Exosuit system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9266233-B2
Application number	US-201414207233-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Feb 23, 2016
Grant date	Feb 23, 2016

Abstract

A flexible exosuit includes rigid and flexible elements configured to couple forces to a body of a wearer. Further, the flexible exosuit includes flexible linear actuators and clutched compliance elements to apply and/or modulate forces and/or compliances between segments of the body of the wearer. The flexible exosuit further includes electronic controllers, power sources and sensors. The flexible exosuit can be configured to apply forces to the body of the wearer to enable a variety of applications. In some examples, the flexible exosuit can be configured to augment the physical strength or endurance of the wearer. In some examples, the flexible exosuit can be configured to train the wearer to perform certain physical tasks. In some examples, the flexible exosuit can be configured to record physical activities of the wearer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A programmable body augmentation system, comprising:
a flexible suit configured to be worn over at least a portion of a human body;
one or more flexible linear actuators coupled to the flexible suit, wherein the one or more flexible linear actuators are operable to apply forces between segments of the human body such that the forces applied by the one or more flexible linear actuators augment forces applied by musculature in the human body;
one or more clutched-compliance elements coupled to the flexible suit, wherein the one or more clutched-compliance elements are operable to provide controllable levels of compliance between segments of the human body; and
a controller disposed in the flexible suit, wherein the controller is configured to execute computer-readable programs to operate the one or more flexible linear actuators to apply forces between segments of the human body and to operate the clutched-compliance elements to provide controlled levels of compliance between segments of the human body in a plurality of different ways to provide a plurality of different modes of operation.

2. The programmable body augmentation system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of different modes of operation relate to one or more of walking, running, jumping, lifting, load carrying, climbing, cycling, exercising, training, controlling a virtual avatar, and controlling a tele-robotic system.

3. The programmable body augmentation system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of different modes of operation relate to different potential wearers of the programmable body augmentation system.

4. The programmable body augmentation system of claim 1 , wherein the controller can execute any of a plurality of stored computer-readable programs, wherein execution of a stored computer-readable program by the controller comprises operating the one or more flexible linear actuators and the one or more clutched-compliance elements in accordance with the stored computer-readable program, and wherein each of the stored computer-readable programs defines at least one of the plurality of different modes of operation.

5. The programmable body augmentation system of claim 4 , wherein operating the one or more flexible linear actuators in accordance with the stored computer-readable program comprises controlling the timing and magnitude of forces applied by each of the flexible linear actuators.

6. The programmable body augmentation system of claim 4 , wherein operating the one or more clutched-compliance elements in accordance with the stored computer-readable program comprises controlling a level of compliance provided by each of the one or more clutched-compliance elements.

7. The programmable body augmentation system of claim 4 , further comprising one or more kinematic sensors configured to provide data to the controller, wherein operating the one or more flexible linear actuators and the one or more clutched-compliance elements in accordance with the stored computer-readable program comprises operating the one or more flexible linear actuators and the one or more clutched-compliance elements in response to the data provided by the one or more kinematic sensors.

8. The programmable body augmentation system of claim 4 , further comprising a user interface, wherein the user interface is operable to select any of the plurality of stored computer-readable programs for execution by the controller.

9. The programmable body augmentation system of claim 8 , wherein the user interface is operable to select additional computer-readable programs that define additional modes of operation of the programmable body augmentation system.

10. The programmable body augmentation system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more flexible linear actuators are configured to apply forces across one or more joints, wherein the one or more joints include at least one of an ankle joint, a knee joint, or a hip joint.

11. The programmable body augmentation system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more clutched-compliance elements are configured to provide a controllable compliance across one or more joints, wherein the one or more joints include at least one of an ankle joint, a knee joint, or a hip joint.

12. The programmable body augmentation system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more flexible linear actuators comprises a twisted string actuator.

13. The programmable body augmentation system of claim 12 , wherein the twisted string actuator comprises an electric motor coupled to a string element comprising a plurality of flexible strands.

14. The programmable body augmentation system of claim 1 , wherein each of the clutched-compliance elements includes a respective electrostatic clutch.

15. The programmable body augmentation system of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the respective electrostatic clutches comprises an electrolaminate clutch.

16. The programmable body augmentation system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more clutched-compliance elements include at least one clutched-compliance element connected in series with a flexible linear actuator.

Assignees

• Stanford Res Inst Int

Inventors

• Kornbluh Roy David
• Kernbaum Alexander Steele
• Low Thomas
• Witherspoon Katherine Goss
• Mccoy Brian Keith
• Ziemba Adam Arnold Edward
• Birkmeyer Paul Michael
• Mahoney Richard M

Classifications

• G05B2219/39345

  Active compliance control, control tension of spring with DC motor · CPC title

• A41D1/005

  with embedded cable or connector · CPC title

• A41D2400/38

  Shaping the contour of the body or adjusting the figure · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• B25J9/104

  with cables, chains or ribbons · CPC title