Systems and methods for controlling a weight bearing member having at least one powered joint are provided. A system includes a velocity reference module for receiving myoelectric control signals from a user during a non-weight bearing mode for the powered joint and generating a velocity reference for the powered joint based on the myoelectric control signals. The system further includes a volitional impedance module for generating a torque control signal for actuating the powered joint based at least on the velocity reference.

A method for controlling an orthopaedic joint device of a lower extremity. The joint device has an upper part and a lower part mounted in a hinged manner on the latter. Arranged between the upper part and the lower part is an energy converter by which, during walking, kinetic energy from the relative movement between the lower part and the upper part is converted or stored and supplied again to the joint in order to support the relative movement, wherein kinetic energy within one movement cycle is converted and/or stored and, within the same movement cycle, is supplied again as kinetic energy to the joint device in a controlled manner and staggered in time.

A method for controlling a damping change in an artificial knee joint of an orthosis or prosthesis, wherein the artificial knee joint has an upper part, a lower part mounted thereon such that it can pivot about a pivot axis, and a resistance unit which is secured on the upper part on an upper articulation point and on the lower part on a lower articulation point in order to provide a resistance to a bending or extending of the artificial knee joint, wherein an adjusting device is assigned to the resistance unit for changing the flexion resistance, wherein the resistance of the resistance unit is increased by an increasing knee angle starting from a knee angle threshold value.

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 walking simulator includes: a lower-limb prosthetic device having at least a foot portion, a tibial element, and an ankle articular center suitable to connect the foot portion to the tibial element; a base structure, an arm coupled to the base structure via a coupler that allows the arm to rotate or pivot about a substantially horizontal axis of rotation, wherein the arm includes a fastener for constraining the prosthetic device to the arm so that it extends substantially parallel to the arm; a substantially horizontal base positioned under the prosthetic device, wherein the base includes a top portion suitable to receive in abutment a sole of the foot portion of the prosthetic device; a first actuator associated with the arm for creating a pivoting or oscillating rotary motion of the arm about the axis of rotation and for controlling the leg angle of the prosthetic device constrained to the arm.

A method for controlling an artificial orthotic or prosthetic knee joint, on which a lower-leg component is arranged and with which a resistance device is associated, the bending resistance (R) of which resistance device is changed in dependence on sensor data that are determined by at least one sensor during the use of the orthotic or prosthetic knee joint, wherein a linear acceleration (a.sub.F) of the lower-leg component is determined, the determined linear acceleration (a.sub.F) is compared with at least one threshold value, and, if a threshold value of the linear acceleration (a.sub.F) of the lower-leg component is reached, the bending resistance (R) is changed.

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.

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.

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 lower limb prosthesis comprises an attachment section (10), a shin section (12), a foot section (14), a knee joint (16) pivotally connecting the attachment section (10) and the shin section (12), and an ankle joint (22) pivotally connecting the shin section (12) and the foot section (14). The knee joint includes a dynamically adjustable knee flexion control device (18) for damping knee flexion. The prosthesis further comprises a plurality of sensors (52, 53, 54, 85, 87) each arranged to generate sensor signals indicative of at least one respective kinetic or kinematic parameter of locomotion or of walking environment, and an electronic control system (100) coupled to the sensors (52, 53, 54, 85, 87) and to the knee flexion control device (18) in order dynamically and automatically to modify the flexion control setting of the knee joint (16) in response to signals from the sensors. When the inclination sensor signals indicate descent of a downward incline, the damping resistance of the knee flexion control device (18) is set to a first level during a major part of the stance phase of the gait cycle and to a second, lower level during a major part of the swing phase of the gait cycle. During an interval including a latter part of the stance phase, the knee flexion control device (18) is adjusted so that the damping resistance to knee flexion is between the first and second levels.