Abstract: A device includes a first member and a second member disposed in series along a longitudinal axis. The device also includes links coupling first joints of the first member to second joints of the second member. The first and second members and the links arranged to define a planar parallelogram linkage. The devices also include a resilient element disposed between the first member and the second member, the first member and the second member preloaded against the resilient element. The first member and the second member are preloaded to provide an arrangement of the first and the second joints in which a motion of the first joints with respect to the second joints is constrained to a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. The devices further include a sensor for generating a signal indicating a separation between the first member and the second member.

Abstract: A jointed mechanical device is provided. The device includes at least one element having a fixed end and a deflectable end. The device also includes at least one actuating structure having a first end coupled to at least the deflectable end of the element, where the actuating structure includes at least one elastic element in series with at least one non-elastic element. The device further includes at least one force actuator configured to apply an actuator force to a second end of the actuating structure. Additionally, the device includes a control system for adjusting an operation of the force actuator based at least one actuation input, an amount of the actuator force, and an amount of displacement generated by the force actuator.

Abstract: A powered leg prosthesis including a powered knee joint with a knee joint and a knee motor unit for delivering power to the knee joint, a powered ankle joint coupled to the knee joint including an ankle joint and an ankle motor unit to deliver power to the ankle joint, a prosthetic foot coupled to the ankle joint, a plurality of sensors for measuring a real-time input, and controller for controlling movement of the prosthesis based on the real-time input. In the powered leg prosthesis, at least one of the knee motor unit or the ankle motor unit includes at least one drive stage, where the drive stage includes a rotary element for generating torque and at least one looped element affixed around the rotary element and configured for transmitting the torque to another rotary element coupled to a joint to be actuated.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling a weight bearing member having at least one powered joint are provided. A system includes a velocity reference module for receiving myoelectric control signals from a user during a non-weight bearing mode for the powered joint and generating a velocity reference for the powered joint based on the myoelectric control signals. The system further includes a volitional impedance module for generating a torque control signal for actuating the powered joint based at least on the velocity reference.

Abstract: A jointed mechanical device is provided. The device includes at least one element having a fixed end and a deflectable end. The device also includes at least one actuating structure having a first end coupled to at least the deflectable end of the element, where the actuating structure includes at least one elastic element in series with at least one non-elastic element. The device further includes at least one force actuator configured to apply an actuator force to a second end of the actuating structure. Additionally, the device includes a control system for adjusting an operation of the force actuator based at least one actuation input, an amount of the actuator force, and an amount of displacement generated by the force actuator.

Abstract: A device includes a first member and a second member disposed in series along a longitudinal axis. The device also includes links coupling first joints of the first member to second joints of the second member. The first and second members and the links arranged to define a planar parallelogram linkage. The devices also include a resilient element disposed between the first member and the second member, the first member and the second member preloaded against the resilient element. The first member and the second member are preloaded to provide an arrangement of the first and the second joints in which a motion of the first joints with respect to the second joints is constrained to a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. The devices further include a sensor for generating a signal indicating a separation between the first member and the second member.

Abstract: A jointed mechanical device is provided. The device includes at least one element having a fixed end and a deflectable end. The device also includes at least one actuating structure having a first end coupled to at least the deflectable end of the element, where the actuating structure includes at least one elastic element in series with at least one non-elastic element. The device further includes at least one force actuator configured to apply an actuator force to a second end of the actuating structure. Additionally, the device includes a control system for adjusting an operation of the force actuator based at least one actuation input, an amount of the actuator force, and an amount of displacement generated by the force actuator.

Abstract: A device includes a first member and a second member disposed in series along a longitudinal axis. The device also includes links coupling first joints of the first member to second joints of the second member. The first and second members and the links arranged to define a planar parallelogram linkage. The devices also include a resilient element disposed between the first member and the second member, the first member and the second member preloaded against the resilient element. The first member and the second member are preloaded to provide an arrangement of the first and the second joints in which a motion of the first joints with respect to the second joints is constrained to a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. The devices further include a sensor for generating a signal indicating a separation between the first member and the second member.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling a weight bearing member having at least one powered joint are provided. A system includes a velocity reference module for receiving myoelectric control signals from a user during a non-weight bearing mode for the powered joint and generating a velocity reference for the powered joint based on the myoelectric control signals. The system further includes a volitional impedance module for generating a torque control signal for actuating the powered joint based at least on the velocity reference.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling a lower limb device having at least one powered joint. The method includes detecting a stumble event based on one or more sensor signals associated with an overall motion lower limb device, classifying the stumble event based on sensor signals following the sensor signals associated with the stumble event, and selecting a stumble recovery strategy for the lower limb device based on the classification of the stumble event.

Abstract: A method for operating a grasping device and grasping devices therefrom are provided. The grasping device is configured to use a plurality of parallel, bi-directional state flow maps each defining a sequence of poses for a plurality of joints in the grasping device. The method include receiving at least one control signal, determining a current pose of the grasping device within the one of the plurality of state flow maps currently selected for the grasping device, and selectively actuating the plurality of joints to traverse the sequence of poses, where a direction for traversing the sequence of poses is based on the at least one control signal.

