Soft Exosuit for Assistance with Human Motion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016107309-A1
Application number	US-201414893934-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 30, 2014
Priority date	May 31, 2013
Publication date	Apr 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A motion control system includes an actuator having an actuation member, the actuation member having a proximal end attached to the actuator on a first side of a joint and a distal end attached to an anchor element attachment point on a second side of the joint. A first sensor is configured to output signals defining a gait cycle and a second sensor is configured to output signals representing a tensile force in the at least one actuation member. A controller receives the output signals from the sensors and actuates the actuator, during a first portion of the gait cycle, to apply a force greater than a predetermined threshold tensile force to the anchor element attachment point via the actuation member to generate a beneficial moment about the joint and to automatically actuate the actuator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A motion control system, comprising:
at least one actuator comprising at least one actuation member, the at least one actuation member having a proximal end attached to the at least one actuator on a first side of a joint and having a distal end attached to an anchor element attachment point on a second side of the joint; a first sensor configured to output signals correlated with or correlatable to a timing of a gait cycle; a second sensor configured to output signals representing a tensile force in the at least one actuation member; and at least one controller configured to receive the signals output from the first sensor and the second sensor and, responsive thereto, automatically actuate the at least one actuator, during a first portion of the gait cycle, to apply a force greater than a predetermined threshold tensile force to the anchor element attachment point via the at least one actuation member to generate a beneficial moment about the joint and to automatically actuate the at least one actuator, during at least a second portion of the gait cycle, to reduce a tensile force at the anchor element attachment point to a level at or below the predetermined threshold tensile force to avoid generating a detrimental moment about the joint, wherein the at least one controller is configured to use the signals output from the first and second sensors from only the current step to determine a timing at which the tensile force crosses the predetermined threshold and to determine a timing at which a peak tensile force is achieved during a first phase of the gait cycle.

2 . The motion control system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the joint comprises an ankle joint, and wherein the anchor element attachment point comprises a footwear connection element, and wherein the first portion of the gait cycle comprises a range of between about 30-62.5% of the gait cycle, corresponding generally to a range between about midstance and toe off.

3 . The motion control system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the at least one controller is configured to actuate the at least one actuator, during the second portion of the gait cycle, from about 62.5% to subsequent heel strike, to reduce a tensile force at the anchor element attachment point to substantially zero.

4 . The motion control system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the at least one controller is configured to actuate the at least one actuator, within the range of between about 30-62.5% of the gait cycle, to increase a tensile force to a predetermined level below about 1900N and then to decrease the tensile force back down to or below the predetermined threshold tensile force.

5 . The motion control system according to claim 2 ,
wherein the at least one controller is configured to actuate the at least one actuator, within the range of between about 30-62.5% of the gait cycle, to increase a tensile force to a predetermined level below about 300N and then to decrease the tensile force back down to or below the predetermined threshold tensile force.

7 . The motion control system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the joint comprises a hip joint, and wherein the anchor element attachment point comprises a thigh brace connection element disposed in a hamstring region of the wearable robotic, and wherein the first portion of the gait cycle comprises a range of between about 0-62.5% of the gait cycle, corresponding generally to a stance phase.

8 . The motion control system according to claim 7 ,
wherein the at least one controller is configured to actuate the at least one actuator, during the second portion of the gait cycle, corresponding generally to a swing phase, to reduce a tensile force at the anchor element attachment point to substantially zero.

9 . The motion control system according to claim 7 ,
wherein the at least one controller is configured to actuate the at least one actuator, within the range of between about 0-62.5% of the gait cycle, to increase a tensile force to a predetermined level below about 400N and then to decrease the tensile force back down to or below the predetermined threshold tensile force.

10 . The motion control system according to claim 1 or claim 7 ,
wherein the first sensor comprises at least one of a gyroscope or a footswitch.

11 . The motion control system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the automatic actuation of the at least one actuator by the at least one controller during a first portion of the gait cycle is triggered by a measured increase in tensile force in the at least one actuation member to a predefined threshold value between about 20N-50N.

13 . The motion control system according to claim 12 ,
wherein the substantially zero tensile force comprises a force between about 0N-5N.

14 . The motion control system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first sensor comprises at least one hyperelastic strain sensor.

15 . The motion control system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of actuators, the plurality of actuators comprising a first actuator operatively associated with a first actuation member, the first actuation member having a proximal end attached to the first actuator on a first side of a first joint and having a distal end attached to a first anchor element attachment point disposed on a second side of the first joint and comprising a second actuator operatively associated with a second actuation member, the second actuation member having a proximal end attached to the second actuator on a first side of a second joint and having a distal end attached to a second anchor element attachment point disposed on a second side of the second joint; and a third sensor configured to output signals representing a tensile force in the second actuation member, wherein the at least one controller is configured to receive the signals output from the first and second sensors and, responsive thereto, automatically actuate the first actuator, during the first portion of the gait cycle, to apply a force greater than a first predetermined threshold tensile force to the first anchor element attachment point via the first actuation member to generate a beneficial moment about the first joint and to automatically actuate the first actuator, during at least the second portion of the gait cycle, to reduce a tensile force at the first anchor element attachment point to a level at or below the first predetermined threshold tensile force, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to receive the signals output from the first and third sensors and, responsive thereto, automatically actuate the second actuator, during a third portion of the gait cycle, to apply a force greater than a second predetermined threshold tensile force to the second anchor element attachment point via the second actuation member to generate a beneficial moment about the second joint and to automatically actuate the second actuator, during at least a fourth portion of the gait cycle, to reduce a tensile force at the second anchor element attachment point to a level at or below the second predetermined threshold tensile force, and wherein each of the first portion of the gait cycle and the third portion of the gait cycle comprise at least a portion of the stance phase.

16 . The motion control system according to claim 15 ,
wherein the first joint is an ankle joint, wherein the second joint is a hip joint, and wherein the first joint and the second joint are both on a same leg.

17 . The motion control system according to claim 16 ,
wherein the first portion of the gait cycle com

Assignees

• Harvard College

Inventors

• Walsh Conor
• Asbeck Alan Thomas
• Ding Ye
• Bujanda Ignacio Galiana
• De Rossi Stefano Marco Maria

Classifications

• A63B2225/50

  Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry · CPC title

• A63B24/0087

  Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load · CPC title

• A63B21/4009

  to the waist · CPC title

• A61H2201/5046

  Touch screens · CPC title

• A63B23/03541

  Moving independently from each other (A63B22/00 takes precedence) · CPC title