Wearable assistance devices and methods of operation

A method for operating a wearable assistance device having an upper-body interface, a lower-body interface, one or more elastic members coupling the upper-body interface to the lower-body interface and extending from the upper-body interface to the lower-body interface and along a back of the user so as to provide an assistive force parallel to the back of the user, the one or more elastic members curving about a portion of a user's buttocks when the user bends forward, a clutch mechanism associated with each one of the elastic members, and an actuator associated with the clutch mechanism for engaging and disengaging the clutch mechanism, the actuator being located on a front of the upper-body interface and wherein the upper-body interface is a garment top configured to cover at least a portion of shoulders of the user, and wherein the clutch mechanism is mechanically connected to the garment top,

• the method comprising:
• determining, via a processor, whether a current activity of the user requires assistive force;
• and
• upon determining that the current activity requires assistive force, generating, via the processor, control signals for the clutch mechanism that cause the clutch mechanism to increase the assistive force provided via an associated one of the elastic members, by changing a load path between the upper-body interface and the lower-body interface through the one or more of the elastic members, when the clutch mechanism changes from disengaged to engaged.

A wearable lower back assistance device configured to be worn by a user, comprising:

• an upper-body interface;
• a lower-body interface;
• at least one elastic member comprising at least a first portion connected to the upper-body interface and a second portion connected the lower-body interface, respectively, the first portion and the second portion of the at least one elastic member having different stiffnesses;
• at least one clutch mechanism coupled to the at least one elastic member between the first and second portions thereof;
• and
• an actuator associated with the clutch mechanism for engaging and disengaging the clutch mechanism, and the actuator being located on a front of the upper-body interface,
• wherein the at least one elastic member mechanically couples the upper-body interface to the lower-body interface, thereby providing an assistive force to the back of the user, and the clutch mechanism is configured for selectively adjusting the assistive force by changing a load path between the upper-body interface and the lower-body interface, through the at least one elastic member, when the clutch mechanism changes from disengaged to engaged, and
• wherein the upper-body interface is a garment top configured to cover at least a portion of shoulders of the user, and the at least one clutch mechanism is coupled to the garment top.