Features for a powered prosthetic thumb are described. The thumb provides for rotation of a digit that mimics the natural movement possible with a sound thumb. The thumb may attach to a full or partial prosthetic hand or socket on a residual limb. The thumb may include an upper assembly, including a prosthetic thumb digit, rotatably attached to a mount about a pinch axis and a lateral axis. The digit may rotate about only the pinch axis, only the lateral axis, or both the pinch and lateral axes simultaneously. A first actuator may actuate to cause rotation of the digit about the pinch axis. A second actuator may actuate to cause rotation of the digit about the lateral axis. The first and second actuators may be actuated together at appropriate speeds to cause rotation about both the pinch and lateral axes simultaneously. A swaying chassis may be rotatably connected with the upper assembly and a lower assembly about various offset axes to provide for rotation about the lateral axis.

A system for powering a prosthetic arm is disclosed. The system includes at least one internal battery located in the prosthetic arm, at least one external battery connected to the prosthetic arm, and a master controller configured to connect either the at least one internal battery or the at least one external battery to a power bus to power the prosthetic arm.

A knee joint that is capable of widening a moveable range, and that has good energy efficiency and is small and lightweight is described. Also described is a knee joint that is of an active type, but comparatively inexpensive. A drive section moves a driven member. An elastic member is arranged between the driven member and a linear motion member. The linear motion member elastically moves in at least one direction, in accordance with movement of the driven member, by way of the elastic member. A crank mechanism can realize bending and extension of the knee joint by converting linear motion of the linear motion member to rotational motion.

The invention relates to a method for controlling a prosthesis or orthesis of the lower extremity, the prosthesis or orthesis comprising an upper part (10) and a lower part (20) which is connected to the upper part (10) via a knee joint and is mounted so as to be pivotable relative to the upper part (10) about a joint pin (15); wherein an adjustable resistance device (40) is situated between the upper part (10) and the lower part (20), by means of which resistance device a resistance (Rf) is modified on the basis of sensor data; wherein state information is detected by sensors, a cyclical movement different from walking is determined and the resistance (Rf) is adjusted to a low level during the cyclical movement; wherein determining the cyclical movement comprises the following steps: a. detecting the flexion angle (α.sub.K) and at least one absolute angle (αS) of the lower part (20) and/or the upper part (10) over at least one movement cycle, b. identifying the cyclical movement from the relative movement of the upper part (10) and the lower part (20) and the absolute movements of the upper part (10) and/or the lower part (20) in space.

The invention relates to a method for controlling a prosthesis or orthosis of the lower extremity, which prosthesis or orthosis has an upper part (10) and a lower part (20), which lower part is connected to the upper part (10) by means of a knee joint (1) and is mounted for pivoting relative to the upper part (10) about a joint shaft (15); wherein an adjustable resistance device (40) is disposed between the upper part (10) and the lower part (20), by means of which resistance device a flexion resistance (Rf) is changed on the basis of sensor data; wherein an axial force (FA) acting on the lower part is sensed by at least one sensor (54) and is used as the basis for a change of the flexion resistance (Rf); wherein, in the case of decreasing axial force (FA) and/or an approximately vertical position of a leg tendon (70) and/or of an extended knee joint (1), the flexion resistance (Rf) is reduced; and wherein the flexion resistance (Rf) is increased again if, within a temporally defined interval, no knee flexion is detected and/or the knee joint (1) and/or the leg tendon (70) and/or the axial force (FA) fall below or exceed specific limit values.

A system for control of a device includes at least one sensor module detecting orientation of a user's body part. The at least one sensor module is in communication with a device module configured to command an associated device. The at least one sensor module detects orientation of the body part. The at least one sensor module sends output signals related to orientation of the user's body part to the device module and the device module controls the associated device based on the signals from the at least one sensor module.

A hybrid artificial limb device is provided. A hybrid artificial limb device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprises: a joint upper side connection member positioned at the upper side of a knee; a knee joint member connected to the joint upper side connection member; and a frame coupled to the knee joint member to be able to perform a pivot rotation, and forming a femoral part. When the frame performs a pivot rotation about the knee joint member, the passive power from the passive driving module and the active power from the active driving module may be selectively or simultaneously provided to the knee joint member.

Disclosed herein are devices, systems, and methods for measuring socket fit in lower limb prostheses and detecting motion of a residual limb relative to a prosthetic socket. Also disclosed herein are methods for developing a socket-fit detection system for sock management that can be applied to adjustable socket systems.

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 prosthesis socket having a proximal insertion opening and an inner circumference which at least partially surrounds a limb stump, at least one connection device for a prosthesis component, which is connectable to the prosthesis sockets at least one actuator operable to change the inner circumference of the prosthesis socket, and at least one sensor coupled to a control device, wherein the control device is connected to the actuator and activates or deactivates same, depending on the received sensor signals, and to a method for adjusting the inner circumference.