Patents Assigned to University of California at Berkekey
  • Patent number: 8894592
    Abstract: A lower extremity exoskeleton includes: at least one power unit; two leg supports designed to rest on the ground; two knee joints configured to allow flexion and extension between respective shank and thigh links of the leg supports; an exoskeleton trunk rotatably connectable to the leg supports; and two hip actuators configured to create torques between the exoskeleton trunk and the leg supports. In use, the hip actuators create a torque to move the leg supports backward relative to the exoskeleton trunk during a stance phase, which pushes the exoskeleton trunk forward. A second torque may be used to move the leg supports forward relative to the exoskeleton trunk into a swing phase. Additionally, a swing torque may be generated during the swing phase to move the leg support forward relative to the exoskeleton trunk. This results in decreased oxygen consumption and heart rate of a user wearing the exoskeleton.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignees: University of California at Berkekey, Ekso Bionics, Inc.
    Inventors: Kurt Amundson, Russdon Angold, Nathan Harding, Homayoon Kazerooni