Abstract: Described are various embodiments of capstan drive transmission self-tensioning apparatus and method. In one embodiment, the capstan drive transmission self-tensioning apparatus comprises a body coupled to the capstan drive drum comprising a force providing member coupled to the cable and configured to displace the cable along a path increasing an effective distance between said first end and said second end of the cable thereby increasing a tension within said cable; a jamming assembly directly or indirectly coupled to said cable and configured to: allow motion of said cable along said path upon said tension being below a lower designated level; and prevent motion of said cable along an opposite path upon said tension being above an upper designated level. In some embodiments, the jamming assembly may comprise a spring-loaded rocker mechanism, a ratcheting mechanism or a directional frictional material to provide the jamming effect.

Abstract: A mechanism to reduce the amplitude of acceleration experienced by IMUs for tracked objects while maintaining a more accurate estimate of the device orientation. The invention uses parallel mechanisms to maintain the correct orientation of an IMU while allowing for damped translational degrees of freedom to limit the degradation of performance while spatially tracking a body.