Air microfluidics and minifluidics enabled active compression apparel enhances mobility and quality of life for individuals by minimizing risks of injuries, enhancing rehabilitation, and maximizing comfort. Balloon actuators, integrated with a garment, provide active compression and augmenting forces to anatomical portions of the human body. The balloon actuators are actuated by fluidic pressurization hardware. The air microfluidics and minifluidics system miniaturizes fluidic pressurization hardware and makes it wearable, ultra lightweight, and ultra formfitting. The air microfluidics and minifluidics system includes micro and mini channels of various lengths, cross-sectional areas, and functions via principles of equivalent hydraulic resistance allowing for fluidic transportation, passive delay in pressurization of the balloon actuators, and digital soft fluidic actuation where the compression force is based on the number of inflated balloon actuators instead of their pressure.

Methods are disclosed for measuring the size of body parts treated by a compression therapy device. Either the volume or circumference of the body part may be measure. The methods my include evacuating an inflatable compression sleeve to a known pressure, inserting the body part into the compression sleeve, inflating the sleeve to a pre-set condition, and then measuring one or more inflation related parameters. The pre-set conditions may include a predetermined pressure, volume, or size of the inflatable cells comprising the sleeve. The inflation related parameters may include the time to fill the cell to a pre-set pressure, the pressure attained after a pre-set time of inflation, or the measure volume of a cell after a pre-set amount of air is introduced into it. The methods may also include deflating the cells from the known inflation state to a second inflation state and measuring similar parameters.

A compression device for freeing a ring trapped on a digit includes a rigid outer body. The rigid outer body includes a digit cavity extending from a cavity opening at a body proximal end of the body towards a body distal end of the body, a fluid inlet, and a fluid flow path fluidly connecting the fluid inlet to one or more inflation chambers positioned in the digit cavity. The body proximal end includes an upper portion, a lower portion, and two laterally spaced-apart side portions. At least one side portion is distally recessed as compared to the upper and lower portions to accommodate an interdigital fold. At least one flexible bladder lines the digit cavity, each flexible bladder defining at least one wall of one of the one or more inflation chambers.

An active backboard that can assist with adjusting a patient on the backboard to ensure that the backboard is correctly aligned for a compression mechanism of an upper portion of a mechanical cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) device to perform compressions. The active backboard can also include multiple layers that can slide or move relative to each other to move the patient relative to the backboard. The active backboard can include roller bars, a wheel, and/or projections to assist with moving a patient relative to the backboard.

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for assisting hip flexion and extension during human locomotion. A hip exosuit comprises a hip belt comprising one or more removably attached hip anchoring mechanisms, a leg brace, one or more flexion actuators, wherein each of the one or more flexion actuators is attached at a first end to a hip anchoring mechanism and each of the one or more flexion actuators is attached at a second end to the leg brace, and one or more extension actuators, wherein each of the one or more extension actuators is attached at a first end to a hip anchoring mechanism and is attached at a second end to the leg brace. Each of the actuators are configured to contract in response to one or more signal to aid in the gait of the user.

A non-invasive method and device for promoting a localized change in a flow of blood through a blood vessel in a limb segment of a body by a series of electrically stimulated contractions of muscle tissue in the limb segment, the method including the steps of: (a) providing a device including: (i) first, second and third electrodes, each adapted to operatively contact the limb segment; (ii) a signal generator, operatively connected to the electrodes, adapted to produce a series of electrical impulses to the limb segment via the electrodes, and (iii) a control unit adapted to control the signal generator to produce the series of electrical impulses; (b) positioning the electrodes on the limb segment, wherein the first electrode is positioned on a lower end of the lower leg, the second electrode is positioned on the lower leg, and the third electrode is positioned on an upper end of the lower leg, whereby the first and third electrodes are disposed on opposite ends of the lower leg, and the second electrode and one of the first and third electrodes are disposed on a same end of the lower leg; (c) effecting a sequence of muscular contractions of the lower leg, by operations including: (i) applying a first electrical impulse between the electrodes on the same end of the lower leg to induce a first muscular contraction of a first portion of the tissue; and (ii) applying at least a second electrical impulse between the first and third electrodes to induce a longitudinal muscular contraction of a second portion of the muscular tissue; and (d) repeating operations (i) and (ii), to repeatedly induce the contractions, to effect the increased flow of blood.

Described herein are methods, devices and systems for respiratory therapy delivered by a therapy vest. A therapy vest is provided in which an independent body fitting function is provided by use of a body fit layer or compartment(s). The body fit layer or compartment(s) may be controlled independently from the therapy layer or compartment(s), such that the fit of the therapy vest is placed on more equal footing with the therapy delivering components of the therapy vest. Other examples are disclosed and claimed.

The present disclosure provides a finger joint rehabilitation training device, which includes a control member, a data acquisition member, a gas circuit system, and a wearable training member. The wearable training member is provided with a pneumatic component that can expand and contract. The data acquisition member is configured for acquiring hand motion information of a first hand and transmitting the hand motion information to the control member. The hand motion information includes hand pressing information. The control member controls the gas circuit system to inflate the pneumatic component or to draw air from the pneumatic component according to the hand motion information, to make the wearable training member change between a flexion condition and a stretching condition, so as to realize a hand mirror training of a second hand. The hand pressing information is simple and convenient to acquire, which is convenient for the first hand to realize the flexion condition and the stretching condition, and the condition of the second hand is adjusted through the condition of the first hand, so that the wearable training member can be better adjusted, different hand training intensity requirements are met, and a better training effect is achieved.

A rehabilitation glove based on a bidirectional driver of a honeycomb imitating structure, including five bidirectional drivers and a cotton glove. The drivers are fixed to a back of the glove through hook and loop fasteners. Each driver includes a hollow buckling air bag in a continuous bent state, a middle guide layer in a continuous bent state and a hollow stretching air bag. The buckling air bag and the middle guide layer are symmetrically arranged, and the stretching air bag in a straightened state is arranged below the middle guide layer. A novel bidirectional driver of a honeycomb imitating structure is provided, which may provide a patient with rehabilitation training in two degrees of freedom: buckling and stretching. A control algorithm of the bidirectional driver is further provided to perform force control output for the driver, which may better help the patient recover hand functions.

The pneumatic therapy apparatus and method with overlapped compression include a wrap and a controller. The wrap includes an outer wrap and an inner air bladder set; the controller can be fixedly connected to, detachably connected to, or separately connected to the outer wrap; the inner air bladder set includes one or more than one set of a first air bladder and a second air bladder that are overlapped; the controller contains an inflating motor and an integrated control board that are electrically connected. The inflating motor that is controlled by the integrated control board inflates the second air bladder first and then the first air bladder to achieve the overlapped compression between the second air bladder and the first air bladder. Therefore, the user can use the pneumatic therapy apparatus and method with overlapped compression to promote blood flow, treat lymphedema, prevent deep vein thrombosis and other diseases, and improve user experience in the treatment areas.