A flexible anchor member comprising a member for placement about a body part; at least one substantially inextensible textile element circumscribing the member and secured to itself or the member; and a force transfer coupler coupling a portion of the at least one substantially inextensible textile element to an actuator such that the substantially inextensible textile element constricts about the member for a duration of an applied force. Another flexible anchor member comprising an outer member including a substantially inextensible textile material configured for directing a force applied by an actuator to act upon all or a portion of the body part; an inner member for positioning between the body part and the outer member, a first surface of the inner member configured for frictionally engaging the body part or intervening clothing; and at least one coupler for coupling the outer member and the inner member.

A therapeutic pressure band for applying pressure across a muscle or muscle groups on a mammalian limb is described. The band is particularly well suited for treating “shin splints.” The band includes a plurality of straps that are connected together via a connecting material. Ends of each of the straps have adjustable fasteners for securing and tightening the band around a limb. The band also possesses a plurality of pressure members (e.g., elongated rubber tubes) that apply separate and discrete areas or points of pressure in a line across a muscle, tendon, bone, or muscle group and generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the limb.

A compression device particularly suited for DVT prophylaxis includes a disposable wrap and a re-usable controller removably mounted on the wrap to apply a tensioning force to the wrap when it is encircling the limb of a patient. The wrap includes a strap wrapped around an electric motor-driven pulley, with an encoder to determine the amount of rotation of the pulley and a current sensor to determine the current load on the motor during operation. A pretension protocol sets the pulley of the wrap at a proper frap position so that the wrap can properly execute a DVT prophylaxis protocol.

A human interface device is configured to be coupled to a trunk of a person and comprises a frame, a fabric coupled to said frame configurable to be under tensile forces, and a belt configured to be coupled to two side edges of said frame wherein when said belt is worn by said person, an area of said fabric will be pushed against the person's lower back conforming to the shape of the lower back of said person. In operation when said human interface device is worn by said person, the weight of any load coupled to or supported by said frame will be partially supported by the friction force between the area of said fabric which is pushed against the person's lower back, and the person's lower back allowing said person to carry said load.

A human interface device is configured to be coupled to a trunk of a person and comprises a frame, a fabric coupled to said frame configurable to be under tensile forces, and a belt configured to be coupled to two side edges of said frame wherein when said belt is worn by said person, an area of said fabric will be pushed against the person’s lower back conforming to the shape of the lower back of said person. In operation when said human interface device is worn by said person, the weight of any load coupled to or supported by said frame will be partially supported by the friction force between the area of said fabric which is pushed against the person’s lower back, and the person’s lower back allowing said person to carry said load.

A system and apparatus for promoting perfusion at a tissue site containing a sprain by applying a vacuum to intact skin extending over or surrounding the tissue site. The system and apparatus comprise a manifold formed from a porous material and configured to be disposed proximate the intact skin for distributing vacuum to the intact skin, and a sleeve adapted to cover the manifold and form a chamber containing the manifold to seal the manifold within the chamber between the sleeve and the intact skin. The system and apparatus further comprise a fluid coupling member adapted to deliver vacuum to the manifold for distribution to the intact skin. A method for applying vacuum to the intact skin of a tissue site is also disclosed and described herein.

Systems and methods for exerting forces on a body, including a support structure defining a space and a plurality of surface contacting units that are configured to exert force upon the body, such that the weight is distributed away from the primary weight bearing regions to non-weight bearing regions of the body, or vice versa, without exerting significant shear or frictional forces on surfaces of the body. The systems and methods may be used to exert forces to cause fluid shift in different compartments of the body. Applications include treatment of various disease conditions including pressure ulcers, heart failure, high blood pressure, preeclampsia, osteoporosis, injuries of spine and to slow microgravity-induced bone and muscle loss. The systems and methods may be used to simulate gravity, weightlessness or buoyancy, in rehabilitation medicine. The system may include a chair, bed, a wearable suit or an exoskeleton.

An intelligent compression device for controllable compression. The compression device includes a compressible body and a microprocessor. The compressible body encircles a limb of a user and includes an elastomer layer and an activation layer. The elastomer layer includes voxelated liquid crystal elastomers that contract in response to a stimulus. The activation element, which is positioned proximate to the elastomer layer, supplies the stimulus. The microprocessor actuates at least a portion of the activation element layer.

A patient support for supporting a patient includes an inflatable mattress defining a support surface and a pneumatic system for inflating the inflatable mattress. The pneumatic system includes a pressurized reservoir for holding pressurized air and selectively releases pressurized air from the reservoir to the mattress.

A patient support includes a mattress with an inflatable bladder, where the inflatable bladder has a cavity and an upper bladder wall forming an outwardly facing side for facing and supporting the patient on the patient mattress and forming an inwardly facing side facing into the cavity. The patient support further includes a light transmitter operable to emit light through the cavity to impinge on the inwardly facing side of the upper bladder wall and a light receiver operable to detect a reflection of the light off the inwardly facing side of the bladder wall, with the light receiver generating a signal responsive to detecting the reflection. A controller is in communication with the light transmitter and is operable to determine immersion of a patient into the mattress based on the signal from the light receiver.