A control system for control of a prosthetic device having a plurality of actuators receives an orientation signal indicative of a desired movement. The control system evaluates whether the prosthetic device may move as desired with a current angle of rotation and commands at least one actuator to move the prosthetic device as desired by maintaining the current angle of rotation or by adjusting the angle of rotation if the prosthetic device cannot move as desired with the current angle. The control system may alternate between commanding a first subset of actuators and a second subset of actuators each time the orientation signal is indicative of a neutral position. The control system may include a position sensor and a compliance sensor and may command at least one actuator based on a combination of positional control using the position sensor and force control using the compliance sensor.

Methods, systems and devices that provide a therapeutic solution to alleviate the pain and discomfort of phantom limb syndrome are disclosed. The methods and systems of the present invention generally comprise capturing data from recording devices operably coupled to a processor and/or computing device, the recording devices configured to capture data associated with intact portions of a missing limb, one or more intact limbs and/or portions of the environment surrounding the missing limb, identifying the data captured, generating a three-dimensional virtual image of the missing limb and the surrounding environment from the data captured, and displaying the three-dimensional virtual image and the portions of the surrounding environment to the amputee such that the missing limb appears intact. The present invention advantageously provides a therapeutic and more immediate solution to alleviate the pain and discomfort from phantom limb syndrome.

Semi-passive control system (10) comprises a pneumatic spring actuator (16), a pressure regulator (22) in communication with the pneumatic spring actuator (16), a hydraulic locking actuator (18), a hydraulic valve (20) in communication with actuator (18), a power source (14), a pulley wheel (42), and a cable (46) having a first end in contact with pulley wheel (42), first and second side portions (50, 56) extending from opposing sides of pulley wheel (42), and a second end adapted to connect to an orthosis device (76). At least one cable clamp (62) attaches to second side portion (56) of cable (46) and interconnects cable (46) to shafts (112b, 118b) of actuators (16, 18). A central control unit (12) includes a processor (13a) and a computer readable storage medium (13b) having program instructions stored thereon for execution by the central control unit to adjust stiffness, damping or stiffness and damping parameters.

Systems and methods are disclosed for assisting body motion by attaching a plurality of rods to a body; sensing movement parameters with sensors coupled to the rods; transmitting the movement parameters to a wearable device and receiving actuation commands from the wearable device; and based on the received commands, actuating the rods with one or more actuators.

A prosthetic ankle includes a pair of prosthetic members movably coupled together to allow movement of the pair of prosthetic members with respect to one another. A hydraulic actuator or damper including hydraulic fluid in a hydraulic chamber is coupled to one of the pair of prosthetic members. A hydraulic piston is movably disposed in the hydraulic chamber and coupled to another of the pair of prosthetic members. A hydraulic flow channel is fluidly coupled between opposite sides of the chamber to allow hydraulic fluid to move between the opposite sides of the chamber as the hydraulic piston moves therein. A voice coil valve is coupled to the hydraulic flow channel to vary resistance to flow of hydraulic fluid through the flow channel, and thus movement of the piston in the chamber, and thus influencing a rate of movement of the pair of prosthetic members with respect to one another.

Skin patch sensors for monitoring and/or affecting body parameters, with alignment, positioning and attachment using magnets. The repeated use of releasable adhesive layers to retain skin patch sensors on skin can cause skin irritation, which can be reduced by rotating a skin patch between attachment times around a magnetically coupled pivot point. Skin patch sensors can be configured with internal coils to inductively couple to external power transmitting and communications coils with solenoids in anti-Helmholtz configurations.

In a communication system for controlling a powered human augmentation device, a parameter of the powered device is adjusted within a gait cycle by wirelessly transmitting a control signal thereto, whereby the adjusted parameter falls within a target range corresponding to that parameter. The target range is selected and the device parameters are controlled such that the powered device can normalize or augment human biomechanical function, responsive to a wearer's activity, regardless of speed and terrain and, in effect, provides at least a biomimetic response to the wearer of the powered device.

A system for control of a prosthetic device includes at least one Inertial Measurement Unit detecting orientation of a user's foot. The at least one Inertial Measurement Unit is in communication with a device module configured to command at least one actuator of a prosthetic device. The at least one Inertial Measurement unit sends output signals related to orientation of the user's foot to the device module and the device module controls the at least one actuator of the prosthetic device based on the signals from the at least one Inertial Measurement Unit.

In a communication system for controlling a powered human augmentation device, a parameter of the powered device is adjusted within a gait cycle by wirelessly transmitting a control signal thereto, whereby the adjusted parameter falls within a target range corresponding to that parameter. The target range is selected and the device parameters are controlled such that the powered device can normalize or augment human biomechanical function, responsive to a wearer's activity, regardless of speed and terrain and, in effect, provides at least a biomimetic response to the wearer of the powered device.

A data transfer method for a prosthesis or orthosis, said prosthesis or orthosis including a data storing means and a processing means, the method comprising: obtaining data related to an operation of the prosthesis or orthosis and/or to an environment of the prosthesis or orthosis; storing the obtained data and/or processed data based on the obtained data in the data storing means; transferring, using a communication module connected to the prosthesis or orthosis, at least part of the stored data and/or processed data based on the stored data, to a remote server.