PhD Student Defense – Improve Walking Ability and Mobility in Older Adults

Wearable Haptic Interventions for Arm-Swing Modulation: Effects on Gait Performance and Neuromuscular Coordination in Older Adults

Ines Khiyara 1,2

1 University of Maine Department of Mechanical Engineering, Orono, ME
2 Biorobotics & Biomechanics Laboratory, Orono, ME

ines.khiyara@maine.edu
Date & time: August 11, 2026, 10:00 AM EDT
Location: Hill Auditorium, Barrows Hall

Abstract. Walking preserves mobility and independence in older adults, yet gait rehabilitation typically targets the legs, overlooking the mechanical and neural coupling between arm and leg movements. This dissertation tested whether haptic cueing and feedback delivered to the arms could modulate arm-swing timing and amplitude and thereby influence gait performance and neuromuscular coordination across four overground walking studies: two using rhythmic vibrotactile cueing and two using a smartphone-based closed-loop system. Wearable inertial measurement units (IMUs) quantified arm-swing and gait outcomes, while surface electromyography (EMG) characterized neuromuscular coordination. Rhythmic cueing altered arm-swing cycle time with corresponding changes in foot timing—shorter cycles increased walking speed and longer cycles decreased it—while also increasing arm range of motion and intermuscular coherence, with greater arm-to-leg directional coherence during cueing. The closed-loop system increased arm range of motion, walking speed, and stride length, with the Combined +200% condition producing walking speed and stride length that did not differ significantly from Fast walking, while involving distinct neuromuscular organization.

Together, these findings show that upper-limb haptic interventions modify arm swing and produce
immediate whole-body gait changes, supporting arm swing as an actionable target for wearable gait
intervention.

Figure 1. Wearable arm-swing feedback system setup and testing.