Tensegrity-based exosuit

Abstract

An exosuit system, device and method disclosed herein provide for a human spine inspired exosuit that works in tandem with the body to support and reduce loading on the back to reduce lower back pain. The system includes a plurality of vertebrae modules each including a superior vertebral member and an inferior vertebral member that are held into position with respect to each other by a tensioning member, a spine of the exosuit formed by a plurality of vertebrae modules coupled together in a vertical arrangement, and a harness coupled to the spine for securing the spine to a human body.

Description

TENSEGRITY-BASED EXOSUITACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

[0001] This invention was made with government support under grant no. 2344385 awarded by the National Science Foundation. The government has certain rights in the invention.CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 640,996, filed May 1, 2024, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The disclosure generally relates to human spine inspired exosuit that works in tandem with the body to support and reduce loading on the user's back and methods related thereto.BACKGROUND

[0004] Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the leading type of disability found worldwide. MSDs affect the daily lives of many individuals. They are a contributing factor to drug consumption, and they are the leading reason for sick leave and disability pensions. Around a third of the world's population and a quarter of the U.S. population currently suffers from a chronic form of MSD. In 2021, the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics estimates that 39% of adults suffer from lower back pain. It is estimated that MSDs affect our workforce as more than one million back injuries occur every year, accounting for one fifth of all recorded workplace injuries and illnesses and that three out of four lower back injuries occur during lifting. Besides the pain and suffering of the employees, workplace injuries can be very costly, as one fourth of all workers' compensation claims are due to lower back injuries, costing industry billions of dollars. Lower back pain is primarily caused due to poor ergonomic factors in industry settings, such as heavy lifting, pushing or pulling. As human life expectancy is increasing, people are remaining in the workforce longerresulting in the number of MSDs to steadily rise. Due to this increase, national healthcare systems are putting programs in place to intervene in this growing crisis to not only reduce the costs, but to also enable the older workers with physically demanding jobs to continue fulfilling their employment duties with reduced risk to their health. MSDs affect every industry, but the three industries that have the most work-related injuries are health care, manufacturing, and construction.

[0005] In manufacturing, the four most common reasons industrial workers are injured are due to awkward postures as muscles and tendons have to work harder, force of exertion such as lifting heavy objects, repetitive motions with little recovery time, and vibrations. Any combination of these will increase the likelihood of a workplace injury. Assistive devices such as exosuits can reduce the risk of workplace injury by reducing the exertion level of the worker.

[0006] In construction, construction laborers have the most work-related MSDs (WMSDs) by occupation, while auxiliary workers such as heating and air conditioning mechanics, cement masons, and sheet metal workers have the highest rate of WMSDs. As construction is a physically taxing profession, it makes sense that one fifth of all construction workers will suffer a WMSD due to overexertion at some point in their career and that over 40% of injuries are back related. Overexertion injuries are expected to account for more than one fifth ($ 12.84B) of workplace injury costs. Construction workers' health is not the only thing affected by WMSDs as the estimated wage loss for injured workers is around $46 million in 2014.

[0007] According to workers, the most common reasons for WMSDs are working too fast, and lifting, pushing, or pulling an object that is too heavy or bulky. Like manufacturing, repetitive motions are prevalent in the construction which combined with working in awkward positions and overexertion results in higher risks for back and shoulder injury. Accordingly, a need exists for reducing musculoskeletal disorders and reducing work related injuries using exosuits that are not bulky (use in tight spaces), efficient, comfortable, and versatile so workers can use them in tasks such as lifting and working overhead.SUMMARY

[0008] In some implementations, the techniques described herein relate to an exosuit system for use on a human body, the system including a plurality of vertebrae modules coupled together to form a spine of the exosuit and a harness coupled to the spine for securing the spine to a human body. In some implementations, the exosuit system comprises: a plurality of vertebrae modules each including a superior vertebral member and an inferior vertebral member that are held into position with respect to each other by a tensioning member, the tensioning member coupled to each of the superior and inferior vertebral members at a corresponding connection point; a spine of the exosuit formed by a plurality of vertebrae modules coupled together in a vertical arrangement, each of the plurality of vertebrae modules is coupled to an adjacent one of the plurality of vertebrae modules at a fixed vertebral junction; and a harness coupled to the spine for securing the spine to a human body.

[0009] In some implementations, the techniques described herein relate to a method of manufacturing and / or assembling an exosuit for use on a human body, the method including: assembling a plurality of vertebrae modules by coupling a superior vertebral member to an inferior vertebral member using a tensioning member; coupling the plurality of vertebrae modules in a vertical arrangement to form a spine of the exosuit, where each of the plurality of vertebrae modules is coupled to an adjacent one of the plurality of vertebrae modules at a fixed vertebral junction; and coupling a harness to the spine the harness sized and configured to secure the spine to a human body.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0010] The figures provide various images and aspects of the example exoskeleton / exosuit. Various objects, aspects, features, and advantages of the disclosure will become more apparent and better understood by referring to the description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a front view of an assembled spine of an example exoskeleton / exosuit.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the example spine of FIG. 1.

[0013] FIG. 3 is an enlarged front view of a vertebrae module of the spine of FIG. 1.

[0014] FIG. 4 is side view of a vertebrae module of the spine of FIG. 1.

[0015] FIG. 5 is a top view of a vertebrae module of the spine of FIG. 1.

[0016] FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of a vertebrae module of the spine of FIG. 1.

[0017] FIG. 7 is a plan view of the components of the spine of FIG. 1

[0018] FIG. 8 is a side perspective view of the example spine of FIG. 1.

[0019] FIGS. 9A-9F show components of an example foot and corresponding vertebrae module.

[0020] FIG. 10A is a base snub disphenoid graph where the light / broken lines represent the tensioning members and the darker / solid lines represent the vertebral members.

[0021] FIG. 10B is a front view of the base snub disphenoid graph showing the vertebral members as perpendicular, where the light / broken lines represent the tensioning members and the darker / solid line represent the vertebral members.

[0022] FIG. IOC is a front view of the modified snub disphenoid graph showing the vertebral members at an angle of 50-degrees, where the light / broken lines represent the tensioning members and the darker / solid lines represent the vertebral members.

[0023] FIG. 11A is a trimetric graph of an angled vertebral member resulting from simulation of static form finding.

[0024] FIG. 11B is a front view graph of an angled vertebral member resulting from simulation of static form finding.

[0025] FIG. 12 is a side perspective view of an example vertebral junction of the example spine of FIG. 1.

[0026] FIG. 13A is a front view of a user wearing the example exosuit of FIG. 1.

[0027] FIG. 13B is a side view of a user wearing the example exosuit of FIG. 1.

[0028] FIG. 13C is a back view of a user wearing the example exosuit of FIG. 1.

[0029] FIG. 14 is a front view of the exosuit of FIG. 1 including the spine and the harness.

[0030] FIG. 15 is a partial back view of the spine of FIG. 1.

[0031] FIG. 16 is a side view of a vertebral junction of the spine of FIG. 1.

[0032] FIG. 17 is a top view of a vertebral junction of the spine of FIG. 1.

[0033] FIGS. 18A-18D are side views of a user wearing the exosuit performing various tasks.

[0034] FIGS. 19A-19B are side views of a user wearing the exosuit in a partially seated and seated position.

[0035] FIG. 20 is a back view of a user with EMG sensors positioned along the user's torso.

[0036] FIG. 21 is a front view of a user with EMG sensors positioned on the user's legs.

[0037] FIG. 22A is a table of EMG data for a male subject for the right thoracic longissimus.

[0038] FIG. 22B is a table and graph of EMG data for a male subject for the right iliocostalis.

[0039] FIG. 22C is a table and graph of EMG data for a male subject for the right lumbar longissimus.

[0040] FIG. 23A is a table and graph of EMG data for a male subject for the right thoracic longissimus.

[0041] FIG. 23B is a table and graph of EMG data for a male subject for the right iliocostalis.

[0042] FIG. 23C is a table and graph of EMG data for a male subject for the right lumbar longissimus.

[0043] FIG. 24A is a table and graph of EMG data for a female subject for the right thoracic longissimus.

[0044] FIG. 24B is a table and graph of EMG data for a female subject for the right iliocostalis.

[0045] FIG. 24C is a table and graph of EMG data for a female subject for the right lumbar longissimus.

[0046] FIGS. 25A and 25B are the representation of the form finding of an example vertebrae module.

[0047] FIG. 26 shows the tensioning member length with respect to the force applied to the tensioning member. The plot shows the piecewise nature of the tensioning member which introduced nonlinearities into the system.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] As described herein, the number of back and shoulder injuries can be reduced by using efficient exoskeletons and exosuits that redirect external forces to stronger areas of the body that are less prone to injury. With MSDs being such a widespread problem, there has been a lot of research into effective methods to reduce this epidemic. These methods have ranged from ergonomic training to physical therapy to chiropractic adjustments. None of these practices have led to a noticeable decline in the number of MSDs in the work force. Over the past couple of decades, research into exosuits and exoskeletons have become more prevalent. There are currently many different types of exoskeletons on the market that aim to reduce lower back pain during lifting and moving objects. Many of the liftassistance devices on the market utilize a system that runs along the spine with the aim of redirecting the forces applied to the lower back to different areas of the body. Several passive energy storage devices have been used to accomplish this task, such as flexible beams, carbon fiber, elastics, and spring mechanisms. Previous passive exoskeleton have used carbon fiber beams to store energy. These systems have been able to achieve the significant peak torque (71.7J) during lifting of any other existing passive exoskeleton. Other effective energy storage elements include gas and metal torsional springs.

