Various embodiments of the present technology generally relate to robotics and prosthetics. More specifically, some embodiments of the present technology relate to multi-modal fingertip sensors with proximity, contact, and for localization capabilities. Various embodiments of the present technology provide for a novel multi-modal tactile sensor which comprises an infrared proximity sensor and a barometric pressure sensor embedded in an elastomer layer. Signals from both of these sensors can be fused to measure proximity (0-10 mm), contact (0N), force (0-50N) and localize impact at five spatial locations and three angles of incidence. Gaussian processes in a regression setting can be used to obtain calibrated force measurements with an R-squared value of 0.99. Supervised machine learning approaches can be used to localize the position and direction of probing with classification accuracies of 96% and 89% respectively.

A prosthesis device has a rotary damper and a displacing device with a magnetorheological fluid in a damper volume of a housing. Two partition units divide the damper volume into two or more variable chambers. The partition units include a partition wall connected with the housing and a partition wall connected with a damper shaft. Radial gaps are formed in the radial direction between the partition wall on the housing and the damper shaft, and between the partition wall on the damper shaft and the housing. An axial gap is formed in the axial direction between the partition unit the damper shaft and the housing. The magnetic field of the magnetic field source passes through at least two of the gaps.

Prosthetic and/or orthotic devices (PODS), control systems for PODS and methods for controlling PODS are provided. As part of the control system, an inference layer collects data regarding a vertical and horizontal displacement of the POD, as well as an angle of the POD with respect to gravity during a gait cycle of a user of the POD. A processor analyzes the data collected to determine a locomotion activity of the user and selects one or more control parameters based on the locomotion activity. The inference layer may be situated between a reactive layer control module and a learning layer control module of the control system architecture.

Devices and methods for obtaining external shapes and internal tissue geometries, as well as tissue behaviors, of a biological body segment are provided. A device for three-dimensional imaging of a biological body segment includes a structure configured to receive the biological body segment, the structure including a first array of imaging devices disposed about a perimeter of the device to capture side images of the biological body segment and a second array of imaging devices disposed at an end of the device to capture images of a distal portion of the biological body segment. The second array has a generally axial viewing angle relative to the perimeter. A controller is configured to generate a three-dimensional reconstruction of the biological body segment based on cross-correlation of captured images from the first and second arrays.

An ankle prosthesis can have a base and an upper hinge component that is pivotably attached to the base about an axis. First and second biasing elements can bias the upper hinge component in first and second rotational directions, respectively. At least one selectively extendable and retractable locking element can extend from one of the base and the upper hinge component and engage the other of the base and the upper hinge component to limit the pivotable movement of the upper hinge component.

An upper extremity prosthesis may include a prosthetic hand including a prosthetic thumb having a base and a tip, and a prosthetic index finger having a base and a tip. Actuators may be coupled to the upper extremity prosthesis. Prosthetic flexion tendons may have first ends operably coupled to the actuators and second ends coupled to the tips of the thumb and the index finger. Biasing systems may be operably coupled to the prosthetic thumb and the index finger. Upon actuation of the actuators in a first direction, the prosthetic flexion tendons cause the thumb and index finger to flex. Upon actuation of the linear actuators in a second direction opposite the first direction, the biasing systems cause the thumb and index finger to extend.

The invention provides for an improved disarticulated compression socket configured to secure a residual limb. The disarticulated compression socket may include a rigid socket frame, and preferably a 3-D printed socket having one or more surface channels that may secure a compression cord optionally positioned within a cord cylinder. Such compression cord may be responsive to a compression actuator and one or more disarticulated compression inserts such that activation of the compression actuator causes the retraction of the compression cord initiating the coordinated inward compression of each of said disarticulated compression inserts securing the residual limb within said socket frame.

A device includes a first member and a second member disposed in series along a longitudinal axis. The device also includes links coupling first joints of the first member to second joints of the second member. The first and second members and the links arranged to define a planar parallelogram linkage. The devices also include a resilient element disposed between the first member and the second member, the first member and the second member preloaded against the resilient element. The first member and the second member are preloaded to provide an arrangement of the first and the second joints in which a motion of the first joints with respect to the second joints is constrained to a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. The devices further include a sensor for generating a signal indicating a separation between the first member and the second member.

A control method for an arm prosthesis having at least one powered joint and at least one inertial measurement sensor (IMS) includes determining a motion and an orientation of the arm prosthesis relative to the inertial reference frame based at least on an output of the IMS and generating control signals for the at least one powered joint based on the motion and the orientation of the prosthetic arm.

Prosthesis including prosthetic links driven by actuators, first sensors that sense current state ZUS(t); second sensors that sense biosignals SIG.sub.BIO(t); third sensors that sense data D.sub.UMG(t); processing device; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processing device, perform operations including: determining based on SIG.sub.BIO(t), ZUS(t), and D.sub.UMG(t), model M.sub.A(t) of an action A, and predicting motions B.sub.eweg(M.sub.A(t)), dependent on M.sub.A(t) for a time period; determining a decision E to replace A with an action A(E) based on SIG.sub.BIO(t), ZUS(t), D.sub.UMG(t), and B.sub.eweg(M.sub.A(t)) according to an evaluation scheme, wherein A(E) can define a reflexive and/or protective motion, and if A(E) does not define the reflexive and/or protective motion, then determining model M.sub.A(t) of A(E) and predicting motions B.sub.eweg(M.sub.A(t)), dependent on M.sub.A(t), for the time period; deriving control signals Sig(t) based on B.sub.eweg(M.sub.A(t)) or B.sub.eweg(M.sub.A(t)), or based on the reflexive and/or protective motion, and controlling/regulating the actuators based on Sig(t).