A handheld massage device that may be employed to provide therapeutic massage to a user's backside includes a user-grippable, generally hook-shaped handle and a massage tool mounted at one end thereof. The massage tool has a plurality of body-contacting work elements that may be selectively moved into operative position and locked in place. A releasable, spring-loaded locking mechanism is provided between the handle and the massage tool so that the tool is locked in position when engaged and unlocked and rotatable when disengaged. The handle may be formed as an integral piece or in segments that can be assembled in end-to-end relation or disassembled and compactly folded for storage. In segmented form, a resilient line may extend internally within tubular segments between the respective end segments to securely hold the handle segments together and cooperating parts axially and rotationally align the separable segments when assembled.

A wearable apparatus for the treatment or prevention of osteopenia or osteoporosis, stimulating bone growth, preserving or improving bone mineral density, and inhibiting adipogenesis is disclosed where the apparatus may generally comprise one or more vibrating elements configured for imparting repeated mechanical loads to the hip, femur, and/or spine of an individual at a frequency and acceleration sufficient for therapeutic effect. These vibrating elements may be secured to the upper body of an individual via one or more respective securing mechanisms, where the securing mechanisms are configured to position the one or more vibrating elements in a direction lateral to the individual, and the position, tension, and efficacy of these vibrating elements may be monitored and/or regulated by one or more accelerometers.

A clutch adapted for an exoskeleton includes lower and upper base plates, a roller, a roller ratchet ring, a trigger, a pawl, a pawl spring, a trigger torsional spring, a trigger positioning shaft, and a pawl positioning shaft. Two ends of the trigger positioning shaft are respectively connected to the upper and lower base plates. The trigger and the trigger torsional spring are sleeved on the trigger positioning shaft. Two ends of the trigger torsional spring are respectively connected to the lower base plate and the trigger. Two ends of the pawl positioning shaft are connected to the lower and upper base plates. The pawl spring and the pawl are respectively sleeved on the pawl positioning shaft. Two ends of the roller are rotatably connected to the lower and upper base plates. The pawl is detachably connected to the roller ratchet ring. The trigger is movably connected to the pawl.

A modular passive-to-active exoskeleton system utilizes motor unit modules, an electromagnetic-clutch power transmission system, and biometric control. The passive exoskeleton has a stamina-increasing chairless chair function and optional use of magnetic ball-and-socket joints and knee torsion springs. To convert the exoskeleton system into an active robotic wearable device, modular attachments allow for motor units to be securely connected to the exoskeletal frame. An exoskeleton system may contain a knee motor unit that has a transmission system with an electromagnetic clutch that enables a passive mode, active mode, and/or hybrid mode. The motor units are controlled using wireless biometric motion sensors that measure limb joint angle and muscle activity. These motor units also communicate via wireless transmission with a central processing unit of the exoskeleton. This central processing unit serves as a gateway for user feedback from an Internet-of-Things (IoT) device, such as a smartphone, tablet, computer, etc.

An assistive ankle support device is described, usable to improve the performance of ankle foot orthoses and exoskeletons. The device has a tubular vertical member arranged medially to a user's limb. The member carries a rotational bearing and a rotational element such as a pulley. The pulley is connected to a footplate. The footplate provides joint movement assistance or resistance to the user upon rotation of the pulley. The pulley is coupled to a leaf spring mounted internally to the tubular vertical member. A clutch mechanism selectively couples the leaf spring to the pulley via a ratchet. The clutch mechanism may be automatically controlled by a controller.

An assistive ankle support device is described, usable to improve the performance of ankle foot orthoses and exoskeletons. The device has a tubular vertical member arranged medially to a user's limb. The member carries a rotational bearing and a rotational element such as a pulley. The pulley is connected to a footplate. The footplate provides joint movement assistance or resistance to the user upon rotation of the pulley. The pulley is coupled to a leaf spring mounted internally to the tubular vertical member. A clutch mechanism selectively couples the leaf spring to the pulley via a ratchet. The clutch mechanism may be automatically controlled by a controller.

Presented are wearable sensor systems for monitoring user movement, methods for making/using such systems, exoskeletons employing such systems, and wireless-enabled wearable sensor devices for performing biometric measurements. A sensor system for monitoring movement of a user includes a wearable sensor device that is communicatively connectable to a sensor linking node. The sensor linking node wirelessly receives sensor data from the wearable sensor device and wirelessly communicates the received sensor data to a remote computing node. The wearable sensor device includes an expandable device body, such as an elastic compression sleeve or an adjustable strap, that is worn on an appendage of the user. The device body includes a mounting interface, such as mating hook-and-loop fastener pads, that removably mounts thereon a biometric sensor core (BSC) unit. The BSC unit contains a microcontroller assembly that is integral with a microcontroller device, a biometric sensor array, and a wireless communication device.

An exoskeleton for assisting a user to run/walk is provided. The exoskeleton assembly comprises a thigh link and a shank link for attaching to the user, an arm link pivotally articulated thereto, a spring connected to the thigh link and arm link, a transmission configured to control movement between the arm and the shank links, one or more sensors, and a controller. The transmission has a clutch, operable by the controller, configured to selectively engage/disengage the shank link with the spring. The controller is configured, in response to indications received from the one or more sensors, to engage the clutch to store the user's knee energy in the spring or to provide stored energy from the spring to the user's knee, and to disengage the clutch to prevent the exoskeleton from interfering with the user's knee motion.

A walking assist device includes a pair of link members rotatably connected to each other at an output shaft situated at a location corresponding to a knee of a user, one link member being fixed to a thigh side of the user, and another link member being fixed to a lower leg side of the user, a rotary damper that generates a resistance force that is conveyed to the output shaft and that acts against rotation of the link members around the output shaft, a one-way gear that limits the resistance force generated by the rotary damper to one of directions of the rotation of the link members around the output shaft, and a clutch that switches between conveyance and non-conveyance of the resistance force from the rotary damper.

A modular passive-to-active exoskeleton system utilizes motor unit modules, an electromagnetic-clutch power transmission system, and biometric control. The passive exoskeleton has a stamina-increasing chairless chair function and optional use of magnetic ball-and-socket joints and knee torsion springs. To convert the exoskeleton system into an active robotic wearable device, modular attachments allow for motor units to be securely connected to the exoskeletal frame. An exoskeleton system may contain a knee motor unit that has a transmission system with an electromagnetic clutch that enables a passive mode, active mode, and/or hybrid mode. The motor units are controlled using wireless biometric motion sensors that measure limb joint angle and muscle activity. These motor units also communicate via wireless transmission with a central processing unit of the exoskeleton. This central processing unit serves as a gateway for user feedback from an Internet-of-Things (IoT) device, such as a smartphone, tablet, computer, etc.