[0049] While exoskeletons have great upside with the amount of energy they can store, there are also design flaws that make them unappealing to workers. First, the rigidity of these systems can restrict the wearer's overall flexibility, while also being quite uncomfortable. Another flaw is that some systems are designed to make the user bend their back to pick up objects which makes the user utilize their back muscles more, making them more likely to fatigue faster. Active exoskeletons are able to assist more in the lifting process because they are stronger and use sensor feedback to better identify the amount of assistance needed at each point in the lifting process. However, these systems can be quite complex and expensive, making it difficult for the average customer to feasibly purchase. Active exoskeletons are also quite heavy and bulky making them much less versatile for working in different environments, i.e., tight or awkward spaces. There are some active exoskeletons that are similar in weight and size to passive exoskeletons, but are much more complicated due to the control of the actuators making them much more expensive while not giving much more support than their passive counterparts. While the currentexoskeletons can be quite useful, their drawbacks make them nonoptimal for most situations. The main issue is that human biomechanics are not effectively included in the design process of these exoskeletons leading to systems that either only provide localized solutions, i.e. lower back, or overpower the body's mechanics in order to aid the wearer which leads to bulky uncomfortable systems that restrict the wearer's overall movement.

[0050] As provided in more detail herein, is a bio-inspired exoskeleton and / or exosuit that combines tension and compression elements to achieve structural integrity while addressing the shortcomings previous systems. As described herein, the present exoskeleton / exosuit is breathable, cool, and comfortable to the user, it is unrestrictive and works in tandem with the users natural biomechanics. The present system is customizable to the user's specific needs / desired use and anatomy, it is easily donned and lightweight, while also providing high strength-to-weight ratios, and is flexible. An example exoskeleton and / or exosuit using tension and compression elements to achieve structural integrity is provided, for example, in U.S. Application No. 18 / 419,095, titled "DEVICE AND METHOD OF FABRICATION FOR DEXTEROUS CONTINUUM TENSEGRITY MANIPULATOR," the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0051] As described herein, the present exoskeleton / exosuit mimics the biomechanics of the spine, including having an S-shape which helps the user with balance when upright, acts as a shock absorber when stressed (i.e. walking), and protects the individual bones from fractures, while also allowing the user to move about freely, bend with flexibility, and remain upright. As described herein, in some implementations, the "vertebrae" of the present exoskeleton / exosuit comprise rigid members that are different sizes due to their location along the spine. For example, the lumbar vertebrae (lower back) carry more weight than the thoracic vertebrae (middle back) so they must be larger and more stable. Also, in some implementations, the lumbar section is more flexible than the thoracic section and this is due to their connections mimicking the human facet joints and the ligaments in the elastic spinal discs, as in the human spine the elastic spinal discs and facet joints are thinner in the thoracic region than the lumbar region.

[0052] As described herein, the present exoskeleton / exosuit uses tensegrity to provide a system that mimic the spine in its versatility by being lightweight, strong, and flexible. Tensegrity mechanisms synergistically combine tension elements (for example, pre-stressedcables) with compression elements (for example, rigid rods) to achieve structural integrity. This concept is prevalent from the model of the universe where the compression elements (heavenly bodies) are floating in a sea of tension (gravitational force) to micro-scale biological organisms. From an engineering perspective, these mechanisms are packable, portable, internally stable (i.e., do not require gravity for maintaining structural integrity), and possess high strength-to-weight ratios. The compact nature of tensegrities and their lack of needing external forces to achieve structural integrity have been found to be useful in many applications ranging from architecture to civil engineering to biology to space robotics. Tensegrity has also been used to describe the musculoskeletal system (joints, spine). Due to the difficulty of building these complex systems, tensegrities have been sparsely used for modeling human biomechanics and making exoskeletons. The use of tensegrity for modeling the human musculoskeletal system can show its unique qualities, i.e. how the bones of the body slide or roll at joints without touching one another. An exosuit designed using bio-inspiration of the human bio-mechanics will be more compact, efficient, and comfortable to the wearer as the system will be able to aid the user with everyday tasks without limiting their range of motion.

[0053] Aspects of the efficacy, size and comfort considered in the design of the present exoskeleton / exosuit are provided herein. With regard to efficacy, the forces and torques that are distributed to the back for picking up objects can be quite large, especially when the length of the moment arm is large. Therefore, the structure of the exoskeleton / exosuit described herein is strong enough to support these forces while also being able to absorb the forces and distribute them to the desired locations, i.e. the thighs. In order to do this, in some implementations the spine is anchored to the back and thighs of the wearer so that the forces are diverted effectively.

[0054] Regarding size, the size of the exoskeleton / exosuit cannot be too large or it will cause issues with the wearer in their work environment. Another issue is that the wearer should be able to sit down comfortably with exoskeleton / exosuit, so that they do not have to take it off every time they need a rest, which would make the wearer less likely to use the exoskeleton / exosuit.

[0055] With regard to comfort, the exoskeleton / exosuit must be comfortable to wear, which coincides with the size in that the wearer must have versatility in what they can dowhile wearing the exoskeleton / exosuit. It is desirable that the exoskeleton / exosuitis anchored comfortably to the wearer as there will be a large amount of force that is being distributed along the force to the thighs. In some implementations, the anchoring points are provided over a large area and to help reduce the pressure to any one area of the body. Another important aspect of comfortability is heat as the exoskeleton / exosuit should not be too hot to wear.

[0056] Spine Assembly

[0057] FIG. 1 provides a front view of an example assembled spine 102 of an example exoskeleton / exosuit 100 according to the present disclosure. FIG. 2 provides a side view of the assembled spine 102 showing the S-shape of the spine 102 mimicking the shape of the human spine. As described in more detail herein, FIGS. 13A-13C provide front, side and back views of a user wearing the example exoskeleton / exosuit 100 including the spine 102 and FIG. 14 provides a front view of the exoskeleton / exosuit 100 when not worn by a user.

[0058] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the assembled spine 102 has a modular structure that includes a series of tensegrity structures / modules called vertebrae modules 112 that are connected using tensegrity principles. As described herein, the spine 102 of the exosuit 100 formed by a plurality of vertebrae modules 112 coupled together in a vertical arrangement.

[0059] FIG. 3 provides an enlarged front view of a vertebrae module 112 of the spine 102 of FIG. 1. FIGS. 4-6 provide side, top, and bottom perspective views of an example vertebrae module 112. FIG. 7 provides a plan view of each of the components of the vertebrae modules 112 in an unassembled configuration.

[0060] As provided in FIGS. 3-6, each vertebrae module 112 includes a superior vertebral member 114 and an inferior vertebral member 116 held into position with respect to each other by a tensioning member 118. In some implementations, each of the superior vertebral member 114 and inferior vertebral member 116 comprise a rigid member having a semi-circular shape. For example, as illustrated in FIGS. 3-7, the superior vertebral member 114 and inferior vertebral member 116 define a half-circular shape including several connection points 106 for coupling the tensioning member 118 to the vertebral members. In some implementations, the connection points 106 are provided by a plurality of openingsextending through each of the superior vertebral member 114 and the inferior vertebral member 116. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the openings of the connection point 106 are shaped to include a generally circular portion and at least one cut out extending into the vertebral member from the edge of the circular portion. As described here, the tensioning member 118 is passed through the opening of the connection point 106 and a set screw coupled to the opening for fixing the tensioning member 118 at the connection point 106. For example, the set screw can be received within the circular portion of the connection point 106 and at least a portion of the tensioning member 118 is received within the cut out such that the tensioning member 118 is compressed between the inner surface of the opening / cut out and the set screw.

[0061] In some implementations, the tensioning member 118 comprises a pre-stressed cord / cable which helps the spine 102 form an S-shape that mimics the curve of the human spine resulting in a better fit than other exosuits using a straight spinal column. In some implementations, tensioning member 118 comprises an elastic cable 118a or an inelastic cable 118b (FIG. 7). In some examples, the elasticity of the tensioning members 118 varies along the spine 102. That is the elasticity of the tensioning member 118 varies between the different vertebrae modules 112 along the spine 102. For example, the stiffness of the tensioning member 118 is chosen for the desired task, i.e., less stiff cable for more movement, while a stiffer cable can be used for less movement and more strength. In some implementations, the elasticity of the tensioning members 118 proximate the top end 104 of the spine 102 can be greater than the elasticity of the of the tensioning member 118 proximate the bottom end 105 of the spine 102, and vise-a-versa. In some examples, the elasticity of the tensioning member 118 at proximate the top end 104 and / or bottom end 105 of the spine 102 is greater (or less than) the elasticity of the tensioning member 118 of the vertebrae modules 112 along the middle of the spine 102. In further examples, the elasticity of the tensioning members 118 can increase moving vertically along the spine 102 (moving from the bottom end 105 toward the top end 104). Likewise, the elasticity of the tensioning members 118 can decrease moving vertically along the spine 102. In some implementations, the lumbar region of the spine 102 uses more elastic tensioning members 118 than the thoracic region. For example, in some implementations, the vertebrae modules 112 in the lumbar region of the spine 102 use elastic tensioning members 118 andthe vertebrae modules 112 in the thoracic region of the spine 102 use less elastic or inelastic tensioning members 118, as a result the vertebrae modules 112 in the thoracic region move less than the vertebrae modules 112 lumbar region.

[0062] As illustrated in FIGS. 3, 6 and 7, both the 114 and the 116 include a side arm 134 projecting from the left or right side of the module. The side arm 134 is sized and configured to mate with a corresponding foot 136 positioned between the spine 102 and the torso of the user.

[0063] For example, in some implementations, the superior vertebral member 114 and inferior vertebral member 116 each include a side arm 134 projecting from the side edge of the module. In some implementations, the superior vertebral member 114 and / or inferior vertebral member 116 include two side arms 134 projecting from the opposing lateral sides of the vertebral member. As provided in FIGS. 3 and 7, the side arm 134 can have a rectangular shape and include a recess for engaging with the foot 136 and / or side arm attachment 144.

