Abstract: A motion assist device for assisting a motion such as a walking motion of a user includes: a pair of femoral part support units (3L, 3R) configured to be worn by two femoral parts of a user, a single power source (4, 70) for producing power and a power transmission unit (20; 60; 91, 92) for transmitting the power of the power source to the femoral part support units as an opposite phase motion, wherein the power transmission unit includes a differential unit (22; 63, 64; 93, 94) for accommodating a same phase motion of the two femoral part support units. The device may further include a control unit (5) configured to actuate the power source when the femoral part support units are undergoing the opposite phase motion, and to keep the output end of the power source stationary when the femoral part support units are undergoing the same phase motion.

Abstract: A walking support system is a walking support system which supports walking of a user, and includes a display unit, a landing timing detection unit configured to detect landing at the time of walking of the user, a target landing timing setting unit configured to set a target landing timing of the user on the basis of an output of the landing timing detection unit, and a display control unit configured to cause the display unit to display an auxiliary image prompting the user to land at the target landing timing.

Abstract: A walking support device includes a shape detector configured to detect a shape of a road surface on which a user moves, and a display controller configured to provide an auxiliary image emphasizing an uneven state of the road surface such that the auxiliary image is superimposed on the shape of the road surface on the basis of a result of the detection of the shape detector.

Abstract: The steering angles of front wheels 3f and rear wheels 3r of a vehicle 1 can be respectively controlled by a front wheel steering angle control actuator 35 and a rear wheel steering angle control actuator 44. If a steering wheel 20 is operated in a turning direction of the vehicle 1 while the vehicle 1 is traveling in a straight line, then a controller 60 changes the steering angle of the front wheels 3f to approach to a steering angle specified on the basis of an operation amount after the steering wheel 20 is operated, and also controls the front wheel steering angle control actuator 35 and the rear wheel steering angle control actuator 44 to change the steering angles of the rear wheels 3r to the opposite direction of the turning direction of the vehicle 1 immediately after the steering wheel 20 is operated.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle frame, a steering swivel unit supported on a head pipe of the vehicle frame and angularly movable about a steering axis, a front wheel angularly movable in unison with the steering swivel unit, and a steering handle mounted on the steering swivel unit. The vehicle has a steering handle turning mechanism that makes the steering handle angularly movable about the steering axis relatively to the steering swivel unit. The steering handle turning mechanism includes a handle turning motor for angularly moving the steering handle about the steering axis.

Abstract: Provided is a method for evaluating muscle strength characteristics of a limb based on a muscle group model including a first pair of antagonistic one-joint muscles, a second pair of antagonistic one-joint muscles, and a pair of antagonistic two-joint muscles, where the limb has a first rod having a proximal end supported by a first joint and a second rod supported on a free end of the first rod through a second joint. The method includes: measuring a maximum output of a free end of the second rod in at least one predetermined direction; measuring orbiting outputs of the free end of the second rod in all directions in the plane; and creating a hexagonal maximum output distribution corresponding to a contribution amount of each muscle of the muscle group model based on the maximum output in the predetermined direction and the orbiting outputs.

Abstract: Provided is a motion assist device that can minimize the number of actuators that are required for assisting a certain mode of motion of the user while allowing a greater freedom of motion beside from the motion which the motion assist device is designed to assist. A power transmission mechanism for the device includes a belt drive mechanism which is incorporated with a differential mechanism.

Abstract: A joint mechanism 4 has a zigzag structure 13 extending in a zigzag pattern between a first member 11 and a second member 12. A flexible lengthy member 16 fixed to the first member 11 extends from the first member 11 toward the second member 12 and is travelable with respect to the second member 12. A tension application unit 30 that applies a tension to the flexible lengthy member 16 is configured to be capable of changing a tension to apply.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle frame, a steering swivel unit supported on a head pipe of the vehicle frame and angularly movable about a steering axis, a front wheel angularly movable in unison with the steering swivel unit, and an automatic steering mechanism for angularly moving the steering swivel unit, wherein the vehicle frame includes a main frame extending rearwardly from the head pipe, and the steering mechanism includes a steering motor for angularly moving the steering swivel unit, the steering motor being supported on the main frame.

Abstract: A walking support system includes: an information output device (260); a motion detector (220) which detects a motion of a user; a foot landing position detector (230) which detect a foot landing position of the user; a determiner (240) which determines a recommended foot landing position which is a landing position of the feet suitable for stabilizing motions of a gait of the user on the basis of motions of a gait of the user detected by the motion detector, the foot landing position detected by the foot landing position detector, and dynamics; and an output controller (250) which outputs information indicating the recommended foot landing position determined by the determiner to the information output device.

Abstract: A walking support system for supporting a user while walking includes a display unit, a landing timing detection unit configured to detect a timing of a landing while the user walks and a display control unit configured to cause the display unit to display an auxiliary image for prompting the user to change an angle of his/her upper body in synchronization with the timing of the landing on the basis of an output of the landing timing detection unit.

