Knee orthoses or prostheses can be used to automatically, when appropriate, initiate a stand-up sequence based on the position of a person's knee with respect to the person's ankle while the person is in a seated position. When the knee is moved to a position that is forward of the ankle, at least one actuator of the orthosis or prosthesis is actuated to help raise the person from the seated position to a standing position.

A robotic joint comprises a first link, a middle link, a torque generator, a second link, and a locking mechanism. Different ends of the middle link are rotatably coupled to the first link and the second link. The torque generator is coupled to the first link and the middle link and is configured to produce torque between these links. The locking mechanism is switchable between a locking state and an unlocking state. In the unlocking state, the locking mechanism allows free rotation of the second link relative to the middle link in the first and second rotation directions. In the locking state, the locking mechanism is configured to impede rotation of the second link relative to the middle link in the first rotation direction and to allow rotation of the second link relative to the middle link in the second rotation direction opposite of the first rotation direction.

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.

The invention relates to an orthotic or prosthetic joint device with an upper part and a lower part arranged in a hinged manner and fastening means for securing the joint device on a user, with at least one hydraulics unit between the upper part and the lower part, which hydraulics unit has a piston that is movable in a housing with an extension chamber and a flexion chamber and that is coupled to the upper part or the lower part, and which hydraulics unit is assigned a pressure supply device with a pump and a pressure accumulator via which the piston, controlled by a control device, is subjected to a pressure, wherein the pump can be operated in generator mode, the pressure accumulator can be coupled drivingly to the pump, and the hydraulic fluid can be conveyed by the pressure accumulator through the pump to the hydraulics unit.

An artificial foot and ankle joint consists of a curved leaf spring foot member having a heel extremity and a toe extremity, and a flexible elastic ankle member that connects the foot member for rotation at the ankle joint. An actuator motor applies torque to the ankle joint to orient the foot when it is not in contact with the support surface and to store energy in a catapult spring that is released along with the energy stored in the leaf spring to propel the wearer forward. A ribbon clutch prevents the foot member from rotating in one direction beyond a predetermined limit position. A controllable damper is employed to lock the ankle joint or to absorb mechanical energy as needed. The controller and sensing mechanisms control both the actuator motor and the controllable damper at different times during the walking cycle for level walking, stair ascent, and stair descent.

A prosthetic foot assembly is disclosed. The assembly includes a pivoting ankle joint with a hydraulic system, a prosthetic foot connected to the distal side of the ankle joint, and, at the proximal side, the ankle joint includes a transducer with pyramid adaptor for attaching to a pylon. The ankle joint sensor provides data collection during the stance and optionally, the swing, phases of walking using, for example, strain gages and accelerometers. Also disclosed are methods for real-time feature extraction. Key parameters are captured to which are applied linear, fuzzy logic, neural net, or generic algorithms to determine current state (walking flat, uphill, downhill etc.) in real time and execute changes to the angle between the ankle and foot almost instantaneously based on those parameters.

Described here are prosthetic systems, devices, and methods of use therefor. Generally, a prosthesis may be configured to set a resistance to rotation of a prosthetic joint based on a phase of gait. The prosthesis may include a first cylinder, a first piston slidable within the first cylinder, a fluid sump, and a fluid circuit. The fluid circuit may include a plurality of interconnected fluid channels having a unidirectional variable-resistance valve and a set of check valves that are configured to provide unidirectional flow through the valve during piston compression and extension.

An orthopedic joint device having a lower leg part, a foot part that is arranged on the lower leg part about a swivel axis such that it can be swivelled, at least a first energy store, and a coupling element. The coupling element can be brought into a coupling position, in which a swivelling of the foot part relative to the lower leg part about the swivel axis in a plantar flexion direction leads to an increase in the amount of energy stored in the first energy store, and a de-coupling position. The orthopedic joint device also has at least one release element, which can be brought into a release position and a locked position. The energy stored in the first energy store can be released by bringing the release element into the release position.

A prosthetic arm apparatus including 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 prosthetic support apparatus 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 powered ankle-foot prosthesis, capable of providing human-like power at terminal stance that increase amputees metabolic walking economy compared to a conventional passive-elastic prosthesis. The powered prosthesis comprises a unidirectional spring, configured in parallel with a force-controllable actuator with series elasticity. The prosthesis is controlled to deliver the high mechanical power and net positive work observed in normal human walking.