[0064] As illustrated in FIG. 8, the side arm 134 is coupled to a foot 136 such that the foot 136 is positioned to extend in a direction away the back surface of the vertebrae modules 112 and is positioned adjacent the torso of user when the spine 102 is worn. In some implementations, the side arm 134 is coupled to the foot 136 via a side arm attachment 144. As provided in FIG. 3, the side arm attachment 144 can have a generally rectangular shape and include a recess for engaging a corresponding recess in the side arm 134 of the adjacent vertebral member. In some implementations, the side arm attachment 144 includes an opening or recess for engaging a tendon or cable that extends along the lateral sides of the spine 102 and couples the vertebrae modules 112. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the opening includes a through hole. In some implementations, four tendons / cables can be used along each side of the spine 102 and these tendons / cables can be tensioned or released in order to compress or pres-stress the spine 102. In some implementations, this pre-stress is most effective on the elastic spine as it can compress more (e.g., a spine 102 using elastic tensioning members 118). By pre-stressing the spine 102, the spine 102 can offer more or less support to the user as desired. It should also be noted that the design using inelastic tensioning members 118 does not need tendons / cables as it is already fully pre-stressed. In some implementations, where the spine 102 utilizes inelastic tensioningmember 118, the superior vertebral member 114 and inferior vertebral member 116 may only include one side arm attachment 144 (and there is no need to couple a tendons / cables to the vertebrae modules 112.

[0065] As provided herein, the side arm attachment 144 has a generally rectangular shape except for the connection portion 116 that couples with the vertebral member (e.g., superior vertebral member 114 and / or inferior vertebral member 116). The connection portion 146 of the side arm attachment 144 is angled so that the it connects with the vertebral member at an angle so that the inward / back side of the spine 102 / vertebrae module 112 with lie flat against the back of the wearer. By providing the connection portion 146 of the side arm attachment 144 at an angle, the spine 102 to protrude less (be more sleek), and it allows for a larger surface area to contact the user reducing the pressure to any given point.

[0066] As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 9A-9F, the side arm 134 is positioned within a corresponding opening (e.g., slot) in the foot 136. In some implementations, the side arm 134 is fixedly coupled to the foot 136 such that the positioning between the vertebrae modules 112 and the foot 136 is fixed. In further examples, the side arm 134 is movably coupled to the foot 136 such that the vertebrae modules 112 is movable with respect to the foot 136.

[0067] In some implementations, a pad 138 is coupled to the foot 136 and positioned between a body-facing surface of the foot 136 (e.g., the bottom / back surface of the foot 136) and the user's torso helping to ensure the wearer's comfort when using the spine 102. FIGS. 9A-9F illustrates the various components of the foot 136 and pad 138. The pad 138 includes a cushioning layer, a base positioned over the cushioning layer, and cloth covering that is wrapped around the cushioning layer and secures the cushioning layer to the base. The cloth covering is secured to the base by pins / screws. The foot 126 is then positioned over the base and secured to the base (and the pad 138) by pins / screws.

[0068] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, when assembled, each of the plurality of vertebrae modules 112 comprise a polyhedron shape, where the edges and vertices of the polyhedron shape are formed by the tensioning member 118 and the connection points 106 provided in the superior vertebral member 114 and inferior vertebral member 116.

[0069] As discussed in more detail herein, and as provided in FIGS. 3-6, each vertebrae module 112 includes a superior vertebral member 114 and an inferior vertebral member 116 held into position with respect to each other by a tensioning member 118 in a spaced apart arrangement, where the superior vertebral member 114 and inferior vertebral member 116 do not touch. As illustrated in FIGS. 5-6, the superior vertebral member 114 and inferior vertebral member 116 are angled with respect to each other. For example, the front surface 140 of the superior vertebral member 114 is angled with respect to the rear surface 142 of the inferior vertebral member 116. In some implementations, front surface 140 of the superior vertebral member 114 is angled with respect to the rear surface 142 of the inferior vertebral member 116 at an angle less than 90-degrees. For example, the angle can range from 5-degrees to 90-degrees, from 10-degrees to 75-degrees, 25-degress to 60- degrees, 40-degress to 60-degrees, 45-degrees to 55-degrees. In some examples, the front surface 140 of the superior vertebral member 114 is angled with respect to the rear surface 142 of the inferior vertebral member 116 at an angle of approximately 50-degrees.

[0070] In some implementations and as described herein, the structure of each vertebrae modules 112 is based on the snub disphenoid as shown in FIGS. 10A-10C. As provided in FIG. 10A, the base snub disphenoid graph is provided where the light / broken lines represent the tensioning members 118 and the darker / solid lines represent the superior vertebral member 114 and inferior vertebral member 116. FIG. 10B provides a front view of the base snub disphenoid showing the superior vertebral member 114 and inferior vertebral member 116 in a perpendicular configuration, while FIG. 10C provides a front view of the modified snub disphenoid showing that the two links are at a 50-degree angle. In some implementations, where a more sleek vertebrae modules 112 design is desired to make the spine more sleek and ergonomic with the user's body, the base snub disphenoid vertebral joint can be altered such that the superior vertebral member 114 and inferior vertebral member 116 are not perpendicular with one another, but at an angle (preferably of 50- degrees) from one another as seen in the completed vertebrae modules 112 of FIG. 6 (and represented in FIG. 10C).

[0071] In changing the rotation of the superior vertebral member 114 with respect to the inferior vertebral member 116, a form finding analysis was performed to mathematicallydetermine the desired tensioning member 118 lengths to accommodate the rotated / angled vertebral members.

[0072] FIGS. 11A and 11B provide a trimetric and front views of an angled vertebrae modules 112 resulting from simulation of static form finding.

[0073] As each tensioning member 118 is characterized as a spring, changing the free lengths for each tensioning member 118 allows for the desired / optimal vertebrae modules 112 to be found. To simplify this process, not every free length needs to be changed independently, as there is symmetry in the design of the vertebrae modules 112. By looking at the graph of the angled snub disphenoid in FIG. 10C, it can be seen that there are four different tensioning member 118 lengths as the following tensioning member 118 lengths are equivalent:11 = AW, D2D212= A2B2, B'A2, CXD2, D2C213= A2C2, B D2, C2A2, D B214= AXD2, D*A2

[0074] As a result, it was determined that only four free lengths have to be adjusted rather than 12, simplifying the process. To further simplify the process, it can be assumed that the ratio of the two lengths that share similar quadrants is the same, meaning 11 / I2 = I3 / I4. Through prior testing this ratio has been set to 6 / 5. Now only one ratio is needed ( 11 / I3 = I2 / I4) to change in order to rotate the two lengths. This allows for quick trial and error testing in simulation to reach the desired form seen in FIGS. 11A and 11B. The ratio needed to reach the desired form is I1 / I3 = I2 / I4 = 2 / 3. The free tensioning member 118 lengths and resulting tensioning member 118 lengths can be found in Table 1. The resulting rotation angle between the two vertebral members along x-axis is 49.6556-degrees. This process shows that knowing the properties of the desired vertebrae modules 112 allows for approximate ratios of the tensioning member free lengths that can result in quick iteration to find the form. In some implementations, what happens when the ratios cannot be approximated due to a lack of knowledge of the desired vertebrae modules 112, the free lengths of the vertebrae modules 112 will be changed in order to determine how changingdifferent lengths result in the rotation and translation of the one of the vertebral members in the joint.Table 1. Tensioning member lengths for the static form finding simulation when external force is zero.

[0075] As described herein, in the present example, the form was found by adjusting the free tensioning member 118 lengths in orderto adjust the form. While finding the desired form, it was determined that strategically changing certain ratios of various tensioning member 118 lengths corresponds with the rotation angle and / or translation of the vertebral members can be quickly changed. For example, the ratio of the tensioning member A1to A2and D1to A2, where it can be seen that one is longer than the other. By changing the ratio of these two tensioning member, the joint's rotation changes.

[0076] With the angle between the superior vertebral member 114 and inferior vertebral member 116 set and the tensioning member 118 secured to the vertebral members, the vertebrae modules 112 can then be coupled together to form the spine 102 of the exosuit 100, for example, by coupling the vertebrae modules 112 together in a vertical arrangement. In some implementations, the each of the plurality of vertebrae modules 112 are coupled to an adjacent one of the plurality of vertebrae modules 112 at a fixed vertebral junction 120. For example, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, the spine 102 includes a first vertebrae module 112A (upper) positioned along the spine 102 superior to the second vertebrae module 112B (lower). As illustrated in FIG. 1, the inferior vertebral member 116 of the first vertebrae module 112A (upper) is fixedly coupled to the superior vertebral member 114 of the second vertebrae module 112B (lower) at the corresponding vertebral junction 120 such that the location of the inferior vertebral member 116 is fixed with respect to the superior vertebral member 114. That is the vertebral junction 120 defines a fixed joint and / or connection point between the inferior vertebral member 116 and superior vertebralmembers superior vertebral member 114. As illustrated in FIGS. 4-6, each of the vertebral junctions 120 include at least one opening receiving a set screw. This allows the coupled vertebral members to be secured using machine screws so that the vertebral members will not separate (as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3).

[0077] In some implementations, the vertebral junction 120 has a rectangular shape and includes a recess for engaging with the vertebral junction 120 of the adjacent vertebral member.

[0078] In some implementations, the recess extends at an angle with respect to the front / back of the spine 102. As a result, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the superior vertebral member 114 is positioned at an angle with respect to the inferior vertebral member 116. As provided in FIG. 3, the front faces of the superior vertebral member 114 and inferior vertebral member 116 form an obtuse angle with respect to each other. By angling the superior vertebral member 114 with respect to the inferior vertebral member 116, this allows the vertebrae modules 112 to lie flat against the back of the wearer (as seen in FIG. 13B)

[0079] As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3, 6, 7, and 9A-9F in some implementations, the vertebral junction 120 includes a bucktooth-like joint including a tooth 122 projecting from a top surface 124 of the inferior vertebral member 116 and a corresponding tooth 126 projecting from the bottom surface 128 of the superior vertebral member 114. In some implementations, the tooth 122 of the inferior vertebral member 116 and the tooth 126 of the superior vertebral member 114 are keyed together. For example, in some implementations, the tooth 122 of the inferior vertebral member 116 is received within a slot 130 defined by the tooth 126 of the superior vertebral member 114. A pin 132 or other connection member can be positioned through each of the teeth 122, 126, fixing the superior and inferior vertebral members together 114, 116.

