Kim DH, Lee KD, Bulea TC, Park HS. Increasing motor cortex activation during grasping via novel robotic mirror hand therapy: a pilot fNIRS study. J Neuroeng Rehabil. 2022 Jan 24;19(1):8. doi: 10.1186/s12984-022-00988-7.
PubMed 35073933Diers M, Christmann C, Koeppe C, Ruf M, Flor H. Mirrored, imagined and executed movements differentially activate sensorimotor cortex in amputees with and without phantom limb pain. Pain. 2010 May;149(2):296-304. doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2010.02.020. Epub 2010 Mar 31.
PubMed 20359825Hardwick RM, Caspers S, Eickhoff SB, Swinnen SP. Neural correlates of action: Comparing meta-analyses of imagery, observation, and execution. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2018 Nov;94:31-44. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.08.003. Epub 2018 Aug 9.
PubMed 30098990Hetu S, Gregoire M, Saimpont A, Coll MP, Eugene F, Michon PE, Jackson PL. The neural network of motor imagery: an ALE meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2013 Jun;37(5):930-49. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2013.03.017. Epub 2013 Apr 10.
PubMed 23583615Stoykov ME, Madhavan S. Motor priming in neurorehabilitation. J Neurol Phys Ther. 2015 Jan;39(1):33-42. doi: 10.1097/NPT.0000000000000065.
PubMed 25415551Liao WW, Wu CY, Hsieh YW, Lin KC, Chang WY. Effects of robot-assisted upper limb rehabilitation on daily function and real-world arm activity in patients with chronic stroke: a randomized controlled trial. Clin Rehabil. 2012 Feb;26(2):111-20. doi: 10.1177/0269215511416383. Epub 2011 Aug 12.
PubMed 21840917Cauraugh JH, Lodha N, Naik SK, Summers JJ. Bilateral movement training and stroke motor recovery progress: a structured review and meta-analysis. Hum Mov Sci. 2010 Oct;29(5):853-70. doi: 10.1016/j.humov.2009.09.004. Epub 2009 Nov 18.
PubMed 19926154Thieme H, Morkisch N, Mehrholz J, Pohl M, Behrens J, Borgetto B, Dohle C. Mirror therapy for improving motor function after stroke. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018 Jul 11;7(7):CD008449. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD008449.pub3.
PubMed 29993119Rizzolatti G, Craighero L. The mirror-neuron system. Annu Rev Neurosci. 2004;27:169-92. doi: 10.1146/annurev.neuro.27.070203.144230.
PubMed 15217330Ramachandran VS, Rogers-Ramachandran D. Synaesthesia in phantom limbs induced with mirrors. Proc Biol Sci. 1996 Apr 22;263(1369):377-86. doi: 10.1098/rspb.1996.0058.
PubMed 8637922Winstein CJ, Stein J, Arena R, Bates B, Cherney LR, Cramer SC, Deruyter F, Eng JJ, Fisher B, Harvey RL, Lang CE, MacKay-Lyons M, Ottenbacher KJ, Pugh S, Reeves MJ, Richards LG, Stiers W, Zorowitz RD; American Heart Association Stroke Council, Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing, Council on Clinical Cardiology, and Council on Quality of Care and Outcomes Research. Guidelines for Adult Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery: A Guideline for Healthcare Professionals From the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Stroke. 2016 Jun;47(6):e98-e169. doi: 10.1161/STR.0000000000000098. Epub 2016 May 4.
PubMed 27145936Ramachandran VS, Altschuler EL. The use of visual feedback, in particular mirror visual feedback, in restoring brain function. Brain. 2009 Jul;132(Pt 7):1693-710. doi: 10.1093/brain/awp135. Epub 2009 Jun 8.
PubMed 19506071Lo AC, Guarino PD, Richards LG, Haselkorn JK, Wittenberg GF, Federman DG, Ringer RJ, Wagner TH, Krebs HI, Volpe BT, Bever CT Jr, Bravata DM, Duncan PW, Corn BH, Maffucci AD, Nadeau SE, Conroy SS, Powell JM, Huang GD, Peduzzi P. Robot-assisted therapy for long-term upper-limb impairment after stroke. N Engl J Med. 2010 May 13;362(19):1772-83. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa0911341. Epub 2010 Apr 16.
