Systems and methods for controlling a weight bearing member having at least one powered joint are provided. A system includes a velocity reference module for receiving myoelectric control signals from a user during a non-weight bearing mode for the powered joint and generating a velocity reference for the powered joint based on the myoelectric control signals. The system further includes a volitional impedance module for generating a torque control signal for actuating the powered joint based at least on the velocity reference.

A prosthetic joint and a method of controlling dorsiflexion and plantarflexion of the hydraulic prosthetic ankle joint. The method includes generating ground reaction forces with a hydraulic prosthetic ankle, wherein the prosthetic hydraulic ankle comprises a first chamber and a second chamber, and the ankle is connected to a prosthetic foot; rotating the prosthetic foot in response to the ground reaction force; transferring fluid between the forward and rear chambers in response to rotation of the foot; providing a feature to occlude or partially occlude the fluid transfer between chambers; providing a non-electronic mechanism for controlling the flow responsive to both a position of the joint and a rate of change of position of the joint, and wherein the mechanism is arranged such that a dwell at a particular joint location or locations will occlude the flow path.

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 measured. The methods may 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 pre-determined 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 measured 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 system for controlling a body part includes a number of sensing devices that sense signals from a hemisphere of a brain. A signal translating unit translates the signals into a command signal for controlling the body part, which is on a same side of the body as the hemisphere of the brain. A prosthetic device receives the command signal from the signal translating unit and manipulates the body part in response to the command signal.

A method of controlling a prosthetic hand having at least one motorized component is provided. The method comprises the steps of providing the hand with a first wireless transceiver and a controller in communication with one another, storing at least one manipulation instruction relating to the at least one component, and assigning a code relating to the at least one manipulation instruction to at least one second wireless transceiver. The at least one second transceiver is placed in a location at which the at least one manipulation instruction is to be given, and the controller manipulates the at least one component in accordance with the at least one manipulation instruction when the first transceiver communicates to the controller that the at least one second transceiver is within a predetermined distance of the first transceiver. Related methods and systems for controlling a prosthetic hand are also provided.

An aid device for the motor disabled, suitable for allowing walking of transfemoral amputees, having: a lower-limb prosthesis of an amputated limb; a lower-limb orthosis suitable to be worn at a sound contralateral lower-limb; an orthotic pelvis module connecting the prosthesis to the lower-limb orthosis; and a control unit for the operational coordination of movements of the prosthesis and the lower-limb orthosis.

The invention refers to the area of control of a limb device in the form of an artificial limb for a human or a robot limb. In particular, the invention is related to a control unit for electrically controlling an electrically controllable limb device, the limb device comprising a plurality of actuators, the control unit comprising a first interface for connecting the control unit to the limb device, the control unit comprising a second interface for connecting the control unit to a data gathering device comprising one or more sensing devices, the control unit comprising a processing unit which is arranged for controlling the limb device at least based on data gathered by the data gathering device, wherein the control unit is arranged for outputting one single control action step to the actuators of the limb device calculated by the processing unit based on a first data or data combination received from the data gathering device, and the control unit is arranged for outputting a plurality of control action steps to the actuators of the limb device calculated by the processing unit based on a second data or data combination received from the data gathering device, the second data or data combination being different from the first data or data combination, the plurality of control action steps inducing a more complex automatic movement of the limb device that the one single control action step. The invention further refers to a system comprising such a control unit, a method for controlling an electrically controllable limb device and a computer program.

A prosthetic device. The prosthetic device may include a flexure cut and/or a sensor to detect movement in accordance with a degree of movement. In an embodiment, the sensor may be disposed within the flexure cut. Other embodiments include at least one wire configured to connect a sensor located in a distal portion to a proximal portion, while annularly traversing a joint.

The artificial body part control system using ultrasonic imaging includes of an ultrasonic transducer coupled with an ultrasonic image analyzer which may be adapted to transmit a control signal to an artificial body part.

A prosthetic knee joint includes a thigh connection part, a lower leg part coupled to the thigh connection part rotatably around an axis of a knee, an actuator coupled to the thigh connection part and the lower leg part, where the actuator is configured to restrict or assist movement of the thigh connection part, a detector unit for obtaining information about how the thigh connection part and the lower leg part are relatively positioned, a control unit for controlling driving of the actuator based on a result detected by the detector unit, and an estimating unit for estimating a state of the user's movement based on the result detected by the detector unit. When the estimating unit estimates that the user is not walking, the control unit sets a longer control cycle for the driving of the actuator than when the estimating unit estimates that the user is walking.