[0080] In some implementations, the angle of the vertebrae modules 112 are angled with respect to each other along the spine 102 to mimic the shape of a human spine. For example, in some implementations, the plurality of vertebrae modules 112 are coupled together at each of the vertebral junctions 120 in a vertical arrangement such that the posterior and / or anterior angle between each of the plurality of vertebrae modules 112 varies along a vertical axis of the spine 102. For example, the angle of each of the vertebraemodules 112 can be varied with respect to its adjacent vertebrae module 112 in the posterior and / or anterior direction so that the angles of the vertebrae modules 112 mimic the S-shape curve of the human spine. As will be described here, with the angles between of the vertebrae modules 112 adjusted, the vertebrae modules 112 can be coupled at each of their vertebral junctions 120 to fix the position of the vertebrae modules 112 with respect to each other.

[0081] In some implementations, the size of each of the vertebrae modules 112 can vary along the spine 102. For example, the size of each of the vertebrae modules 112 can vary along the spine 102 such that smaller vertebrae modules 112 are positioned adjacent the top end 104 (caudal end) and bottom end 105 of the spine 102, and the larger vertebrae modules 112 as positioned proximate the middle of the spine 102. For example, the size of the vertebrae modules 112 can gradually increase from the top end 104 of the spine 102 toward the middle-most vertebrae module 112 of the spine 102. Likewise, the size of the vertebrae modules 112 can gradually increase from the bottom end 105 of the spine 102 toward the middle-most vertebrae modules 112 of the spine 102. In some implementations, the vertebrae modules 112 are larger in the lumbar region (corresponding to the lower back of the user) of the spine 102 and smaller in the thoracic region of the spine 102 (corresponding to the middle to upper back of the user).

[0082] In some implementations, the size of the vertebrae modules 112 can be adjusted based on the size of the superior vertebral member 114 and inferior vertebral member 116 of the corresponding vertebrae module 112. For example the width, height, and / or thickness of the superior vertebral member 114 and / or inferior vertebral member 116 can be adjusted to increase or decrease the size of the superior vertebral member 114 / inferior vertebral member 116, and as a result increase or decrease the size of the vertebrae module 112. For example, in some implementations, the size of the superior vertebral member 114 and inferior vertebral member 116 of the first vertebrae module 112A varies from the size of the superior vertebral member 114 and inferior vertebral member 116 of the second vertebrae module 112B.

[0083] Harness Design and Construction

[0084] As illustrated in FIGS. 13A-C and 14, the exoskeleton / exosuit 100 comprises two main components, the spine 102 and the harness 150. Both the spine 102 and the harness150 are important components of the exoskeleton / exosuit 100. The harness 150 allows the exoskeleton / exosuit 100 to attach the spine 102 to the user's body while also effectively transferring the forces between the user's body and the spine 102.

[0085] In some implementations, the spine 102 is connected to the harness 150 at each end and at intermediate spots along the spine 102. In some implementations, the connection points are strategically chosen to ensure that the spine 102 stays in contact with the user to maximize support to the user. In some implementations, the harness 150 is connected to the user's body around the shoulders, midriff, waist, and thighs. Having multiple connection points ensures that the exoskeleton / exosuit 100 is secured to the user in a fashion that will give support while also transferring forces from the shoulders to the thighs.

[0086] In some implementations, the harness 150 comprises a number of straps for attaching the spine 102 to the user. In some implementations, the harness 150 includes shoulder straps 152, waist straps 162, and thigh straps 170. In some examples, the harness 150 includes bands 168 connecting the thigh straps 170 to the waist straps 162. In some implementations, the straps can be removed from the spine 102 so that shorter or larger straps can be attached to the spine 102 to accommodate users with different sizes of bodies.

[0087] As provided in FIGS. 13A-13C and FIG. 14, the left and / or right shoulder straps 152 can be attached to the superior / top end 104 of the spine 102. For example, in some implementations, the shoulder straps 152 can be attached to the top end 104 of the spine 102 using a connecting strap 160 (e.g., a 1 inch wide connecting strap) extending between the top end 154 of the shoulder strap 152 and the top end 104 (e.g., upper-most vertebrae modules 112) of the spine 102.

[0088] The bottom end 156 of the shoulder straps 152 can be coupled to the spine 102 at a location along the length of the spine 102. For example, the bottom end 156 of the shoulder straps 152 are coupled to the spine 102 at a location corresponding to the lumbar region of the spine 102 / user. In some implementations, the shoulder straps 152 are coupled to the spine 102 proximate the second or third vertebrae module 112 from the bottom end 105 of the spine 102. Coupling the shoulder straps 152 to the spine 102 proximate thelumbar region of the spine 102, pulls the lumbar region of the spine 102 toward the user's body when worn, ensuring secure fit and offering better support to the user.

[0089] In some implementations, the bottom end 156 of the shoulder straps 152 can be attached to the spine 102 using a connecting strap 160 (e.g., a 1 inch wide connecting strap). In some examples, the connecting strap 160 can extend from the bottom end 156 of the first shoulder strap 152, through a connection point 106 on the spine 102, to the bottom end 156 of the second shoulder strap 152.

[0090] In some implementations, the connection point 106 is provided at the vertebral junction 120 between an upper and lower vertebrae modules 112. For example, the inferior vertebral member 116 of an upper vertebrae module 112 can include a connection point 106 and the superior vertebral member 114 of a lower vertebrae module 112 can include a corresponding connection point 106, that together form a through path or opening for the connecting strap 160 and / or shoulder straps 152 to pass through and connect with the spine 102. FIGS. 16-17 provide back, perspective and top views of an example vertebral junction 120 including a connection point 106. In some examples, the connection point 106 comprises an L-shaped projection extending from the inferior vertebral member 116 of the upper vertebrae module 112 and the superior vertebral member 114 of the lower vertebrae module 112. The connecting strap 160 can pass through the opening formed by the L- shaped projection / connection point 106, coupling the shoulder straps 152 to the spine 102. In some implementations, the connection point 106 is provided on the vertebrae modules 112 proximate the lumbar region of the spine 102 to allow the user to customize the location of the coupling point 148 depending on user anatomy and comfort. However, in some examples, the connection point 106 is provided on all the vertebrae modules 112 of the spine 102 to allow for easy customization as to where various straps, including the shoulder straps 152, can be positioned along the spine 102.

[0091] As provided in FIGS. 13A-13C, left and right waist straps 162 are coupled to the bottom end 105 of the spine 102 for securing the base of the spine 102 around the user's waist. As illustrated in FIG. 13C, the inside end 163 of the waist straps 162 can be coupled to the vertebrae modules 112 at the bottom end 105 of the spine 102. A buckle, clip, hook- and-loop fastener, and / or any other suitable fastener can be used to coupled the outside end 164 of the waist straps 162 together and around the user's waist.

[0092] S imilar to the shoulder straps 152, a connecting strap 160 (e.g., a 1 inch wide connecting strap) can be used to couple the waist straps 162 to the spine 102. In some examples, the connecting strap 160 can extend from the inside end 163 of the waist straps 162 and through a connection point 106 provided on one of the bottom vertebrae modules 112. In some implementations, the waist straps 162 are coupled to the spine 102 at a connection point 106 provided at the vertebral junction 120 with the bottom-most vertebrae modules 112. The connection point 106 can include an L-shaped projection forming an opening for the waist straps 162 and / or connecting strap 160 can pass through, as described herein.

[0093] In some implementations, the waist straps 162 includes secondary straps 166 (e.g., a 1 inch wide secondary strap) that extends in a diagonal direction to the waist straps 162. The secondary straps 166 are used to pull the lumbar section of the spine 102 toward the user's back. For example, in some implementations, like the shoulder straps 152 and waist straps 162, the secondary straps 166 run through a connection point 106 provided on the spine 102. For example, the secondary straps 166 can pass through a connection point 106 provided on the second and / or third vertebrae modules 112 from the bottom end 105 of the spine 102.

[0094] The shoulder straps 152 and waist straps 162 secure the spine 102 to the trunk of the user and will act similar to a brace. For load transmission to the user's thighs, the bands 168 and thigh straps 170 must be utilized. As illustrated in FIGS. 13A-13C, the thigh straps 170 are attached to the user around the middle of the user's thigh. The bands 168 couple the thigh straps 170 to the waist straps 162 and / or spine 102. In some implementations, the bands 168 are elastic and allow for some flexibility and / or stretch to accommodate the transmission of force between waist straps 162 / spine 102 and the user's thighs / thigh straps 170. In further implementations, the bands 168 are inelastic and accommodate the transmission of force between waist straps 162 / spine 102 and the user's thighs / thigh straps 170.

[0095] In some implementations, a slider 172 (e.g., a 2 inch slider) is attached to and movable along the back of the thigh straps 170. The slider 172 allows for the bands 168 to be adjusted easily around the user's thigh. As illustrated in FIG. 13C, the bands 168 pass through the slider 172 provided on the thigh straps 170, and are coupled to the spine 102 atconnector 174. In some implementations, a connector 176 (e.g., a hook, clip) provided on the bands 168 couples to the corresponding connector 174 provided on the bottom most vertebrae modules 112 of the spine 102, securing the 168 between the thigh straps 170 and the spine 102.

