A method for controlling an artificial knee joint comprising an upper part and a lower part pivotally connected to each other, a resistance unit arranged between the upper part and the lower part and having an adjusting device to adjust the damping resistance, a control unit, the adjustment taking place on the basis of sensor data from at least one sensor. During the swing phase at least one of the knee angle (KA), the knee angle velocity (KAV), the knee angle acceleration (KAA), the lower limb angle, the lower limb velocity, the lower limb acceleration, the ankle moment (AM) and the axial force (AF) is sensed, the curve of the parameter is determined and the damping resistance is changed when, after an extreme value of the parameter is reached, the monotonic behavior of the curve of the parameter changes within the swing phase.

A variable gain impedance controller for use in a control system for controlling a motorized prosthetic or orthotic apparatus provided with a joint. The controller comprises a sensor input for receiving a signal indicative of an interaction between the apparatus and the ground, a torque sensor input for receiving a signal indicative of the torque at the joint, and a variable gain scheduler in communication with the sensor input to receive data therefrom thereby providing a variable torque gain. The variable gain impedance controller adjusts its control on the apparatus based on the variable torque gain and the indicated torque to increase the joint resistance to motion when the signal received from the sensor input indicates an interaction between the apparatus and the ground, and decrease the joint resistance to motion when the signal received from the sensor input indicates an absence of interaction between the apparatus and the ground.

A prosthetic knee joint includes a thigh connection part to be positioned near a thigh part, a lower leg part rotatibly coupled to the thigh connection part, and a power generating, part for generating power using a resistance resulting from rotation of the lower leg part relative to the thigh connection part.

The present disclosure provides for a device and method of control for an artificial prosthetic knee. A prosthetic knee according to the present disclosure relies on strictly passive means of providing support during weight bearing and supplements a resistive swing-phase mechanism with a small powered actuator. This actuator adds power to the knee, exclusively during swing phase, to improve swing-phase behavior. In particular, the knee still relies on the resistive swing-phase mechanism to provide nominal swing-phase knee motion, but supplements that motion as needed with the small powered actuator.

A prosthetic foot comprising a foot part, a proximal connecting member which is swiveled to the foot part and an adjustment device with which the foot part can be adjusted relative to the connecting member, and at least one position sensor being associated with the adjustment device and being coupled to a signal generating element.

A prosthetic foot can include an attachment member, at least one first brace, at least one first flexible member, an unpowered actuator, at least one second brace, and at least one second flexible member. The attachment member can include a connector configured to connect the attachment member to a user or another prosthetic device. The at least one first brace can mount to the attachment member and the at least one first flexible member can connect to the attachment member by the at least one first brace such that a force between the ground and the attachment member can be supported by the at least one first flexible member. The unpowered actuator can mount to the attachment member and the at least one second brace can mounted to the actuator. The at least one second flexible member can connect to the attachment member by the at least one second brace such that a force between the ground and the attachment member can be supported by the at least one second flexible member.

Systems and methods for tuning a powered prosthesis are described herein. A system includes a powered prosthesis including a joint, a motor mechanically coupled to the joint, a plurality of sensors, a finite state machine, and an impedance controller. The sensors are configured to measure a plurality of gait parameters, and the finite state machine is configured to determine a gait cycle state. The impedance controller is configured to output a control signal for adjusting a torque of the motor, where the torque is adjusted as a function of the measured gait parameters and a plurality of impedance control parameters, and where the impedance control parameters are dependent on the gait cycle state. The system also includes a reinforcement learning controller operably connected to the powered prosthesis. The reinforcement learning controller is configured to tune the impedance control parameters to achieve a target gait characteristic using a training data set.

A robotic assembly control system is disclosed. The robotic assembly control system includes an exoskeleton apparatus adapted to be worn by a user, at least one robotic assembly, the at least one robotic assembly controlled by the user by way of the exoskeleton, and at least one mobile platform, the at least one mobile platform controlled by the user and wherein the at least one robotic assembly is attached to the at least one mobile platform.

A prosthetic arm apparatus comprising a plurality of segments that provide a user of the prosthetic arm apparatus with substantially the same movement capability and function as a human arm. The segments are connectable to one another and connectable to a harness mount that may be adorned by the user. Each segment of the plurality of segments provides a portion of the movement capability, enabling the plurality of connected segments connected to the harness mount to provide substantially the same movement capability as that lacking in the user.

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.