311 results about "Motion Aid" patented technology

An exoskeleton bracing system includes: a trunk support for affixing to the trunk of a disabled person and leg braces for connecting to the legs of the person, each leg brace including limb segment braces. Motorized joints are adapted to provide relative angular movement between the limb segment braces of the leg braces and between the leg braces and the trunk support. One or more ground force sensors are designed to sense ground force exerted on each of the leg braces. The system also includes a controller for receiving sensed signals from said one or more ground force sensors, with an algorithm for identifying a stance from the sensed signals and, based on the identified stance, actuating the motorized joints to perform an action relating to a mode of locomotion selected from a set of predefined actions corresponding to the identified stance.

The present invention concerns movement facilitation devices for facilitating movement between a first portion of a first object and a second portion of the first object. One or more of the movement facilitation devices may be combined to form a movement device for facilitating movement of at least one joint or limb of a patient's body. One form of a movement device according to the invention is a glove which at least partially encloses the joint or limb. The invention also encompasses systems for applying Continuous Passive Motion therapy to a joint or limb of a patient using the devices of the invention. The invention also encompasses the use of shape memory materials and of conducting polymers in the devices and systems of the invention, as well as the design of force transducers and actuators that may be used in the devices.

The present invention is for arousing a sense of rivalry to the user so that the user can exhibit an active will to exercise. The present invention relates to an exercise assistance apparatus which has a cycling machine 1 provided with pedals 11b and a rotation sensor 11c for detecting the movement of the pedals 11b, comprising a monitor 14 for displaying images, means for storing image data to express a traveling path and opponent characters, exercise equipment control means for performing variable control for the load status of the electromagnetic clutch 12b of the machine 1, means for sequentially updating and controlling the traveling position of the opponent characters on the traveling path, means for calculating a virtual self position of the user on the traveling path from the detection content of the rotation sensor 11c and the load status controlled by the exercise equipment control means, and image display means for displaying the traveling path and opponent characters on the monitor 14, and displaying the degree of difficulty to pass an opponent character.

[Problem to be Solved]The problem to be solved by the present invention is to reduce the load applied to the wearer by correcting a parameter in correspondence with detectivity of biosignals.[Means to Solve Problem]The calibration controlling part 162 of the movement assisting apparatus 10 enables the power amplifying part 158 to apply a driving force of the driving source 140 as a load (input torque) from the load generating part 164 to the wearer 12 when the wearer 12 wears the movement assisting wearing device. Then, the wearer 12 applied with the driving force of the driving source 140 generates power from the skeletal muscles by performing a predetermined calibration operation. Accordingly, the physical phenomenon detecting part 142 detects joint angle along with the calibration operation, and the biosignal detecting part 144 detects myoelectric signals. In the parameter correction part 156, a parameter K is corrected based on the difference between the load (input torque) and the driving force (muscular strength) being calculated by the difference deriving part 154 with respect to the phase identified by the phase identifying part 152.

A motion assistance device has a biological signal detection means for detecting a biological signal from the wearer of the device; a motion assistance device installation member having a drive source for applying torque acting to the wearer by use of each joint of the wearer as a rotating shaft; a control means for controlling the drive source to generate torque corresponding to the biological signal detected by the biological signal detection mean; a drive torque estimation means for estimating the drive torque generated by the drive source; a joint angle detection means for detecting angular displacement of a joint; and a parameter identification means for substituting the drive torque estimated by the drive torque estimation means and the angular displacement detected by the joint angle detection means into an equation of motion to specify the wearer-specific dynamics parameter, the equation relating to the entire system and including wearer-specific dynamics parameter. The control means controls the drive source according to a predetermined control method, based on the equation of motion into which the dynamics parameter identified by the parameter identification means is substituted.