[0096] Exosuit Assembly and Donning

[0097] A method of assembly and donning the exoskeleton / exosuit 100 is provided herein. In some implementations, before donning the spine 102, the fit of the spine 102 is preferably checked to ensure proper size and placement. In some implementations, size of the spine 102 (e.g., the spine 102 length, number of vertebrae modules 112, size of the vertebrae modules 112, size and location of vertebrae modules 112 and pads 138) can be adjusted to accommodate user anatomy. For example, smaller and / or larger vertebrae modules 112 can be used, the spine 102 can be lengthened or shortened by adding or removing vertebrae modules 112 for larger or smaller users. In further implementations, the size and connection locations of the shoulder straps 152, waist straps 162, thigh straps 170 and bands 168 can be adjusted to accommodate user anatomy. For example, larger and / or smaller straps can be used for larger and smaller users. Similarly, the location of the straps coupling to the spine 102 can be adjusted to accommodate wearer anatomy.

[0098] To confirm proper fit with user anatomy, the spine 102 can be positioned against the user's back as shown in FIG. 13C. A proper fit is determined where the top end 104 of the spine 102 rests at the top of the user's shoulders and the bottom end 105 of the spine 102 is located right below / proximate the middle of the hips (e.g., user's beltline). The spine 102 may be determined too long when the bottom end 105 of the spine 102 is below the belt line, in this instance the spine 102 can be adjusted (e.g., a vertebrae modules 112 removed) to shorten the spine 102 to better fit the user.

[0099] Vertebrae modules 112 can be easily removed or added by removing the screws at the top and bottom of the chosen vertebrae modules 112 / vertebral junctions 120, pulling apart the spine 102 to remove or add the vertebrae modules 112 and then rejoining the rest of the spine 102 and reinserting the screws to secure the spine 102.

[0100] With the spine 102 the desired length, the width of the straps (e.g., shoulder straps 152, waist straps 162, thigh straps 170, bands 168) can be assessed with respect to useranatomy. It is contemplated that the straps can come in various sizes (e.g., large, medium, small) and straps used with the harness 150 can be selected to best accommodate patient size and comfort. With the appropriate size straps selected, they can then be coupled to the harness and donned by the user.

[0101] The user will attach the shoulder straps 152 the top of the spine 102, e.g., using the connecting strap 160 straps at the top end 154 of the shoulder straps 152. The user can then attach the bottom end 156 of the shoulder straps 152 to the spine 102. For example, as described herein, the connecting strap 160 at the bottom end 156 of the shoulder straps 152 can be coupled to (e.g., pass through) the connection point 106 at the desired vertebral junction 120. Where the user is coupling the bottom end 156 of the shoulder straps 152 proximate the lumbar region of the spine 102, the connecting strap 160 can be coupled to the spine 102 at the connection point 106 proximate the second or third vertebra from the bottom end 105 of the spine 102. The connecting strap 160 is then coupled to the opposite shoulder straps 152 such that the connecting strap 160 and shoulder straps 165 together will pull the lumbar region of the spine 102 toward the user's body.

[0102] The two waist straps 162 can then be connected to the spine 102. As described herein, the connecting strap 160 can be coupled to the connection point 106 provided at the bottom full vertebrae module 112. Similarly, the secondary straps 166 can be coupled to the spine 102, preferably at the connection point 106 proximate the second and / or third vertebrae modules 112 from the bottom end 105 of the spine 102.

[0103] As described herein, because the shoulder straps 152 and waist straps 162 are mainly used to secure the spine 102 to the trunk of the user, acting similar to a back brace, the thigh straps 170 and bands 168 must be used to ensure load transmission to the user's thighs. The thigh straps 170 are attached to the user around the middle of thigh, and the slider 172 is adjusted around the thigh straps 170 along the back of the user's thigh to provide alignment of the bands 168 with the bottom-most vertebrae module 112. The bands 168 are secured to the bottom-most vertebrae module 112 using connector 174.

[0104] When fully assembled, the exosuit 100 can be put on similar to a safety harness. It is contemplated that the exosuit 100 can be quickly donned by the user (e.g., less than 1 minute). The exosuit 100 includes fasteners (e.g., buckles, clips, hook-and-loop material) for quickly and securely coupling the exosuit 100 to the user's body. For example, as illustratedin FIG. 13A, the harness 150 includes four fasteners 178, one at the chest, one at the waist, and two at the thighs. In some implementations, once these fasteners 176 are secured and tightened, the straps can be tightened to secure the harness 150 to the user. For example, the shoulder straps 165 can be tightened against the user's torso. Similarly, the secondary straps 166 coupled to the waist straps 162 can be tightened. Tightening the shoulder straps 165 and secondary straps 166 help to secure the spine 102 against the user's back. Finally, the user can tighten the bands 168 ensuring a slight pressure is felt from the bands 168 against the back of the thigh.

[0105] Tasks and Non-restrictive Motion

[0106] FIGS. 18A-18D and FIGS. 19A-19B illustrate a user wearing the exosuit 100 performing various tasks. As described herein, the exosuit 100 is designed to be quickly donned by the user while also allowing the user to maintain their full range of motion. As provided in FIGS. 18A-18C, the user is supported while bending back so as to look up or to do tasks above the head such as drilling. The user has the flexibility to bend over while also being supported to be able to do tasks such as tying one's shoe or picking up something off the ground. The exosuit 100 is suitable to aid the user when squatting to pick up heavy objects off of the ground. Another important feature is that the user is able to twist to reach objects that are to the left or right, as provided in FIG. 18D. As provided in FIGS. 19A-19B, the exosuit 100 accommodates the user while sitting both stationary and in motion (e.g., while driving). The versatility of the exosuit 100 allows it to be worn throughout the work day without the user having to take it off.

[0107] Experimental Protocol

[0108] Testing of the exosuit 100 was performed to determine efficacy. Testing protocol included the collection of electromyography (EMG) data and post testing surveys. EMGs were placed symmetrically on different muscle groups. The muscles targeted were the rectus femoris, lumbar erector spinae longissimus, thoracic erector spinae longissimus, and erector spinae iliocostalis. FIGS. 20 and 21 illustrate the placement of EMG sensor on the user. As provided in FIG. 20, six EMG sensors were placed on the back - two on the lumbar erector spinae longissimus, two on the thoracic erector spinae longissimus, and two on the erector spinae iliocostalis. As shown in FIG. 21, two EMG sensors were placed on the legs at the rectus femoris.

[0109] With the sensors in place, the subject performed two different tasks to determine the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) for normalizing the data. For the muscles on the back, a superman exercise was performed where the subject lied prone and tried to pick up their shoulders and hips off the ground while the investigator pushed down on the shoulders. For the thigh muscles, the subject was in a seated position with their knees bent at 90-degrees and then tried to extend their legs while the investigator held their ankles. Both of these exercises were recorded over a five second interval twice.

[0110] Next, the subject would randomly start the lifting and leaning tasks with or without the exosuit 100. If they started with the exosuit 100, the exosuit 100 would be adjusted to best fit the subject and then be donned by the subject. The subject would then perform two lifting tasks, stoop or squat. For stoop, the subject would bend over at the waist and pick up a box weighing 10 kg, FIG. 18C, then hold for a second when the box has been fully lifting, then repeat the stoop to sit the box back down. For the squat technique, the user would bend their legs and squat to lift the 10 kg box, FIG. 18B, then hold for a second at the top of the lift, and squat back down to sit the box down. Each technique was repeated every 10 seconds for a 2 minute period for a total of 12 lifts per technique. For the leaning task, the subject held a 5kg weight to their chest and leaned forward at the waist at a 45 degree angle and held that position for 30 seconds. In between each task, the subject was given time to rest for at least a minute and then started the next task when they were ready. After the three tasks were completed, the subject would then rest for several minutes before completing the three tasks again. If the subject completed the first set of tasks with the exosuit 100, the second set of tasks would be completed without it and vice versa for if the first tasks were completed without the exosuit 100.

[0111] After all the tasks have been completed with and without the exosuit 100 the EMGs are removed and the subject filled out multiple surveys that included task difficulty and discomfort level with and without the exosuit 100 and the overall user impression of the exosuit 100.

[0112] Fifteen subjects performed the testing protocol detailed above. The subjects ranged in gender, age, height, and body shape. There were 10 male subjects and 5 female subjects. The age of the subjects ranged from 18 to 55, while the height of the subjectsranged from 5'1" to 6'1". The shape of each subject varied as well due to gender, height and weight, as the weights of the subjects ranged from 103 lbs to 224 lbs.

[0113] By testing so many different body types, the adjustability of the exosuit 100 was tested. The three main metrics that changed the body shape that results in adjusting the exosuit 100 are gender, height, and weight.

[0114] In considering gender, testing was performed to determine the effects of body shape. The main difference in body shape found between the genders is that the waist for women is higher than it is for men. Also considered was how the exosuit 100 was able to adapt. To account for this, the waist strap 162 was moved up from the bottom full vertebrae module 112 to next vertebrae module 112 up resulting in the waist strap 162 going around the waist of women. For men, the waist strap 162 remains in the bottom full vertebrae module 112 so that it lies on the belt line. The placement of the waist strap 162 reduces the movement of the waist straps 162 up or down, allowing the tensegrity spine 102 to be more effectively pulled to the body to support the back.

[0115] In considering height, testing was performed to determine the effects of body shape. The height of a person determines how long things must be to properly fit. Also considered was how the exosuit 100 was able to adapt. The height of the person played an important role in determining the length of the tensegrity spine. However, it was not always consistent in determining how long the spine needed to be, because people with the same height can have different torso lengths. This is why it was important that the spine length of each subject was measured. The spine length was determined by measuring from the top of the shoulders to the tailbone. Using this measurement, the tensegrity spine can be lengthened or shortened by removing or adding joints to best fit the subject.

[0116] In considering weight, testing was performed to determine the effects of body shape. The weight of a person determines how big their chest, waist, and legs are. Also considered was how the exosuit 100 was able to adapt. There were two different size straps (shoulder, waist, and thigh) that could be easily changed out for larger or smaller subjects.