Abstract: A device includes a first member and a second member disposed in series along a longitudinal axis. The device also includes links coupling first joints of the first member to second joints of the second member. The first and second members and the links arranged to define a planar parallelogram linkage. The devices also include a resilient element disposed between the first member and the second member, the first member and the second member preloaded against the resilient element. The first member and the second member are preloaded to provide an arrangement of the first and the second joints in which a motion of the first joints with respect to the second joints is constrained to a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. The devices further include a sensor for generating a signal indicating a separation between the first member and the second member.

Abstract: A powered leg prosthesis including a powered knee joint with a knee joint and a knee motor unit for delivering power to the knee joint, a powered ankle joint coupled to the knee joint including an ankle joint and an ankle motor unit to deliver power to the ankle joint, a prosthetic foot coupled to the ankle joint, a plurality of sensors for measuring a real-time input, and controller for controlling movement of the prosthesis based on the real-time input. In the powered leg prosthesis, at least one of the knee motor unit or the ankle motor unit includes at least one drive stage, where the drive stage includes a rotary element for generating torque and at least one looped element affixed around the rotary element and configured for transmitting the torque to another rotary element coupled to a joint to be actuated.

Abstract: A jointed mechanical device is provided. The device includes at least one element having a fixed end and a deflectable end. The device also includes at least one actuating structure having a first end coupled to at least the deflectable end of the element, where the actuating structure includes at least one elastic element in series with at least one non-elastic element. The device further includes at least one force actuator configured to apply an actuator force to a second end of the actuating structure. Additionally, the device includes a control system for adjusting an operation of the force actuator based at least one actuation input, an amount of the actuator force, and an amount of displacement generated by the force actuator.

Abstract: A powered leg prosthesis includes powered knee joint comprising a knee joint and a knee motor unit for delivering power to the knee joint. The prosthesis also includes a prosthetic lower leg having a socket interface coupled to the knee joint and a powered ankle joint coupled to the lower leg opposite the knee joint comprising an ankle joint and an ankle motor unit to deliver power to the ankle joint. The prosthesis further includes a prosthetic foot coupled to the ankle joint, at least one sensor for measuring a real-time input, and at least one controller for controlling movement of the prosthesis based on the real-time input.

Abstract: A method for operating a grasping device and grasping devices therefrom are provided. The grasping device is configured to use a plurality of parallel, bi-directional state flow maps each defining a sequence of poses for a plurality of joints in the grasping device. The method include receiving at least one control signal, determining a current pose of the grasping device within the one of the plurality of state flow maps currently selected for the grasping device, and selectively actuating the plurality of joints to traverse the sequence of poses, where a direction for traversing the sequence of poses is based on the at least one control signal.

Abstract: A jointed mechanical device is provided. The device includes at least one element (204) having a fixed end and a deflectable end. The device also includes at least one actuating structure (206) having a first end coupled to at least the deflectable end of the element, where the actuating structure includes at least one elastic element (214) in series with at least one non-elastic element. The device further includes at least one force actuator (202) configured to apply an actuator force to a second end of the actuating structure. Additionally, the device includes a control system (315) for adjusting an operation of the force actuator based at least one actuation input, an amount of the actuator force, and an amount of displacement generated by the force actuator.

Abstract: A powered leg prosthesis including a powered knee joint with a knee joint and a knee motor unit for delivering power to the knee joint, a powered ankle joint coupled to the knee joint including an ankle joint and an ankle motor unit to deliver power to the ankle joint, a prosthetic foot coupled to the ankle joint, a plurality of sensors for measuring a real-time input, and controller for controlling movement of the prosthesis based on the real-time input. In the powered leg prosthesis, at least one of the knee motor unit or the ankle motor unit includes at least one drive stage, where the drive stage includes a rotary element for generating torque and at least one looped element affixed around the rotary element and configured for transmitting the torque to another rotary element coupled to a joint to be actuated.

Abstract: A method for operating a grasping device and grasping devices therefrom are provided. The grasping device is configured to use a plurality of parallel, bi-directional state flow maps each defining a sequence of poses for a plurality of joints in the grasping device. The method include receiving at least one control signal, determining a current pose of the grasping device within the one of the plurality of state flow maps currently selected for the grasping device, and selectively actuating the plurality of joints to traverse the sequence of poses, where a direction for traversing the sequence of poses is based on the at least one control signal.

Abstract: A device includes a first member (120) and a second member (122) disposed in series along a longitudinal axis. The device also includes links coupling first joints (124, 126) of the first member to second joints of the second member (128, 130). The first and second members and the links arranged to define a planar parallelogram linkage. The devices also include a resilient element (142) disposed between the first member and the second member, the first member and the second member preloaded against the resilient element. The first member and the second member are preloaded to provide an arrangement of the first and the second joints in which a motion of the first joints with respect to the second joints is constrained to a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. The devices further include a sensor (140) for generating a signal indicating a separation between the first member and the second member.