A wearable type movement assisting apparatus includes a movement assisting glove including a finger insertion part into which a finger of a wearer is inserted, a driving part arranged on a backhand side of the movement assisting glove and configured to drive the finger insertion part, a linear member arranged along the finger insertion part and configured to transmit a driving force of the driving part to the finger insertion part, a biosignal detection part configured to detect a biosignal that causes the finger of the wearer to move, and a control part configured to output a drive control signal to the driving part based on the biosignal detected by the biosignal detection part. The driving part is configured to move the linear member in an extending direction or a bending direction of the finger insertion part based on the drive control signal from the control part.

In the present invention, the motion state of the wearable motion-assist device 10-1 of the doctor 1 is sent to the wearable motion-assist device 10-2 of the patient 2 via a network. Then, this motion state is applied to the wearable motion-assist device 10-2 of the patient 2, so that rehabilitation is conducted for the patient 2. Furthermore, the motion state of the wearable motion-assist device 10-2 of the patient 2 is sent from the wearable motion-assist device 10-2 to the wearable motion-assist device 10-1. Then, the motion state of the wearable motion-assist device 10-2 is applied to the wearable motion-assist device 10-1. Accordingly, the doctor 1 can objectively sense the state of the patient 2.

The invention provides a method of confirming motion parameters, an apparatus for the same, and a motion assisting device. The invention obtains and utilizes the motion data of a recognized object sampled at each of the sampling time, comprising the acceleration of the recognized object sampled by a tri-axial accelerometer, the angular velocity of the recognized object sampled by a tri-axial gyroscope, and the angle of the recognized object corresponding to a three-dimensional geomagnetic coordinate system sampled by a tri-axial magnetometer. Feedback calculation is utilized to obtain an actual acceleration at each sampling time from the motion original time to the motion end time, and the actual acceleration is obtained by reducing the acceleration of gravity from the acceleration sampled by a tri-axial accelerometer. The invention reduces the complexity of the system, and the accuracy is less affected by environmental factors, particularly light.

A mobile support system having a central region that allows the legs to move in an unobstructed manner and providing an upper body support assembly where the weight is distributed between the elbow region and hand region of the individual for a desirable weight distribution for assisted bipedal motion such as walking or running.

A recreational assistance device having a streamline shaped substantially open main body with four large pneumatic tires to allow the device to move easily over rough terrain. The device is equipped with a braking system including at least one brake handle. A safety harness may be secured to the braking system and worn by a user to automatically actuate the braking system if the person falls, slips or stumbles when jogging or walking. The handle bars and other upper portions of the device are preferably padded and the rear wheels have associated movable stops to allow the device to be stopped and held in a rest or stop position. The four-wheel recreational assistance device may be provided with telescoping supporting arms for a carrying bag for holding packages or other materials.

A mobile support system having a central region that allows the legs to move in an unobstructed manner and providing an upper body support assembly where the weight is distributed between the elbow region and hand region of the individual for a desirable weight distribution for assisted bipedal motion such as walking or running.

A motion assist apparatus is provided with an attaching member that has a glove shape with finger portions and a middle hand portion that is attachable to one of hands of a user, a back-side actuator that is freely expanded and contracted, and bridged between a tip of each of the finger portions and the middle hand portion on the back side of the attaching member, and a palm-side actuator that is freely expanded and contracted, and bridged between the tip of each of the finger portions and the middle hand portion on the palm side of the attaching member, and in this structure, the palm-side actuator is provided with a wire unit formed of two wires that are disposed on each of the finger portions on the palm side from the tip of each of the finger portions on the back side to the middle hand portion along the finger portion, passing through two side portions of the finger portion, so that intervals therebetween are made different at respective positions corresponding to joints of the finger portion, and rubber artificial muscle is coupled to the wire unit and is formed on the middle hand portion.

A biological signal measuring wearing device configured to measure a biological signal from the body surface of a wearer includes a wearing device body configured to cover the body surface of the wearer, multiple biological signal detecting parts provided on a predetermined part of the inner surface of the wearing device body and configured to detect a signal from the body surface of the wearer, a biological signal obtaining part configured to obtain the biological signal from the signal detected by the biological signal detecting parts, and a signal communicating part configured to communicate the biological signal obtained by the biological signal obtaining part to an external apparatus.