[0117] After the testing, the participants filled out surveys about the ease of donning, fit, comfort, and effectiveness of the exosuit 100. The subjects were then asked to give a grade from 0 to 10 of their overall impression of the exosuit 100 with 0 being the worst and 10 thebest. Using seven criteria from the survey, a comprehensive score was also found that can be compared to their overall score. The seven criteria used are: ease of donning, ease of adjusting, restriction in movement, reduce loading on lower back, support in performing tasks, interference with tasks, and comfort level of the device. Each of these criteria were given a grade between 0 and 10, with 0 being the worst and 10 being the best. It should be noted that the scores for restriction in movement and interference with tasks were adjusted so that they correlated with the other five scores of the higher the score, the more desirable. For instance, if a score for restriction of movement was a 3, meaning it restricted the movement a little, the score was adjusted to 7 so it can be averaged with the other data. The average of each criteria and the calculated and given overall impression scores can be seen in Table 2.Table 2. Average scores for the seven criteria and the calculated impression score and given overall impression.

[0118] The results of the surveys show that the exosuit 100 reduces reduce loading and is supportive. The exosuit 100 is relatively easy to don and adjust, while not affecting one's ability to perform tasks. As far as comfortability and restriction of movement, a few subjects noted that while the spine 102 is comfortable, the thigh straps 170 restricted how long one could squat. The test results indicate that the force transferal from the spine 102 to the legs.

[0119] The EMG results showed promise for the exosuit 100 design as there were some plots that were very encouraging, FIGS. 22A-22C, 23A-23C, 24A-24C. The results shown are for 3 different subjects, 2 male and 1 female, demonstrating that the exosuit 100 can beuseful for both genders. As seen in FIGS. 22A-22C, 23A-23C, 24A-24C, the results focus on the stoop lifting technique. The reason being is that the stoop lifting technique uses the back muscles more than the squat technique and because of this, these preliminary results can better show whether or not the exosuit 100 is assisting in the tasks. FIGS. 22A-22C, 23A- 23C, 24A-24Cshow the EMG data for three muscles, right thoracic erector spinae longissimus (REST), right erector spinae iliocostalis (RESI), and right lumbar erector spinae longissimus (RESL). The rectus femoris data was not included as this preliminary study is primarily focused on the back muscle. The reason for only using the right EMG data, is that a couple sensors on the left side were more susceptible to noise, such as the sensor placed on the left lumbar erector spinae longissimus (LESL). Another issue that would occur to the EMGs, is that sometimes when the exosuit 100 was worn, it would press the EMGs into the subject more, making the base line of the EMG reading higher. When the subjects moved, the Second Spine was free to move up and down the back and it would come into and out of contact with the EMGs which would also affect the EMG data. In the future, EMGs with smaller leads will be purchased in order to reduce the contact the exosuit 100 has with the sensors.

[0120] In all, the results show that the exosuit 100 can reduce the load on the back which in turn reduces muscle activity, which can reduce lower back pain. However, further investigation must be done in order to determine how much and how consistently the Second Spine reduces backs muscle activity during lifting tasks.

[0121] Form Finding

[0122] As described herein, in changing the rotation of the superior vertebral member 114 with respect to the inferior vertebral member 116, a form finding analysis was performed to mathematically determine the desired tensioning member 118 lengths to accommodate the rotated / angled vertebral members.

[0123] Each vertebrae modules 112 comprises of two semi-circular rigid vertebral members (superior vertebral member 114 and inferior vertebral member 116) that are connected via twelve tensioning member 118. Each vertebral member has four nodes that are defined as Ai, Bi, Ci, and Di. The coordinate systems of each link are placed at the midpoint between nodes Ai and Di. The relationship between the coordinate systems of the two rigid links is defined using the screw as seen in FIGS. 25A and 25B.

[0124] In FIGS. 25A and 25B, each vertebral member comprises of two vertebral members (dark solid line semi-circles) and tensioning members (light colored, dotted lines). In FIG. 25A, the four element interaction points A, B, C, D on each link are defined with respect to the link coordinate system. In FIG. 25B, the superior vertebral member 114 and inferior vertebral member 116 are joined by twelve tensioning member 118 A2A2, A2B2, A^2, A2D2, D4A2, D4B2, D4C2, D4D2, BXB2, B2C2, C2B2, CXC2. The two coordinate systems {1}, {2} are related by a screw

[0125] Using the modeling approach outlined in C. Woods and V. Vikas, "Design and Modeling Framework for DexTeR: Dexterous Continuum Tensegrity Manipulator," Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics, vol. 15, Mar. 2023, the lengths of each tensioning member are found. Let the number of vertices and tensioning member connections be Nn,NCrespectively. Let the node matrix Pi G R4xNnbe the collection of node vectors from the center of mass.

[0126] where pi G R4*1is the homogeneous representation of a node point. The node matrices Pi, P2 G R4x4for the presented rigid links are

[0127] The string vector matrix S G R4xNcis calculated by finding the difference between two nodes on two separate sub-vertebrae. Let the connection matrix Q G RNnxNcfor subvertebrae / be defined as

[0128] The connection matrices Ci,Cz G R4x12for the presented rigid links are

[0129] The transformation matrix T12 6 SE(3) that transforms vectors from coordinate system {2} to {1} is defined using matrix exponential r}.2= exp i <) 3'

[0130] where f; G R6xlis the screw associated with the two coordinate systems. The hat operator transforms these vectors to se(3). The reader may refer to Murray (R. M. Murray, Z. Li, and S. S. Sastry, A mathematical introduction to robotic manipulation. CRC press, 2017) with regard to additional details about the notation adopted for this paper.

[0131] The string matrix S is the collection of displacement vectors of the tensioning member. As these are free-vectors, the last row of this matrix is always zero. The subscripts 1, 2 associated with S denote the representation of the string displacement vectors in coordinate systems {1} or {2}

[0132] where S, G R4xNc. The j-th column of the matrix corresponds to the displacement vectors of the j-th connection, and the norm is the length of the tensioning member.

[0133] For the remaining analysis, we assume the tensioning members to be firmly fixed between the vertices (holes).

[0134] The forces resulting from each tensioning member can be found using the string force model presented in Woods (C. Woods and V. Vikas, "Design and Modeling Frameworkfor DexTeR: Dexterous Continuum Tensegrity Manipulator / ' Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics, vol. 15, Mar. 2023). The string force model details the length to force of an elastic tensioning member can be seen to have three regions when operating well below failure as seen in FIG. 26. FIG. 26 provides the tensioning member length with respect to the force applied to the string. The plot shows the piecewise nature of the string which introduces nonlinearities into the system. The three regions are (a) slack - the string length is shorter than the free-length Io resulting in zero force, (b) spring - the force is calculated using Hooke's law, and (c) pure tension - string has been extended to a point where very little strain occurs and the force on the string is now a combination of a spring and pure tension force. The force in string Sj is

[0135] where kj is the linear stiffness of springy. The force vector fs 6 RNcxland matrix Fs GRNcxNcare

[0136] The static form-finding problem with no external force is formulated as finding such that the sum of the potential energy for all the tensioning members is minimized seen in the equation below

[0137] We examine the numerical example without external force exerted on the joint.Each string is considered to have the free length lo,jVj = 1, ■ ■ ■ , 12. The stiffness is assumed to be same for all tensioning members as k = ,77N / cm with different free-lengths are tabulated in Table 1 where the maximum length is 2 times longer than each free-length; and identical vertebral member where the vertices from the link's origin are A = [-3.0162, 0, 0]T,B = [-1.5240,-2.6035, 0]T,C = [3.0162, 0, 0]T,D = [1.5240,-2.6035, 0]T.

[0138] The resulting form of the mechanism is visualized in FIGS. 11A and 11B. Here, the screw defining the relationship between the two coordinate systems is= [2.7409, 0.0707, 1.5337,-1.2541,-0.1198, 2.2468]T. The coordinates of vertices on curved link 2 can be calculated using the transformation matrix calculated using equation (3).

[0139] Exemplary Aspects

[0140] The disclosure provides a human spine inspired exosuit 100 that works in tandem with the body to support and reduce loading on the back in order to reduce lower back pain. The exosuit 100 consists of two parts, a modular tensegrity spine 102 and a harness 150 with varying size shoulder, waist, and thigh straps that can be easily changed to account for different body types. The tensegrity spine 102 mimics several features of the human spine, such as the 'S' curve, which allows the tensegrity spine 102 to move with the human spine without restricting the user's range of motion. The modular nature of the spine 102 permits ease of changing the length of the spine 102 to account for different heights.

[0141] In view of the described processes and compositions, hereinbelow are described certain more particularly described aspects of the disclosures. These particularly recited aspects should not, however, be interpreted to have any limiting effect on any different claims containing different or more general teachings described herein, or that the "particular" aspects are somehow limited in some way other than the inherent meanings of the language and formulas literally used therein.

[0142] Example 1. An exosuit system for use on a human body, the system comprising: a plurality of vertebrae modules each including a superior vertebral member and an inferior vertebral member that are held into position with respect to each other by a tensioning member, the tensioning member coupled to each of the superior and inferior vertebral members at a corresponding connection point; a spine of the exosuit formed by a plurality of vertebrae modules coupled together in a vertical arrangement, each of the plurality of vertebrae modules is coupled to an adjacent one of the plurality of vertebrae modules at a fixed vertebral junction; and a harness coupled to the spine for securing the spine to a human body.

[0143] Example 2. The system of according to any example herein, particularly example 1, wherein the plurality of vertebrae modules includes a first vertebrae module and a secondvertebrae module, the first vertebrae module positioned along the spine superior to the second vertebrae module, wherein the inferior vertebral member of the first vertebrae module (e.g., upper vertebrae module) is fixedly coupled to the superior vertebral member of the second vertebrae module (e.g., lower vertebrae module) at the corresponding vertebral junction such that the location of the inferior vertebral member is fixed with respect to the superior vertebral member. In some implementations, the vertebral junction defines a fixed joint between the inferior and superior vertebral members.

