Systems and methods are provided for supporting one or both legs of a user using a harness configured to be worn on a body of a user; and a leg support coupled to the harness configured to support a leg of the user, the leg support configured to accommodate movement of the leg while following the movement without substantially interfering with the movement of the user's arm. One or more compensation elements may be coupled to the leg support to apply an offset force to at least partially offset a gravitational force acting on the leg as the user moves and the leg support follows the movement of the user's leg, the one or more compensation elements providing a force profile that varies the offset force based on an orientation of the leg support.

In various embodiments, the present disclosure relates to robot systems configured to operate on a cell tower to inspect, install, reconfigure, and repair cellular equipment. The present disclosure provides a robot for performing audit tasks of cell towers. The robot includes a body portion configured to hold various electronic components of the robot including monitoring equipment disposed thereon, one or more arms extending from the body portion adapted to manipulate components of a cell tower and to facilitate movement of the robot on the cell tower, and wireless interfaces configured to receive control signals from an exoskeleton suit, wherein the exoskeleton suit is adapted to control the robot. The robot is configured to be controlled by one of a user in a remote location, a user at the cell tower site, and autonomously via direct programing.

An exoskeleton system includes an exoskeleton securable to a user, and a control system operably connected to the exoskeleton. The control system is configured to selectably operate the exoskeleton in two or more preconfigured operating modes. A method of operating an exoskeleton includes an exoskeleton securable to a user, and selecting one of two or more preconfigured operating modes of the exoskeleton via user input to a control system operably connected to the exoskeleton.

A wearable apparatus and a method assist and control muscular strength. The wearable apparatus includes a support unit located on the rear surface of a wearer. An actuator is fixed to the support unit and a sliding unit is slidably connected to the actuator and is slidable with respect to the support unit due to driving of the actuator. First and second rotating units are connected to the support unit to be located at both sides of the wearer such that one end of each of the first and second rotating units is coupled to the support unit so as to be rotatable forwards and backwards with respect to the support unit. A power transmission unit is provided with respective ends coupled to the first and second rotating units via the sliding unit and configured to generate rotary force of the first and second rotating units.

The present disclosure relates to a parallel variable stiffness actuator. The parallel variable stiffness actuator can comprise a spring and a variable-stiffness mechanism. The variable-stiffness mechanism can be configured to modulate a stiffness of the parallel variable stiffness actuator. The parallel variable stiffness actuator can further comprise a direct-drive motor arranged in parallel with the spring. A force of the direct-drive motor can be applied directly to a load. The present disclosure further relates to a resonant energy accumulation method implemented by a parallel variable stiffness actuator. A stiffness of a spring can be changed when there is no energy stored by the spring. A resonant energy accumulation method where a force of a direct-drive motor can be applied in resonance with the oscillatory motion, while the stiffness of the parallel variable stiffness actuator can be changed to keep the amplitude of the oscillatory motion nearly constant.

A control method for controlling an actuator (11) connected to a load (50) for handling, the method comprising the steps of: detecting an intention to handle the load (50); applying an increasing command to the actuator (11) until detecting a movement of the actuator (11); storing the value reached by the command when a movement of the actuator (11) is detected; using the stored value reached by the command to determine an estimate of the opposing force exerted by the load (50) for handling; and controlling the actuator by means of a force servocontrol relationship using the estimate of the opposing force exerted by the load (50) for handling in order to establish the commands to be applied to the actuator (11).

A cobot (1) arranged to perform the method.

The present invention relates to a method for learning parameters of a neural network for generating trajectories of an exoskeleton (1), the method comprising the implementation, by data processing means (11a) of a first server (10a), of steps of: (a) Learning parameters of a first neural network suitable for generating periodic elementary trajectories of the exoskeleton (1) each for a given walking of the exoskeleton (1) defined by a n-tuple of walking parameters, according to a first database for learning periodic trajectories for a set of possible walkings of the exoskeleton (1); (b) Learning, using parameters from the first neural network, parameters of a second neural network suitable for generating periodic elementary trajectories of the exoskeleton (1) and transitions from one periodic elementary trajectory of the exoskeleton (1) to another periodic elementary trajectory of the exoskeleton (1), according to a second learning database of periodic elementary trajectories and transitions for a set of possible walkings of the exoskeleton (1).

In one embodiment, the orthotic device can include a powered hand portion, a switching element, and a controller. The wearer can interact with the switching element to generate input signals for adjusting an operation of the powered hand portion. The controller can receive the input signals and generate control signals to accordingly adjust the operation of the powered hand portion. In some embodiments, a powered hand portion can be comprised of a plurality of linkages and at least one powered actuator to assist with an opening and closing of the hand portion. The plurality of linkages can be operated by at least one electric motor with quick-connect elements to link onto fingers of a user. In some embodiments, an electrically-actuated clutch mechanism can be affixed to an upper arm section and a lower arm section of an orthotic device. The clutch mechanism can be configured into different positions.

A body weight support system configured to be worn by a user is provided. The support system comprises for instance a leg support system and optionally a sacral support system, and a passive actuation system, in order to partially support and transfer the user's body weight down to the ground surface. The support system is intended to connect to a load bearing structure worn by the user, such as an exoskeleton, for at least partially supporting and transferring the body weight normally carried in its entirety by the user, to the ground surface, thereby reducing the load effectively supported by the users themselves. The present invention provides passive assistance to the hip movement to facilitate leg movements and in turn reduce the effort required by the individual during locomotion. The body wear support system contributes to the decrease of the energetic cost or consumption of locomotion by user.

A rotational structure is configured such that a hollow portion, in which a base member is opposed to a rotational member, is formed around a shaft member. An encoder provided in the hollow portion includes a detection target member rotated together with one of the rotational member and the base member and having a physical quantity changing in a circumferential direction, and a detector capable of detecting the physical quantity of the detection target element and rotated together with the other of the rotational member and the base member.