Abstract: A movement assistance device is provided with thigh frames, lower leg frames, and knee joint mechanisms which are disposed on the outer side and the inner side, respectively, of each knee of a person to be assisted. Each of the thigh frames has a first main frame, which extends in the longitudinal direction of a thigh from a base disposed on one side of the hip of the person to be assisted to the outer knee joint mechanism, a second main frame, which obliquely extends on the front side of the thigh from the base to the inner knee joint mechanism, and a body support member, which is extended between the two main frames on the rear surface side of the thigh.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle body and a front wheel that is disposed anterior to the vehicle body and that is steerable about a steering axis. The vehicle body includes a vehicle body frame and a steering rotation unit that is supported on the vehicle body frame and that rotates about the steering axis. The vehicle includes a variable trail length mechanism. The variable trail length mechanism includes an oscillation unit that supports front forks that are disposed to be oscillatable in a fore-aft direction and that support the front wheel, and an electric motor that oscillates the oscillation unit. The electric motor is supported by the vehicle body.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle body, a front wheel that is disposed anterior to the vehicle body and that is steerable about a steering axis, and a front fork that supports the front wheel. The vehicle body includes a vehicle body frame and a steering rotation unit that is supported on the vehicle body frame and that rotates about the steering axis. The vehicle includes a variable trail length mechanism. The variable trail length mechanism includes an oscillation shaft that extends in a vehicle width direction to thereby connect the front fork oscillatably with the steering rotation unit. The oscillation shaft is disposed at a position overlapping an axis of the front fork in a vehicle side elevational view.

Abstract: Provided is a walking assist device including a main frame configured to be worn by a user, a power unit mounted on the main frame, a pair of power transmission members for transmitting assist force provided by the power unit to femoral parts of the user and a control unit for controlling an operation of the power unit, wherein the control unit comprises a differential angle computation unit for computing a differential angle between angular positions of the femoral parts of the user about respective hip joints of the user; a differential angle phase computation unit for computing a differential angle phase according to the differential angle; and an assist force computation unit for computing an assist force to be applied to the user according to the differential angle phase.

Abstract: Provided is a wheel frame capable of measuring in detail the magnitude and the direction of a driving force while suppressing increase in weight and size of a driving wheel. A wheel flame (16a) includes a cylindrical hub (16c) into which an axle (11b) is rotatably inserted, a six-axis force sensor (16e) having an insertion hole (16e1) into which the hub (16c) is inserted, and an outer flange (16f) extending radially outward from an input section (16e2) of the six-axis force sensor (16e), wherein a hand rim (17) is attached to the outer flange (16f).

Abstract: A control device (60) of a mobile body (1) calculates a center-of-gravity displacement degree index value representing an estimate of the degree of displacement of the center of gravity of the operator in the lateral direction of a vehicle body (2) from a predetermined reference position with respect to the vehicle body (2), and determines a control input for an actuator (15), which can cause a moment in the roll direction to act on the vehicle body (2), so as to increase the degree of displacement of the center of gravity of the operator indicated by the center-of-gravity displacement degree index value in a state of presence of such displacement. The control device (60) controls the actuator (15) in accordance with the control input.

Abstract: A present invention provides a joint power control device. A joint interlock displacement part (52) of a power transmission movable mechanism (53), which is comprising of a moving pulley (51) and the like, is connected to a joint mechanism (5) disposed between a first member (2) and a second member (3). A flexible lengthy member (32), which is one of two flexible lengthy members (32, 32) extending from the power transmission movable mechanism (53), is connected to a control mechanism (54) that controls the movement of the flexible lengthy member (32). Further, an elastic structure (31) is engaged with the other flexible lengthy member (32).

Abstract: A joint power generating device (8) has a multilayer structure constituted by alternately stacking an elastic member (41), which incorporates a hermetically sealed air chamber, and a partition plate (42) with high stiffness, an elastic structure (31), which has a through hole (43) formed therein, and a flexible lengthy member (32) inserted in the through hole (43). The joint power generating device (8) is configured to transmit a force between the lengthy member (32) and the elastic structure (31) such that the force for compressing the elastic structure (31) increases as the tension on the lengthy member (32) increases.

Abstract: A control device (60) of a mobile body (1) calculates a center-of-gravity displacement degree index value representing an estimate of the degree of displacement of the center of gravity of the operator in the lateral direction from a prescribed reference position with respect to a vehicle body (2), and determines a control input for an actuator (15) which can cause a moment in the roll direction to act on the vehicle body (2) so as to reduce the degree of displacement of the center of gravity of the operator indicated by the center-of-gravity displacement degree index value. The control device (60) controls the actuator (15) in accordance with the control input.