[0144] Example 3. The system according to any example herein, particularly examples 1-2, wherein the vertebral junction includes a bucktooth-like joint including a tooth projecting from a top surface of the inferior vertebral member and a corresponding tooth projecting from the bottom surface of the superior vertebral member, there in the tooth of the inferior vertebral member and the tooth of the superior vertebral member are keyed together. In some implementations, the tooth of the inferior vertebral member is received within a slot defined by the tooth of the superior vertebral member, and a pin is positioned through each of the teeth fixing the superior and inferior vertebral members together.

[0145] Example 4. The system according to any example herein, particularly examples 1-3, wherein the plurality of vertebrae modules coupled together at each of the vertebral junctions in the vertical arrangement such that a posterior angle and / or an anterior angle between each of the plurality of vertebrae modules varies along a vertical axis of the spine, wherein posterior and anterior angle between each of the plurality of vertebrae modules varies along a vertical axis of the spine to mimics the S-shape curve of the human spine.

[0146] Example 5. The system according to any example herein, particularly examples 1-4, wherein the superior vertebral member and the inferior vertebral member of each of the plurality of vertebrae modules are coupled together by the tensioning member in a spaced apart arrangement and do not touch.

[0147] Example 6. The system of according to any example herein, particularly example 5, wherein the front surface of the superior vertebral member is angled with respect to the rear surface of the inferior vertebral member.

[0148] Example 7. The system of according to any example herein, particularly example 6, wherein the front surface of the superior vertebral member is angled with respect to therear surface of the inferior vertebral member at an angle less than 90-degrees. In some implementations, the angle ranges from 5-degrees to 90-degrees. In some implementations, the angle ranges from 10-degrees to 75-degrees. In some implementations, the angle ranges from 25-degress to 60-degrees. In some implementations, the angle ranges from 40- degress to 60-degrees. In some implementations, the angle ranges from 45-degrees to 55- degrees.

[0149] Example 8. The system of according to any example herein, particularly example 7, wherein the front surface of the superior vertebral member is angled with respect to the rear surface of the inferior vertebral member at an angle of approximately 50-degrees.

[0150] Example 9. The system according to any example herein, particularly examples 1-8, wherein the superior vertebral member and the inferior vertebral member of each of the plurality of vertebrae modules each comprise a rigid member having a semi-circular shape (for example, a half-circular shape).

[0151] Example 10. The system according to any example herein, particularly examples 1-9, wherein each of the plurality of vertebrae modules comprises a polyhedron shape, wherein the edges and vertices of the polyhedron shape are formed by the tensioning member and the connection points provided in the superior and inferior vertebral members.

[0152] Example 11. The system according to any example herein, particularly examples 1-10, wherein the plurality of vertebrae modules includes a first vertebrae module and a second vertebrae module, the first vertebrae module positioned along the spine superior to the second vertebrae module, wherein the size of the superior and inferior vertebral members of the first vertebrae module varies from the size of the superior and inferior vertebral members of the second vertebrae module.

[0153] Example 12. The system according to any example herein, particularly examples 1-11, wherein the size of the superior and inferior vertebral members of each of the plurality of vertebrae modules varies from a size of the superior and inferior vertebral members of an adjacent one of the plurality of vertebrae modules.

[0154] Example 13. The system according to any example herein, particularly examples 1-12, wherein a size of the superior and inferior vertebral members of at least one of theplurality of vertebrae modules proximate a top of the spine and / or a bottom of the spine are smaller than a size of the superior and inferior vertebral members of at least one of the plurality of vertebrae modules proximate a middle of the spine.

[0155] Example 14. The system according to any example herein, particularly examples 1- 13, wherein the tensioning member included in at least one of the plurality of modules includes an at least one of an elastic cable or a inelastic cable.

[0156] Example 15. The system according to any example herein, particularly example 14, wherein the elasticity of each of the tensioning members varies between various ones of the plurality of vertebrae modules along the spine.

[0157] Example 16. The system according to any example herein, particularly examples 1-15, wherein the tensioning member comprises a pre-stressed cord.

[0158] Example 17. The system according to any example herein, particularly examples 1-16, wherein the connection point includes at least one opening provided in each of the superior and inferior vertebral members, such that the tensioning member passes through the at least one opening provided in each of the superior and inferior vertebral members and is fixed to the at least one opening using a set screw.

[0159] Example 18. The system according to any example herein, particularly examples 1-17, wherein the superior vertebral member and inferior vertebral member each include a foot projecting from the back surface of the corresponding superior and inferior vertebral member for positioning adjacent the torso of the human body, and a pad coupled to the foot configured to be located between a bottom surface of the foot and the human body.

[0160] Example 19. The system according to any example herein, particularly examples 1-18, harness is coupled to the spine at a first location proximate a top end of the spine, a second location proximate the bottom end of the spine, and a location between the top and bottom end of the spine.

[0161] Example 20. The system according to any example herein, particularly examples 1-19, wherein the harness includes shoulder straps, waist straps, and thigh straps sized and configured to couple the spine to a human wearer around the shoulders, waist, and thighs, respectively, wherein the location of the shoulder straps, waist straps, and thigh strapsensure that the exosuit is secured to the wearer in a fashion that will give support while also transfer forced from the shoulders to the thighs.

[0162] Example 21. The system according to any example herein, particularly examples 1- 20, wherein at least one of the plurality of vertebrae modules is equipped with a haptic sensor and / or visual sensor for providing feedback to the human wearer.

[0163] Example 22. A method of manufacturing and / or assembling an exosuit for use on a human body, the method comprising: assembling a plurality of vertebrae modules by coupling a superior vertebral member to an inferior vertebral member using a tensioning member; coupling the plurality of vertebrae modules in a vertical arrangement to form a spine of the exosuit, where each of the plurality of vertebrae modules is coupled to an adjacent one of the plurality of vertebrae modules at a fixed vertebral junction; and coupling a harness to the spine the harness sized and configured to secure the spine to a human body.

[0164] Example 23. The method according to any example herein, particularly example 22, wherein coupling the superior vertebral member to the inferior vertebral member includes: positioning the superior vertebral member in a spaced apart configuration from the inferior vertebral member such that the superior and inferior vertebral members to not touch; angling the front surface of the superior vertebral member with respect to the rear surface of the inferior vertebral member, wherein the angle between the superior and inferior vertebral members is less than 90-degrees (preferably ranging from 45-degrees to 55-degrees); and passing the tensioning memberthrough a plurality of connection points provided on each of the superior vertebral member to inferior vertebral member to fix the position and orientation of the superior and inferior vertebral members with respect to each other; and fixing the tensioning member to each of the connection points using a set screw.

[0165] Example 24. The method according to any example herein, particularly examples 22-23, wherein coupling the plurality of vertebrae modules in a vertical arrangement includes: adjusting size of the plurality of vertebrae modules (e.g., the size of the corresponding superior and inferior vertebral members) along the spine such that vertebrae modules proximate a top of the spine and / or a bottom of the spine are smaller than vertebrae modules proximate a middle of the spine; adjusting a posterior angle and ananterior angle between each of the plurality of vertebrae modules along the vertical axis of the spine to mimic the S-shape curve of the human spine; coupling each of the plurality of vertebrae modules to an adjacent one of the plurality of vertebrae modules at the corresponding vertebral junction such that the of the inferior vertebral member is fixed with respect to the superior vertebral member.

[0166] Example 25. The method according to any example herein, particularly examples 22-24, wherein coupling the harness to the spine includes: coupling a top end of a shoulder strap to the spine at a location proximate the top end of the spine; coupling a bottom end of the shoulder strap to the spine at a location proximate a lumbar region of the spine; coupling an inside end of a waist strap to the spine at a location proximate the bottom end of the spine; coupling a band to a vertebrae module at the bottom end of the spine, where the band is movably coupled to a thigh strap sized and configured to be worn around the thigh of a human body.

[0167] Example 26. The method according to any example herein, particularly examples 22-25, further including: adjusting a length of the spine by adding and / or removing at least one vertebrae module from the spine; adjusting a size of at least one of a shoulder strap, a waist strap, a thigh strap, and a band to correspond to the human body of the wearer.

[0168] Example 27. A method of donning an exosuit onto a human body, the exosuit system as described in according to any example herein, particularly examples 1-26.

[0169] Example 28. A method of wearing an exosuit system according to any example herein, particularly examples 1-26, and performing a task while wearing the exosuit system such that the exosuit system supports and provides assistance to the user (for example, liftassistance) while not undesirably inhibiting movement.

[0170] Configuration of Certain Implementations

[0171] The construction and arrangement of the systems and methods as shown in the various implementations are illustrative only. Although only a few implementations have been described in detail in this disclosure, many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes, and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.). For example, the position of elements may be reversed or otherwise varied, and the nature ornumber of discrete elements or positions may be altered or varied. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative implementations. Other substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions, and arrangement of the implementations without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0172] The present disclosure contemplates methods, systems, and program products on any machine-readable media for accomplishing various operations. The implementations of the present disclosure may be implemented using existing computer processors, or by a special purpose computer processor for an appropriate system, incorporated for this or another purpose, or by a hardwired system. Implementations within the scope of the present disclosure include program products including machine-readable media for carrying or having machine-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such machine- readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor. By way of example, such machine-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of machineexecutable instructions or data structures, and which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor.

[0173] When information is transferred or provided over a network or another communications connection (either hardwired, wireless, or a combination of hardwired or wireless) to a machine, the machine properly views the connection as a machine-readable medium. Thus, any such connection is properly termed a machine-readable medium. Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of machine-readable media. Machine-executable instructions include, for example, instructions and data which cause a general-purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purpose processing machines to perform a certain function or group of functions.

[0174] Although the figures show a specific order of method steps, the order of the steps may differ from what is depicted. Also, two or more steps may be performed concurrently or with partial concurrence. Such variation will depend on the software and hardwaresystems chosen and on designer choice. All such variations are within the scope of the disclosure. Likewise, software implementations could be accomplished with standard programming techniques with rule-based logic and other logic to accomplish the various connection steps, processing steps, comparison steps and decision steps.

