A knee brace includes a first portion for securement to the thigh region, a second portion for securement to the calf region, and pivotal coupling of the upper region to the lower region. A special pad is used for contacting each region of the leg, which pad is received in a shell that includes a plurality of ventilation openings, and which pad includes a plurality of thru-openings interconnected with the ventilation openings in the shell, and grooves that interconnect the plurality of openings in the pad. The openings and grooves in the pad serve to better grip the wearer's leg and reduce the tensioning needed by the straps to maintain the brace in position. The upper cuff and/or lower cuff may be adjustably secured to the arms of the hinge using T-shaped mounting studs that mate with a corresponding cruciform-shaped opening in the hinge arms.

A fluidic exoskeleton system. The system can include one or more fluidic actuator units that have: a joint; a first and second arm coupled to the joint; an inflatable bellows actuator extending between a first and second plate associated with the joint, the inflatable bellows actuator defining a bellows cavity, the inflatable bellows actuator configured to extend along a length of the bellows actuator when inflated by introducing fluid into the bellows cavity; and one or more constraint ribs extending from the joint and surrounding portions of the bellows actuator along the length of the bellows actuator.

An assistance apparatus includes a first wire and a second wire that couple an upper-body belt and a left knee belt to each other on or above a front part and back part of the body of a user, respectively, a third wire and a fourth wire that couple the upper-body belt and a right knee belt to each other on or above the front part and back part of the body of the user, respectively, a motor, a left sensor on the left hand of the user, and a right sensor on the right hand of the user. When a force is applied to the left sensor and no force is applied to the right sensor, the motor makes the tension of the second wire and the third wire greater than the tension of the first wire and the fourth wire. When a force is applied to the right sensor and no force is applied to the left sensor, the motor makes the tension of the first wire and the fourth wire greater than the tension of the second wire and the third wire.

An assisted lifting device includes an adjustable sleeve configured to be worn on an arm of a subject and an array of inflatable actuators connected to the adjustable sleeve. Each of the actuators defines an axis. The axes of the two outermost actuators in the array are each configured to be oriented perpendicular to the arm of the subject. The assisted lifting device also includes a retainer coupled to the sleeve and one of the outermost actuators to maintain the perpendicular orientation of the outermost actuator upon inflation of the plurality of actuators.

A robotic ankle system provides an assistive force for the heel-up portion of a user gait. Energy is stored in a spring responsive to a heel-on portion of the gait, and then released as the heel-up portion begins. In this manner, the gait of a user is assisted. The systems and methods are of particular use for those affected by stroke or in connection with rehabilitation activities.

The plantar flexure muscles assist device includes at least one drive mechanism (10) having a linear drive actuator (26); a latch mechanism (25) having a toothed annular surface coupled to the linear drive; a retractable rotating element having a toothed drum (24) and an elastic spiral element (23). The toothed drum has an annular groove and where the toothed drum corresponds to the toothed lock mechanism; a rope (28) wound in the annular groove of the toothed drum with one end attached to the elastic element (2); and a casing (21, 27) for containing the elements of the drive mechanism; a control system to send a signal to the linear actuator to activate or deactivate the locking mechanism, and a battery to supply power to the control system. The lightweight activation mechanism, together with the lightweight structure, allows the elastic element to store mechanical energy while the dorsiflexion movement occurs. This energy will enhance the plantar flexion movement, to increase physical performance on long and demanding walks and decrease user fatigue.

An automatic adjustable supporting equipment, including a supporting band, an adjusting device, and a controller, is provided. The supporting band wraps around a limb of a user. The adjusting device is disposed on the supporting band, and includes an actuating mechanism and an accelerometer. The actuating mechanism is configured to adjust a pressure applied on the limb by the supporting band. The accelerometer is configured to detect an acceleration value. The controller is coupled to adjusting device, and is configured to drive the actuating mechanism to adjust the pressure to a preset pressure value according to the acceleration value.

In some embodiments of a prosthetic or orthotic ankle/foot, a prediction is made of what the walking speed will be during an upcoming step. When the predicted walking speed is slow, the characteristics of the apparatus are then modified so that less net-work that is performed during that step (as compared to when the predicted walking speed is fast). This may be implemented using one sensor from which the walking speed can be predicted, and a second sensor from which ankle torque can be determined. A controller receives inputs from those sensors, and controls a motor's torque so that the torque for slow walking speeds is lower than the torque for fast walking speeds. A controller determines a desired torque based on the output, and controls the motor's torque based on the determined desired torque.

An orthosis includes a first portion and a second portion configured to attach on opposite sides of a joint. An actuator is configured to apply a force between the first and second portions. The actuator includes a first spool and a second spool rotatably mounted to the first portion. An output pulley is mounted to the second portion. A belt has a first end wrapped around the first spool, a second end wrapped around the second spool, and a mid-portion wrapped around the output pulley. The actuator is configured to rotate the first and second spools. The rotation of the first spool pulls the belt a given length, and the rotation of the second spool feeds the belt less than the given length, so as to pull the output pulley towards the first portion to pull the second portion towards the first portion.

A finger glove liner (2) comprising at least one finger portion (1), for arrangement inside an outer finger glove, making up a grip strengthening finger glove (3) is provided. The finger glove liner (2) is made of a stretchable material (4) in order to suit more than one size of hands, wherein at least one patch (5) of material, which has attached thereto at least an artificial tendon (9), is arranged at the outside of the finger glove liner (2).