Smart knee joint for a human lower limb exoskeleton, a prosthesis and an orthosis

A method of control of a knee joint, comprising:

• detecting motion of the knee joint by sensors included in a smart knee joint for a human lower limb exoskeleton, a prosthesis, and an orthosis, the smart knee joint being attached to the knee joint and comprising an elastic energy storage unit, and a motor drive unit or a controllable damping unit;
• and
• providing control signals for the elastic energy storage unit and the motor drive unit or the controllable damping unit based on the signals of the sensors, wherein the motor drive unit includes a motor and a transmission, and has two working modes:
• a generator mode and an actuator mode, the motor drive unit being adjusted to a corresponding working mode based on states and walking modes of the knee joint,
• wherein the elastic energy storage unit includes an elastic element, a transmission, and a working mode regulator, the elastic energy storage unit having three working modes:
• being locked mode, free mode, and energy dissipation mode, and the elastic energy storage unit being adjusted to a corresponding working mode based on the states and the walking modes of the knee joint, wherein the working mode regulator comprises a magnetorheological damper and a restoring spring;
• wherein the control signals are generated by a controller included in the smart knee joint, and the controller is configured for monitoring the states and the walking modes of the knee joint in real-time based on the signals of the sensors, and generating the control signals for the elastic energy storage unit, and the motor drive unit or the controllable damping unit;
• wherein the smart knee joint further comprises:
• a power supply for powering the motor drive unit, the controllable damping unit, the elastic energy storage unit, the sensors, and the controller, and storing electric energy recovered by the motor, the power supply being one or both of a battery and a supercapacitor;
• and connecting devices comprising a thigh connecting device and a shank connecting device.

An apparatus for assisting walking, comprising a smart knee joint,

• wherein the smart knee joint comprises:
• 1) a motor driving unit or a controllable damping unit, the motor driving unit including a motor and a transmission, and having two working modes:
• a generator mode and an actuator mode, the motor driving unit being adjusted to a corresponding working mode based on states and walking modes of the knee joint;
• 2) an elastic energy storage unit including an elastic element, a transmission, and a working mode regulator, the elastic energy storage unit having three working modes:
• being locked mode, free mode, and energy dissipation mode, the elastic energy storage unit being adjusted to a corresponding working mode based on states and walking modes of the knee joint, wherein the working mode regulator comprises a magnetorheological damper and a restoring spring;
• 3) sensors for detecting the motion of the knee joint;
• 4) a controller for monitoring the states and the walking modes of the knee joint in real-time based on signals of the sensors, and generating control signals for the elastic energy storage unit and the motor driving unit or the controllable damping unit;
• 5) a power supply for powering the motor driving unit, the controllable damping unit, the elastic energy storage unit, the sensors, and the controller, and storing electric energy recovered by the motor, the power supply being one or both of a battery and a supercapacitor;
• and
• 6) connecting devices comprising a thigh connecting device and a shank connecting device.