[0175] It is to be understood that the methods and systems are not limited to specific synthetic methods, specific components, or to particular compositions. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular implementations only and is not intended to be limiting.

[0176] As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an" and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from "about" one particular value, and / or to "about" another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another implementation includes from the one particular value and / or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent "about," it will be understood that the particular value forms another implementation. It will be further understood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant both in relation to the other end point, and independently of the other endpoint.

[0177] "Optional" or "optionally" means that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description includes instances where said event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not.

[0178] Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the word "comprise" and variations of the word, such as "comprising" and "comprises," means "including but not limited to," and is not intended to exclude, for example, other additives, components, integers or steps. "Exemplary" means "an example of" and is not intended to convey an indication of a preferred or ideal implementation. "Such as" is not used in a restrictive sense, but for explanatory purposes.

[0179] Disclosed are components that can be used to perform the disclosed methods and systems. These and other components are disclosed herein, and it is understood that when combinations, subsets, interactions, groups, etc. of these components are disclosed that while specific reference of each various individual and collective combinations andpermutation of these may not be explicitly disclosed, each is specifically contemplated and described herein, for all methods and systems. This applies to all aspects of this application including, but not limited to, steps in disclosed methods. Thus, if there are a variety of additional steps that can be performed it is understood that each of these additional steps can be performed with any specific implementation or combination of implementations of the disclosed methods.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An exosuit system for use on a human body, the system comprising: a plurality of vertebrae modules each including a superior vertebral member and an inferior vertebral member that are held into position with respect to each other by a tensioning member, the tensioning member coupled to each of the superior and inferior vertebral members at a corresponding connection point; a spine of the exosuit formed by a plurality of vertebrae modules coupled together in a vertical arrangement, each of the plurality of vertebrae modules is coupled to an adjacent one of the plurality of vertebrae modules at a fixed vertebral junction; and a harness coupled to the spine for securing the spine to a human body.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of vertebrae modules includes a first vertebrae module and a second vertebrae module, the first vertebrae module positioned along the spine superior to the second vertebrae module, wherein the inferior vertebral member of the first vertebrae module (upper vertebrae module) is fixedly coupled to the superior vertebral member of the second vertebrae module (lower vertebrae module) at the corresponding vertebral junction such that a location of the inferior vertebral member is fixed with respect to the superior vertebral member (e.g., the vertebral junction defines a fixed joint between the inferior and superior vertebral members).

3. The system of any one of claims 1-2, wherein the vertebral junction includes a bucktooth-like joint including a tooth projecting from a top surface of the inferior vertebral member and a corresponding tooth projecting from a bottom surface of the superior vertebral member, there in the tooth of the inferior vertebral member and the tooth of the superior vertebral member are keyed together (e.g., in some implementations, tooth of the inferior vertebral member is received within a slot defined by the tooth of the superior vertebral member, and a pin is positioned through each of the teeth fixing the superior and inferior vertebral members together).

4. The system of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the plurality of vertebrae modules coupled together at each of the vertebral junctions in the vertical arrangement such that a posterior angle and / or an anterior angle between each of the plurality of vertebrae modules varies along a vertical axis of the spine, wherein posterior and anterior angle between each of the plurality of vertebrae modules varies along a vertical axis of the spine to mimics the S-shape curve of the human spine.

5. The system of any one of claims 1-4, wherein the superior vertebral member and the inferior vertebral member of each of the plurality of vertebrae modules are coupled together by the tensioning member in a spaced apart arrangement and do not touch.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein a front surface of the superior vertebral member is angled with respect to a rear surface of the inferior vertebral member.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the front surface of the superior vertebral member is angled with respect to the rear surface of the inferior vertebral member at an angle less than 90-degrees (e.g., wherein the angle ranges from 5-degrees to 90-degrees, from 10- degrees to 75-degrees, 25-degress to 60-degrees, 40-degress to 60-degrees, 45-degrees to 55-degrees).

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the front surface of the superior vertebral member is angled with respect to the rear surface of the inferior vertebral member at an angle of approximately 50-degrees.

9. The system of any one of claims 1-8, wherein the superior vertebral member and the inferior vertebral member of each of the plurality of vertebrae modules each comprise a rigid member having a semi-circular shape (e.g., a half-circular shape).

10. The system of any one of claims 1-9, wherein each of the plurality of vertebrae modules comprises a polyhedron shape, wherein edges and vertices of the polyhedronshape are formed by the tensioning member and the connection points provided in the superior and inferior vertebral members.

11. The system of any one of claims 1-10, wherein the plurality of vertebrae modules includes a first vertebrae module and a second vertebrae module, the first vertebrae module positioned along the spine superior to the second vertebrae module, wherein a size of the superior and inferior vertebral members of the first vertebrae module varies from a size of the superior and inferior vertebral members of the second vertebrae module.

12. The system of any one of claims 1-11, wherein a size of the superior and inferior vertebral members of each of the plurality of vertebrae modules varies from a size of the superior and inferior vertebral members of an adjacent one of the plurality of vertebrae modules.

13. The system of any one of claims 1-12, wherein a size of the superior and inferior vertebral members of at least one of the plurality of vertebrae modules proximate a top of the spine and / or a bottom of the spine are smaller than a size of the superior and inferior vertebral members of at least one of the plurality of vertebrae modules proximate a middle of the spine.

14. The system of any one of claims 1-13, wherein the tensioning member included in at least one of the plurality of modules includes an at least one of an elastic cable or a inelastic cable.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the elasticity of each of the tensioning members varies between various ones of the plurality of vertebrae modules along the spine.

16. The system of any one of claims 1-15, wherein the tensioning member comprises a pre-stressed cord.

17. The system of any one of claims 1-16, wherein the connection point includes at least one opening provided in each of the superior and inferior vertebral members, such that the tensioning member passes through the at least one opening provided in each of the superior and inferior vertebral members and is fixed to the at least one opening using a set screw.

18. The system of any one of claims 1-17, wherein the superior vertebral member and inferior vertebral member each include a foot projecting from a back surface of the corresponding superior and inferior vertebral member for positioning adjacent the torso of the human body, and a pad coupled to the foot configured to be located between a bottom surface of the foot and the human body.

19. The system of any one of claims 1-18, harness is coupled to the spine at a first location proximate a top end of the spine, a second location proximate a bottom end of the spine, and a location between the top and bottom end of the spine.

20. The system of any one of claims 1-19, wherein the harness includes shoulder straps, waist straps, and thigh straps sized and configured to couple the spine to a human wearer around the shoulders, waist, and thighs, respectively, wherein a location of the shoulder straps, waist straps, and thigh straps ensure that the exosuit is secured to the wearer in a fashion that will give support while also transfer forced from the shoulders to the thighs.

21. The system of any one of claims 1-20, wherein at least one of the plurality of vertebrae modules is equipped with a haptic sensor and / or visual sensor for providing feedback to the human wearer.

22. A method of manufacturing and / or assembling an exosuit for use on a human body, the method comprising: assembling a plurality of vertebrae modules by coupling a superior vertebral member to an inferior vertebral member using a tensioning member;coupling the plurality of vertebrae modules in a vertical arrangement to form a spine of the exosuit, where each of the plurality of vertebrae modules is coupled to an adjacent one of the plurality of vertebrae modules at a fixed vertebral junction; and coupling a harness to the spine the harness sized and configured to secure the spine to a human body.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein coupling the superior vertebral member to the inferior vertebral member includes: positioning the superior vertebral member in a spaced apart configuration from the inferior vertebral member such that the superior and inferior vertebral members to not touch; angling a front surface of the superior vertebral member with respect to a rear surface of the inferior vertebral member, wherein the angle between the superior and inferior vertebral members is less than 90-degrees (preferably ranging from 45-degrees to 55-degrees); and passing the tensioning memberthrough a plurality of connection points provided on each of the superior vertebral member to inferior vertebral member to fix the position and orientation of the superior and inferior vertebral members with respect to each other; and fixing the tensioning member to each of the connection points using a set screw.

24. The method of any one of claims 22-23, wherein coupling the plurality of vertebrae modules in a vertical arrangement includes: adjusting size of the plurality of vertebrae modules (e.g., the size of the corresponding superior and inferior vertebral members) along the spine such that vertebrae modules proximate a top of the spine and / or a bottom of the spine are smaller than vertebrae modules proximate a middle of the spine; adjusting a posterior angle and an anterior angle between each of the plurality of vertebrae modules along a vertical axis of the spine to mimic the S-shape curve of the human spine; coupling each of the plurality of vertebrae modules to an adjacent one of the plurality of vertebrae modules at the corresponding vertebral junction such that the of the inferior vertebral member is fixed with respect to the superior vertebral member.

25. The method of any one of claims 22-24, wherein coupling the harness to the spine includes: coupling a top end of a shoulder strap to the spine at a location proximate the top end of the spine; coupling a bottom end of the shoulder strap to the spine at a location proximate a lumbar region of the spine; coupling an inside end of a waist strap to the spine at a location proximate the bottom end of the spine; coupling a band to a vertebrae module at the bottom end of the spine, where the band is movably coupled to a thigh strap sized and configured to be worn around the thigh of a human body.

26. The method of any one of claims 22-25, further including: adjusting a length of the spine by adding and / or removing at least one vertebrae module from the spine; adjusting a size of at least one of a shoulder strap, a waist strap, a thigh strap, and a band to correspond to the human body of the wearer.

27. A method of donning an exosuit onto a human body, the exosuit system as described in any one of claims 1-26.

28. A method of wearing an exosuit system as described herein in any one of claims 1- 26, and performing a task while wearing the exosuit system such that the exosuit system supports and provides assistance to the user (e.g., lift-assistance) while not undesirably inhibiting movement.

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