A motion assistance apparatus including a first frame, a connection frame connected to the first frame, the connection frame configured to rotate relative to the first frame, a second frame connected to the connection frame, the second frame configured to rotate relative to the connection frame, and a power transmission member configured to change, based on a first angle between the first frame and the connection frame, a second angle between the connection frame and the second frame.

An actively controlled orthotic device includes active components that dynamically change the structural characteristics of the orthotic device according to the orientation and locomotion of the corresponding body part, or according to the changing needs of the subject over a period of use. Accordingly, the orthotic device can be effectively employed to provide locomotion assistance, gait rehabilitation, and gait training. Similarly, the orthotic device may be applied to the wrist, elbow, torso, or any other body part. The active components may be actuated to effectively transmit force to a body part, such as a limb, to assist with movement when desired. Additionally or alternatively, the active components may also be actuated to provide support of varying rigidity for the corresponding body part.

A device capable of assisting an agent in taking a step even in the case where the leg motion of the agent is stagnant. It is determined whether the agent is in a first state in which the leg of the agent is moving or in a second state in which the leg of the agent is stagnant, on the basis of a value detected in response to the leg motion of the agent. If a transition from the first state to the second state is detected as the determination result, a value of a sustained energy input term is increased, where the sustained energy input term is contained in a simultaneous differential equation representing a second model for use in generating a second oscillator ξ2, which is to be a control basis of an assisting force.

A movement assistance device includes a provided information acquirer that acquires, traffic signal cycle data in which traffic signal data comprised of identification information of a traffic light, which is stored in an SNS server, and an image capture date and time and a lighting duration time of the traffic light is organized for each light color pattern of the traffic light, and that specifies, from the identification information of the traffic light of the traffic signal cycle data, a traffic light which a moving object will pass, and calculates a remaining lighting time which will elapse until the lighting of each light color of the specified traffic light is ended from both the time difference between the image capture date and time of each light color of the traffic signal cycle data and the current time, and the lighting duration time of the traffic signal cycle data.

A balance assembly adapted for an exercise auxiliary system includes a base, a supporting seat pivotally engaged with the base, multiple springs sandwiched between the supporting seat and the base to support the base and a fixed seat slidably connected to the supporting seat via wheels mounted on opposite sides of the supporting seat. The base has two phases, a pre-movement phase and an in-movement phase. In the pre-movement phase, the base is still resulted from supporting force from the springs and in the in-movement phase, the base rocks.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a finger motion assisting apparatus that can be attached to a user without precise positioning or aligning the mechanism parts and substantially without size-fitting operation caused by physical size difference. According to the finger motion assisting apparatus of the present invention, the wire guide group 30 includes the first wire guide group 31 located on the palm side of the phalanxes 10, and the second wire guide group 32 located on the back side of the phalanxes 10, the wire is fixed to the finger holding member 20 located on the distal phalanx, the wire 40 includes the first wire 41 inserted through the first wire guide group 31, and the second wire 42 inserted through the second wire guide group 32, and the driving unit 53, 54 loosens the second wire 42 when the first wire 41 is pulled, and loosens the first wire 41 when the second wire 42 is pulled.

A swinging leg pendulum movement aid for walking including a pair of assisting units for a left leg and a right leg each having a drive source for applying a pulling force to an auxiliary force transmission part, a joint angle sensor for detecting a joint angle of user's hip joints, and a control member for driving the drive sources of the respective assisting units corresponding to changes in the joint angle and applying an assistance force in a forward swinging direction to the swinging leg that kicked off a ground so as to aid a pendulum movement of the swinging leg.

