A valve with an inlet, an outlet that is connected to the inlet via a fluid connection, and a valve body which can be brought by displacing it along a displacement direction into a first position, in which the fluid connection is blocked, and a second position, in which the fluid connection is open, wherein the inlet is designed and arranged in such a way that a fluid entering through the inlet exerts a total force on the valve body that at least also acts in a force direction which is perpendicular to the displacement direction when the valve body is in the first position.

A valve with an inlet, an outlet that is connected to the inlet via a fluid connection, and a valve body which can be brought by displacing it along a displacement direction into a first position, in which the fluid connection is blocked, and a second position, in which the fluid connection is open, wherein the inlet is designed and arranged in such a way that a fluid entering through the inlet exerts a total force on the valve body that at least also acts in a force direction which is perpendicular to the displacement direction when the valve body is in the first position.

One aspect of the invention provides a prosthetic foot including a heel member, a toe member, and an attachment member comprising a shear thickening material (STM). In one embodiment, the attachment member has a first end and a second end. The first end can be connected to the heel member, and the second end can be connected to the toe member. In another embodiment, the attachment member further comprises an elastic polymer. In one instance, the elastic polymer is impregnated with the STM. In yet another embodiment, the attachment member further comprises an elastic reservoir. The elastic reservoir can contain the STM. Alternatively, the attachment member further comprises a rigid reservoir. The rigid reservoir can contain the STM.

An example method for producing a prosthetic device for a patient includes obtaining imaging data corresponding to a body part of a patient, generating an object model corresponding to the body part based on the imaging data, generating a prosthesis model based on the object model, generating a set of instructions based on the prosthesis model, and executing the set of instructions using a three-dimensional printer, where the set of instructions, when executed by the three-dimensional printer, cause the three-dimensional printer to produce the prosthetic device for the patient.

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.

A robotic assembly control system is disclosed. The robotic assembly control system includes an exoskeleton apparatus adapted to be worn by a user, at least one robotic assembly, the at least one robotic assembly controlled by the user by way of the exoskeleton, and at least one mobile platform, the at least one mobile platform controlled by the user and wherein the at least one robotic assembly is attached to the at least one mobile platform.

A robotic assembly control system is disclosed. The robotic assembly control system includes an exoskeleton apparatus adapted to be worn by a user, at least one robotic assembly, the at least one robotic assembly controlled by the user by way of the exoskeleton, and at least one mobile platform, the at least one mobile platform controlled by the user and wherein the at least one robotic assembly is attached to the at least one mobile platform.

A prosthetic knee for active users has a locking head generally parallel to a vertical axis of the prosthetic knee, a chassis, and a plurality of links connecting the locking head to the chassis. The knee includes a swing control mechanism having a flexion stop connected to the chassis and arranged to control the flexion angle of the knee. The flexion stop extends outwardly from the chassis and obliquely relative to the vertical axis. The knee has an audible feedback mechanism for providing the user with information about the location of the knee. The knee may also have a block lock forming a manually activated mechanism allowing load bearing in a flexed position.

The disclosure provides apparatus and methods of use pertaining to a bidirectional biomechanical prosthetic finger assembly. In one embodiment, the assembly includes an eccentric metacarpophalangeal (MCP) pivot configured for swivelable attachment to a hand of a user, a distal coupler, and an articulation assembly rotatively coupled therebetween. A ring configured to receive a user's residual finger is disposed upon the articulation assembly, and may be adjusted to a target location based on a length of the residual finger. The articulation assembly is configured to utilize vertical movements of the residual finger within the ring to articulate the distal coupler within a plane parallel to an x-z plane, and the MCP pivot is configured to utilize lateral movements of the residual finger within the ring to articulate the distal coupler within a plane parallel to an x-y plane. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

A prosthetic or orthotic device has an elongate frame that houses electronics and an actuator rotatably mounted to the frame. The actuator can rotate in an anterior-posterior direction about a medial-lateral axis and includes magnetorheological (MR) fluid and a coil operable to selectively apply a magnetic field to the MR fluid to vary its viscosity and thereby vary a torsional resistance of the actuator about the medial-lateral axis. Circuitry controls an amplitude of a current applied to the coil, and employs a gains schedule to accelerate a change in the current amplitude based on an error amplitude between a current set point and a measured current to reduce a response time for varying the torsional resistance of the actuator.