CABLE-ACTUATED, KINETICALLY-BALANCED, PARALLEL TORQUE TRANSFER EXOSKELETON JOINT ACTUATOR WITH OR WITHOUT STRAIN SENSING

摘要

A low-weight, high performance wearable assistive device for assisting motion of a joint of a wearer (e.g., an ankle) and/or resistance training of motion of the joint includes a lightweight upright member that may be attached to the wearer (e.g., fastened to the wearer's outside calf). Forces to assist or resist movement of the joint are coupled to a rotation bearing via cables. The bearing is disposed within the upright member such torsional deflection of the device under load is reduced, allowing the upright member to be lighter and/or less obtrusive to the wearer and less susceptible to failure.