PubMed 20400552Clarke DJ, Forster A. Improving post-stroke recovery: the role of the multidisciplinary health care team. J Multidiscip Healthc. 2015 Sep 22;8:433-42. doi: 10.2147/JMDH.S68764. eCollection 2015.
PubMed 26445548Hsieh CY, Tsao WC, Lin RT, Chao AC. Three years of the nationwide post-acute stroke care program in Taiwan. J Chin Med Assoc. 2018 Jan;81(1):87-88. doi: 10.1016/j.jcma.2017.09.003. Epub 2017 Oct 9.
PubMed 29033109
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 28 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Development of a Visual and Motion Dual-Mirror Robot-Assisted Upper Limb Training System
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07821346
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 114-0274
- Conditions
- Healthy Elderly
- Keywords
- Functional near infrared spectroscopy, Robotic arm, Robot-Mirror therapy, Upper extremity rehabilitation
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 21 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- National Cheng-Kung University HospitalUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Oct 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 19 Apr 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 19 Apr 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 15 Sep 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Stroke is a major cause of disability and death worldwide. It can also cause sensory, cognitive, and unilateral upper-limb motor impairments. Thus, there is strong need for rehabilitative approaches enhancing motor recovery for stroke patients. To maximize neural, motor and functional recovery, various physical rehabilitation approaches can be employed, including somatosensory training, bilateral arm training, mirror therapy, and robotic therapy. However, few existing system combines mirror visual feedback with robotic assistance simultaneously.
This motivated our study to integrate both approaches, providing simultaneous visual and physical feedback to create stronger multisensory stimulation and promote neuroplasticity.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Water-Pouring Task Under Five Conditions | Experimental | Behavioral: Robot-Mirror Therapy (RMT), Behavioral: Robot therapy (RT), Behavioral: Mirror Therapy (MT), Behavioral: Motor Imagery (MI), Behavioral: No Treatment (NT)Participants performed a water-pouring task under five conditions : Robot-Mirror Therapy(RMT), Robot Therapy(RT), Mirror Therapy(MT), Motor Imagery(MI), No Treatment(NT), while functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) measured brain activation. |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- 20 years old above
- Able to understand in Mandarin Chinese or Taiwanese
- Without past medical history of skeletal muscle or neurological disease
- Dominant hand is right
- Normal cognitive function to understand and follow the instructions
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Use of medications that lower the seizure threshold or use of psychotropic medications.
- Having shoulder pain, dislocation, or fracture.
- Having metallic implants , skull defects, or experiencing motion sickness after prolonged usage of fNIRS.
- With history of mental disorders or current use of any antipsychotic medications.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Robot-Mirror Therapy (RMT)In this condition, the participants focused on the mirror illusion of the non-dominant arm moving while the robotic arm guided the non-dominant hand to perform the mirrored movements. | Behavioural | Water-Pouring Task Under Five Conditions |
| Robot therapy (RT)This condition involves robotic-assisted bilateral movements without mirror visual feedback. | Behavioural | Water-Pouring Task Under Five Conditions |
| Mirror Therapy (MT)In this condition, participants moved the dominant hand to create a mirrored illusion of movement of the non-dominant while performing the motor task. | Behavioural | Water-Pouring Task Under Five Conditions |
| Motor Imagery (MI)Required participants to imagine bilateral movements without physical execution. | Behavioural | Water-Pouring Task Under Five Conditions |
| No Treatment (NT)Participants performed the task using the dominant hand only without mirror or robotic arm | Behavioural | Water-Pouring Task Under Five Conditions |
Primary outcome
Oxygenated hemoglobin
Time frame: Day 1
The oxygenated hemoglobin was measured while the participants perform the task under five conditions.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 28 Sep 2026.
- Background: PubMed 35073933Kim DH, Lee KD, Bulea TC, Park HS. Increasing motor cortex activation during grasping via novel robotic mirror hand therapy: a pilot fNIRS study. J Neuroeng Rehabil. 2022 Jan 24;19(1):8. doi: 10.1186/s12984-022-00988-7.
