A prosthetic or orthotic device has an elongate frame that houses electronics and an actuator rotatably mounted to the frame. The actuator can rotate in an anterior-posterior direction about a medial-lateral axis and includes magnetorheological (MR) fluid and a coil operable to selectively apply a magnetic field to the MR fluid to vary its viscosity and thereby vary a torsional resistance of the actuator about the medial-lateral axis. Circuitry controls an amplitude of a current applied to the coil, and employs a gains schedule to accelerate a change in the current amplitude based on an error amplitude between a current set point and a measured current to reduce a response time for varying the torsional resistance of the actuator.

An exercise treadmill includes a frame, an endless belt, and a motor assembly for guiding the belt between front and rear ends of the frame while a user walks or runs on the belt. An impact absorbing assembly is supported beneath a region of the treadmill belt impacted by the user's feet when the user walks or runs on the belt. The assembly has physical properties that serve to define degrees of damping or springiness of the belt in the region impacted by the user. A control system including a user interface is coupled to the absorbing assembly, and the system is configured and operative to vary the physical properties of the assembly in response to an output from the user interface. The region of treadmill belt impacted by the user's feet then simulates a desired one of a number of different surfaces entered by the user on the interface.

A periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) nanoparticle functionalized nanocomposite membrane (NCM) for membrane distillation, the NCM including: polymer fibers such as polyetherimide fibers aggregated into a matrix; and hydrophobic PMO nanoparticles disposed on the polymer fibers. The PMO nanoparticles include a framework connected by organic groups and pentafluorophenyl groups. Good membrane flux and anti-fouling was demonstrated. Membranes can be prepared by electrospinning.

A lat pulldown fitness device includes a base, a magnetorheological fluid (MRF) resistance provider, a motor, a gear train, pulleys, a cable assembly, a pulldown bar and a controller. The MRF resistance provider and the motor provide a resistance functioning as a load weight of pulling down the pulldown bar. The controller controls a current input to the MRF resistance provider to change the strength of the resistance generated from the MRF resistance provider. During a workout, the resistance provided by the lat pulldown fitness device is changeable precisely, conveniently, and quickly. Unlike its conventional counterparts which require bumper plates for use as weights, the lat pulldown fitness device is not limited to weight adjustment based on unit bumper plate but features plenty choices and controllable resolution in terms of strength of training. The MRF resistance provider is more compact and lightweight than its conventional counterparts.

Disclosed is a technical training garment configured for use with modular, interchangeable biomechanics units and or resistance modules. The garment may provide resistance to movement throughout an angular range of motion and or tracks a variety of biomechanical parameters such as stride length, stride rate, angular velocity and power expended by the wearer. The garment may be low profile, and worn by a wearer as a primary garment or beneath or over conventional clothing or athletic uniform. The device may be worn as a supplemental training and or diagnostic tool during conventional training protocols, or as a biomechanics or biometric data capture device during competition.

Disclosed is a technical training garment configured for use with modular, interchangeable biomechanics units and or resistance modules. The garment may provide resistance to movement throughout an angular range of motion and or tracks a variety of biomechanical parameters such as stride length, stride rate, angular velocity and power expended by the wearer. The garment may be low profile, and worn by a wearer as a primary garment or beneath or over conventional clothing or athletic uniform. The device may be worn as a supplemental training and or diagnostic tool during conventional training protocols, or as a biomechanics or biometric data capture device during competition.

Disclosed is a technical training garment configured for use with modular, interchangeable electronics and resistance modules. The garment provides resistance to movement throughout an angular range of motion and tracks biomechanical parameters such as stride length, stride rate, angular velocity and incremental power expended by the wearer. The garment may be low profile, and worn by a wearer as a primary garment or beneath or over conventional clothing. Alternatively, the device may be worn as a supplemental training tool during conventional training protocols.

A fluid-damped direct-drive bicycle riding platform includes a rack for supporting, a main shaft, a transmission shaft and a fluid resistor, wherein the rack includes a front bottom foot tube, a rear bottom foot tube, a front support rod, a main beam and an angle adjuster; the front support rod is fixed on the front bottom foot tube, the main beam is fixed on the rear bottom foot tube, the angle adjuster is fixed on the main beam, the upper end of the front support rod is hinged to the angle adjuster through a spline, the main beam is provided with the main shaft and the transmission shaft, the main shaft is press-fitted on the main beam in an interference fit, the main shaft and transmission shaft are driven by a pulley and a belt to drive the liquid resistor fixed to the left end of the transmission shaft.

Training equipment is configured for targeted muscle actuation. The training equipment contains a muscle-powered actuating element and a damping system having two components that can move in relation to one another. One of the components is operatively connected to the actuating element, such that a movement of the actuating element can be damped. A field-sensitive rheological medium and a field generation system are associated with the damping system, in order to generate and control the field strength. A damping characteristic can be influenced by the field generation system. A control system is suited and configured to control the field generation system in a targeted manner in accordance with a training parameter, such that the movement of the actuating element can be damped taking into account the training parameter.

A rotary damper has a housing, a damper shaft rotatably held on the housing, a damper volume accommodated in the housing and which has a magnetorheological fluid as working fluid, and at least one magnetic field source in order to influence a degree of damping of the rotational movement of the damper shaft relative to the housing. A separating unit connected to the damper shaft divides the damper volume. At least one gap portion, which can be influenced by a magnetic field of the magnetic field source, is formed between the separating unit, which is connected to the damper shaft, and the housing. The housing, the separating unit and the magnetic field source are designed such that a flow cross section for the magnetorheological fluid from one side to the other side of the separating unit changes in dependence on a rotational angle.