A control system and method for an exoskeleton is provided. The control system utilizes the admittance control paradigm to provide a system and method for manipulating the exoskeleton using minimal force from the user. A force/torque sensor and servo motors are fitted onto a passive arm support, enabling motorized support for a user with upper extremity weaknesses. The exoskeleton may be used on any extremity. The admittance control paradigm includes an impedance control and an admittance control to allow a user with upper extremity weakness and limited independence to intuitively and with minimal force control the precise trajectory of their arms to achieve a greater degree of independence in activities of daily living. Unlike existing passive arm supports that utilize springs or rubber bands to balance the user's arm against gravity, this system provides more precise gravity compensation and minimizes the amount of force required to control the exoskeleton.

Provided is a stretch exercise tool whereby muscles around the vertebrae can be uniformly extended. A stretch exercise tool provided with a stretching part the upper face of which projects into a crest type along the longitudinal direction and on which a user's body is placed with facing upward and extended, wherein the stretching part is configured of multiple body-supporting ribs in the width direction, said ribs being disposed along the longitudinal direction. According to this configuration, when the user's body is placed on the stretching part, a force in the longitudinal direction, said force acting to topically extend the body, is applied to the body at each interval among the ribs. Thus, the body can be uniformly extended compared with the conventional configurations.

A cervical orthotic device is generally provided. The device includes a base, sidewalls extending upwardly therefrom, and a cervical support surface opposite the base. The cervical support surface unites the sidewalls. The sidewalls include opposingly paired lateral sidewalls and opposingly paired longitudinal sidewalls. The cervical support surface includes a first planar portion adjacent a first longitudinal sidewall of the opposingly paired longitudinal sidewalls, a second planar portion adjacent a second longitudinal sidewall of the opposingly paired longitudinal sidewalls, and an arcuate portion intermediate the planar portions. The arcuate portion of the cervical support surface delimits a cervical engagement ridge.

A method of rehabilitation using an actuator type that includes a movement mechanism capable of applying a force that interacts with a motion of a patient's limb in a volume of at least 30 cm in diameter, in at least three degrees of freedom of motion of the actuator and capable of preventing substantial motion in any point in any direction in said volume, in which a same movement mechanism is used at two different places of rehabilitation.

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for training the muscles of the upper torso and/or for relaxing the spinal column of a person, with a movable carriage for receiving the person, and with a guide path along which the movable carriage with the person is guided and moved in such a way that kinetic energy is applied at least intermittently to the person for distraction of the torso or of the spinal column of the person. According to the invention, provision is made that the person on the movable carriage is received on the support lying in a substantially horizontal position, that the hips, legs and/or feet of the person on the support are fixed with a fixing arrangement, and that the movable carriage, with the person lying on it, is moved substantially horizontally along the guide path.

A wearable neck brace uses, for example, only three actuators but provides natural motion of the head and neck. This is achieved despite the fact that the head has six degrees of freedom including 3 translation and 3 rotation. In embodiments, a wearable neck brace actively controls the head of the wearer responsively to commands from a user interface such as an eye tracking input device. In further embodiments, a force-field is generated by actuators to provide assistance and/or training for weak muscles. Spring compensation may be provided for a passive support with flexibility. Encoders may be provided to generate treatment logs to support analysis of a patient's condition or progress or to provide therapy-facilitating (or athletic training-facilitating) feedback to the user.

Apparatus for exercise the musculature and mobility of the joints in the neck wherein the apparatus comprises an upper part 4, a bottom part and a connecting element 3 connecting the upper and the bottom part, and wherein the upper part 4, the bottom part and the connecting element 3 defines a space in which the head of a user can be placed, characterized in that to the upper part 4 there is attached a cradle 5 in which the head of the user can rest and the lower part has attached a pillow for neck support 2.

An exoskeleton device and method of using the same is provided that helps rehabilitate limbs such has the lower arm. Embodiments of the exoskeleton device have multiple degrees of freedom so that a limb such as the lower arm may flex or rotate in multiple directions to establish or re-establish neural connections in the brain. With the lower arm example, a person may grasp a handle in the exoskeleton and then flex the lower arm about a pronation/supination axis, a flexion/extension axis, and/or an abductor/adductor axis. The exoskeleton device has several modes of operation where actuators can aid the person's motion, resist the person's motion, or passively allow free motion of the person's limb.

A therapeutic device is provided. The therapeutic device includes a substantially flat board and a pair of risers. The board includes an upper surface, a lower surface opposite the upper surface, and a perimeter comprising a top edge and a bottom edge opposite the top edge. A first riser and a second riser protrude from the top surface of the board. Each of the first riser and the second riser include a taper from a first end to a second end. The first end of the first riser and the first end of the second riser are disposed near the top edge. The first and second risers are disposed at an acute angle relative to one another.

A method of rehabilitation using an actuator type that includes a movement mechanism capable of applying a force that interacts with a motion of a patient's limb in a volume of at least 30 cm in diameter, in at least three degrees of freedom of motion of the actuator and capable of preventing substantial motion in any point in any direction in said volume, in which a same movement mechanism is used at two different places of rehabilitation.