A device for supporting a lower limb of a subject. The device has a housing for a lower limb and a limb support. The housing has a longitudinal axis aligned with a longitudinal axis of the lower limb. A driving mechanism connected between the housing and the limb support, causes movement of the limb support between a retracted position parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing and an extended position in which the limb support extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the housing to support the lower limb.

A massage unit includes a treatment member; an arm that supports the treatment member; a drive shaft that supports the arm and causes the treatment member to approach and be separated with respect to a treatment target site; a movable portion that causes the treatment member to be operable in a direction of being separated from the treatment target site when the treatment member comes into contact with the treatment target site by a force equal to or greater than predetermined strength; and biasing means for biasing the treatment member in an approaching direction.

The present disclosure relates to the field of exercising equipment. A device (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600) disclosed in the present disclosure increases the reverse blood flow rate, i.e., flow rate of blood from legs towards heart. The device (100, 200 300, 400, 500, 600) includes a pedal (125, 220, 330, 420, 520, 630) configured to support a foot of a leg thereon. The device (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600) includes a drive mechanism (140, 250, 350, 530) to oscillate the pedal (125, 220, 330, 420, 520), thereby rocking the foot about the axis of the ankle joint to cause natural movement of the foot as during walking.

A stretching machine includes a table having a surface for supporting a patient and a first leg rest for supporting and moving a first leg of the patient. The first leg rest has a first vertical frame operable to rotate around a first horizontal pivot point at an end of the table and a first horizontal frame operable to rotate around a first vertical pivot point on the first vertical frame. A first vertical actuator is for rotating the first vertical frame around the first horizontal pivot point to move the first leg rest in a vertical direction relative to the surface of the table, and a first horizontal actuator is for rotating the first horizontal frame around the first vertical pivot point to move the first leg rest in a horizontal direction relative to the first vertical frame.

A mechanical transmission, tethered actuation system, an autonomous ankle exoskeleton design and method of their use employing a cable, pulleys and associated pulley housings to change angular transmission of linear force on the cable. The pulleys are linked by a ground link and the cable is threaded across and between the pulleys, whereby rotation of either of the pulleys in one direction causes rotation of the other pulley in the opposite direction. Independently of the pulleys, the pulley housings can freely rotate about associated pulleys, and a link between the pulley housings is provided, whereby rotation of one of the pulley housings in one direction causes rotation of the other pulley housing at an equivalent angle in the opposite direction, thereby enabling a change in transmission angle of linear force on the cable threaded across and between the pulleys and the associated pulley housing essentially without resistance. When pulleys have the same angular velocity ratio as that of the associated pulley housings, there is no cable slack since the net changes in length of the cable wrapping around two pulleys is zero.

A training apparatus includes a fixed frame, a training rod, a motor, rotation information detection sensor, tilt angle and position difference calculation units, determination, motor drive and position difference eliminating units. The training rod is supported by the fixed frame in a manner capable of being tilted by a motor about at least an X-axis or a Y-axis so as to hold the limb. The tilt angle calculation unit calculates a tilt angle of the training rod. The position difference calculation unit calculates a position difference. The determination unit obtains the position difference every time when a second time period elapses. If the position difference generated in the second time period is a first threshold or lower, the motor drive unit drives the motor so that the position difference is accumulated and maintained. The position difference eliminating unit resets the position difference at a predetermined timing.

A knee pain reduction strap device is described. The device is configured to be used by a user alone who is experiencing knee pain. A primary strap is configured to be placed beneath the arch of the foot while a secondary strap, disposed atop the primary strap, helps to provide additional friction, and ensure that the device remains in position. Handles disposed on ends of the primary strap facilitate manipulation of the device by the user while in a sitting position to perform stretches of the ankle, calf, shin, and knee of the user, helping to alleviate pain over time.

A system and method for transmission of a signal for a powered assistive device has a sensor node with a wireless transmitter adapted for digitally transmitting a transmitted signal, the sensor node adapted for receiving and monitoring a sensor signal from a sensor attached to a user, and a master node with a controller and a wireless receiver for receiving the transmitted signal from the wireless transmitter. The master node processes the transmitted signal and communicates a control signal to the powered assistive device. The wireless transmitter transmits the transmitted signal at a first rate when the wireless transmitter adapted to transmit the transmitted signal at a first rate when the sensor signal is indicative of the rest state and to transmit the transmitted signal at a second rate when the sensor signal is indicative of the active state, the second rate being greater than the first rate.

A method and device for controlling a walking assist device is disclosed. The method includes determining a first state variable for a gait state of a user wearing the walking assist device based on a gait of the user, obtaining a second state variable which is smoothed and time-delayed from the first state variable, obtaining a third state variable by applying a torque control variable to the second state variable, and determining an assist torque to be provided by the walking assist device based on the obtained third state variable.

A pneumatic exomuscle system and methods for manufacturing and using same. The pneumatic exomuscle system includes a pneumatic module; a plurality of pneumatic actuators each operably coupled to the pneumatic module via at least one pneumatic line, a portion of the pneumatic actuators configured to be worn about respective body joints of a user; and a control module operably coupled to the pneumatic module, the control module configured to control the pneumatic module to selectively inflate portions of the pneumatic actuators.