A method for controlling an artificial orthotic or prosthetic knee joint, on which a lower-leg component is arranged and with which a resistance device is associated, the bending resistance of which resistance device is changed in dependence on sensor data that are determined by at least one sensor during the use of the orthotic or prosthetic knee joint, wherein a linear acceleration of the lower-leg component is determined, the determined linear acceleration is compared with at least one threshold value, and, if a threshold value of the linear acceleration of the lower-leg component is reached, the bending resistance is changed.

A device for enhancing a user's grasping capability comprises a belt-like support configured to be tightly fitted about a user's part of the body; an articulated gripping element having a plurality of phalanxes: proximal, fixed to the support, intermediate and distal, which are articulated to each other by articular joints; a motor unit fixed to the support; a winding drum; a tendon partially wound on the drum and extending along the phalanxes and the joints, arranged so that, by pulling it from the drum, the phalanxes rotate about respective articular joints and move the articulated gripping element from an extended position to a gripping bow-shaped position, causing a flexion/extension movement of the articulated gripping element, the joints configured so that by releasing the tendon from the drum, the phalanxes rotate about the respective joints and move the articulated gripping element between gripping bow-shaped position and extended position.

The present disclosure provides for a device and method of control for an artificial prosthetic knee. A prosthetic knee according to the present disclosure relies on strictly passive means of providing support during weight bearing and supplements a resistive swing-phase mechanism with a small powered actuator. This actuator adds power to the knee, exclusively during swing phase, to improve swing-phase behavior. In particular, the knee still relies on the resistive swing-phase mechanism to provide nominal swing-phase knee motion, but supplements that motion as needed with the small powered actuator.

In an embodiment, a prosthetic leg including a modular knee element coupled to a modular ankle element. The modular knee element includes a knee motor rotatable about an axis of a shaft in the knee motor. The modular ankle element includes a drive portion coupled to a surface-contacting portion via a pylon having a top and bottom end. The top end is coupled to the drive portion and the bottom end is coupled to the surface-contacting portion. The drive portion includes an ankle motor coupled to a rotary series elastic actuator (RSEA) and a first pulley coupled to the RSEA. The surface-contacting portion includes a hinge and a second pulley with a belt engaging at least a portion of at least one of the first and second pulley, and a modular foot element coupled to the bottom of the hinge.

A prosthetic knee can include a variable-torque magnetorheological (MR) actuator assembly or braking system, a frame and an electronics assembly or system that also serves as a mount for the knee actuator and facilitates in monitoring and controlling the operation of the knee actuator. The prosthetic knee system advantageously provides resistive forces to substantially simulate the position and motion of a natural knee joint during ambulation and/or other locomotory activities performed by the amputee. The prosthetic knee can be enclosed in a waterproof compartment. An outer cover can be configured to fit around the waterproof cover of the prosthetic knee.

The invention relates to a method for controlling an artificial orthotic or prosthetic knee joint, on which a lower leg component is arranged and which is assigned a resistance device having at least one actuator, by means of which the bending resistance is modified depending on sensor data that is determined during use of the orthotic or prosthetic knee joint by means of a sensor, wherein the absolute angle of the lower leg component is determined exclusively by means of at least one inertial sensor, the angle determined is compared with at least one threshold value, and the bending resistance is modified when the threshold value is reached.

A hydraulic pump assembly (72) comprises: a low-pressure hydraulic pump (74), a high-pressure hydraulic pump (76), and a drive shaft assembly (78) that passes along an axis of the pump assembly (72); wherein both hydraulic pumps (74, 76) are arranged to be rotated simultaneously by the drive shaft assembly (78); and wherein the pump assembly (72) is formed a single unit arranged to fit into a pump chamber (80).

A prosthetic foot has a frame, a forefoot keel, a heel keel, and an adjustable spring member. The frame couples to a prosthetic leg. The forefoot keel includes a first resilient substrate extending from the frame to the anterior end of the foot. The heel keel member includes a second resilient substrate extending from the frame to the posterior end. The first and second resilient substrates are load bearing substrates for a walking human. The adjustable spring member includes a third resilient substrate and a brake. The third resilient substrate has a first end directly or indirectly coupled to the brake, and a second end coupled to the forefoot keel proximate to the anterior end. The third resilient substrate extends through or around the first resilient member and the second resilient member. The brake provides resistance to the travel of the first end of the third resilient substrate in the superior direction.

A method for controlling a change of resistance in an artificial joint of an orthosis, an exoskeleton or prosthesis of a lower extremity. The artificial joint has an upper part and a lower part which are secured on each other so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis, a damper unit is secured between the upper part and the lower part in order to provide a resistance to flexion or extension of the artificial joint, and the damper unit is assigned an adjusting mechanism via which the resistance is changed when a sensor signal of a control unit assigned to the adjusting mechanism activates the adjusting mechanism. The resistance is changed as a function of the position and/or length of the measured or calculated leg tendon and/or the time derivatives thereof.

A prosthetic leg knee joint includes a thigh connection part that is provided on the thigh side, a lower leg part that is provided rotatably around a knee shaft connected to the thigh connection part, a four-bar link mechanism that sets an instant center S whose relative position with respect to the thigh connection part is substantially constant regardless of the relative position between the thigh connection part and the lower leg part, and a braking unit that brakes the movement of the lower leg part in accordance with the relative position between the instance center S set by the four-bar link mechanism and the lower leg part.