- Background: PubMed 20359825Diers M, Christmann C, Koeppe C, Ruf M, Flor H. Mirrored, imagined and executed movements differentially activate sensorimotor cortex in amputees with and without phantom limb pain. Pain. 2010 May;149(2):296-304. doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2010.02.020. Epub 2010 Mar 31.
- Background: PubMed 30098990Hardwick RM, Caspers S, Eickhoff SB, Swinnen SP. Neural correlates of action: Comparing meta-analyses of imagery, observation, and execution. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2018 Nov;94:31-44. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.08.003. Epub 2018 Aug 9.
- Background: PubMed 23583615Hetu S, Gregoire M, Saimpont A, Coll MP, Eugene F, Michon PE, Jackson PL. The neural network of motor imagery: an ALE meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2013 Jun;37(5):930-49. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2013.03.017. Epub 2013 Apr 10.
- Background: PubMed 25415551Stoykov ME, Madhavan S. Motor priming in neurorehabilitation. J Neurol Phys Ther. 2015 Jan;39(1):33-42. doi: 10.1097/NPT.0000000000000065.
- Background: PubMed 21840917Liao WW, Wu CY, Hsieh YW, Lin KC, Chang WY. Effects of robot-assisted upper limb rehabilitation on daily function and real-world arm activity in patients with chronic stroke: a randomized controlled trial. Clin Rehabil. 2012 Feb;26(2):111-20. doi: 10.1177/0269215511416383. Epub 2011 Aug 12.
- Background: PubMed 19926154Cauraugh JH, Lodha N, Naik SK, Summers JJ. Bilateral movement training and stroke motor recovery progress: a structured review and meta-analysis. Hum Mov Sci. 2010 Oct;29(5):853-70. doi: 10.1016/j.humov.2009.09.004. Epub 2009 Nov 18.
- Background: PubMed 29993119Thieme H, Morkisch N, Mehrholz J, Pohl M, Behrens J, Borgetto B, Dohle C. Mirror therapy for improving motor function after stroke. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018 Jul 11;7(7):CD008449. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD008449.pub3.
- Background: PubMed 15217330Rizzolatti G, Craighero L. The mirror-neuron system. Annu Rev Neurosci. 2004;27:169-92. doi: 10.1146/annurev.neuro.27.070203.144230.
- Background: PubMed 8637922Ramachandran VS, Rogers-Ramachandran D. Synaesthesia in phantom limbs induced with mirrors. Proc Biol Sci. 1996 Apr 22;263(1369):377-86. doi: 10.1098/rspb.1996.0058.
- Background: PubMed 27145936Winstein CJ, Stein J, Arena R, Bates B, Cherney LR, Cramer SC, Deruyter F, Eng JJ, Fisher B, Harvey RL, Lang CE, MacKay-Lyons M, Ottenbacher KJ, Pugh S, Reeves MJ, Richards LG, Stiers W, Zorowitz RD; American Heart Association Stroke Council, Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing, Council on Clinical Cardiology, and Council on Quality of Care and Outcomes Research. Guidelines for Adult Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery: A Guideline for Healthcare Professionals From the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Stroke. 2016 Jun;47(6):e98-e169. doi: 10.1161/STR.0000000000000098. Epub 2016 May 4.
- Background: PubMed 19506071Ramachandran VS, Altschuler EL. The use of visual feedback, in particular mirror visual feedback, in restoring brain function. Brain. 2009 Jul;132(Pt 7):1693-710. doi: 10.1093/brain/awp135. Epub 2009 Jun 8.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Robot-Mirror Therapy (RMT), Robot therapy (RT) and Mirror Therapy (MT) in people with Healthy Elderly, run by National Cheng-Kung University Hospital at 1 site in Taiwan.
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 5 inclusion and 4 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: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 28 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Taiwan. 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?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Oxygenated hemoglobin (time frame: Day 1). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07821346, which also lists 16 linked publications.
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 28 Sep 2026.