The motion assist device (200) is provided with an auxiliary oscillator generation element (150) configured to generate, on the basis of a second intrinsic angular velocity (ω2) set according to a first oscillator (ξ1) generated from a first motion oscillator (φ1) and a first model and a second oscillator (ξ2) generated from a second motion oscillator (φ2) and a second model, an auxiliary oscillator (η) which includes therein a first auxiliary oscillator (η1) denoting an elastic force originated from a virtual elastic element for assisting the motion of the user so as to approximate a value of a third motion oscillator (φ3) to a desired value (φ0+, φ0−) related to a desired motion scale of the user, and an auxiliary oscillator regulation element (160) configured to sequentially regulate the first auxiliary oscillator (η1) so as to approximate a motion index value of the user to a reference value.

Disclosed herein is a turning motion assistance device for an electric vehicle, adapted to effectively reduce tire wear of the vehicle while at the same time ensuring appropriate turning response.A turning motion assistance device for an electric vehicle including steered wheels 101 and 102, driving wheels 103 and 104, motors 105 and 106, and a steering wheel 108 for controlling a steering angle of the steered wheels 101 and 102, includes a target wheel slip angle calculating unit 151 for calculating a target wheel slip angle from the steering angle, a vehicle state quantity detector for detecting vehicle state quantities, an actual vehicle-body slip angle calculating unit 152 for calculating an actual vehicle-body slip angle from the vehicle state quantities, an actual wheel slip angle calculating unit 153 for calculating an actual wheel slip angle from the actual vehicle-body slip angle and the steering angle, a yawing moment requirement calculating unit 154 for calculating a yawing moment requirement from a difference between the target wheel slip angle and the actual wheel slip angle, and a torque correction data calculating unit 155 for calculating an amount of torque correction for generating the yawing moment required; in this assistance device, a torque that has been corrected in accordance with the amount of torque correction is applied from the motors 105 and 106 to the driving wheels 103 and 104, respectively.

Provided is a walking motion assisting device capable of assisting a leg of an agent in walking motion to alleviate an assisting burden or eliminate an assisting necessity by a caregiver. According to the walking motion assisting device (1), the value of a persistent energy input term (ζ0) contained in a simultaneous differential equation denoting a second model configured to generate a second motion oscillator (φ1) is adjusted so as to limit a landing position (x) of a leg of the agent in a specified range [x1, x2]. Further, the motion state of the leg is recognized on the basis of a variation mode of a second oscillator (ξ2), and on the basis of the recognition result, the relative motion between the thigh and crus of the leg around the knee joint is assisted.

The present disclosure provides an exercise assistive device. The present disclosure also provides a method for estimating stamina level and a method for adjusting the method according to a user's anaerobic energy level and aerobic energy level. The present disclosure further provides the several types and applications of the exercise assistive device.

An exercise assisting instrument, having a device which assists a force needed to the user's knee-bending exercise, and lightens a burden and maintains safety of the user in knee-bending exercise, and also having a simple structure and low production cost because no need of power source from outside, is provided. In a exercise assisting instrument 1 comprising a base 10, supporting columns 20, lifting mechanisms 30 consisting of lifting arms, lever arms 40, and a chair 50, three-member linkage system is formed by the supporting columns 20 and the lifting mechanisms 30, so that the chair 50 may move upward and downward. Further, the exercise assisting instrument 1 is equipped with an upward movement assisting device 33, which provides a force in raising direction to the hinge point 30a of the lifting arms, stand-up-movement of the user is assisted and lightening the user's burden is possible. Moreover, a locking device 11 and a stopper 13 are equipped, so the user's safety may be improved.

A walking assist device has rotational actuators that generate drive forces from electric energy supplied from batteries provided in right and left leg links. If there is a difference in the SOCs of the batteries of the two leg links, then a controller controls the rotational actuators such that the drive force of the rotational actuator corresponding to a battery having a lower SOC is smaller than the drive forces of the rotational actuators in the case where the SOCs of the two batteries are the same, while the drive of the rotational actuator corresponding to a battery having a higher SOC is larger than the drive forces of the rotational actuators in the case where the SOCs of the two batteries are the same.