Wearable assistance devices and methods of operation

A fall protection harness assistance device configured to be worn by a user, the device comprising:

• an upper body interface comprising straps that are each configured to cover at least a portion of a shoulder of the user;
• a lower body interface configured to connect to one or more legs of the user;
• a fall arrest attachment coupled to the upper body interface;
• one or more elastic members operatively coupling the upper body interface to the lower body interface and extending along a back of the user so as to provide an assistive force to or assistive torque about the back, wherein the one or more elastic members are configured to curve about a portion of a user's buttocks when the user bends forward;
• a clutch mechanism operatively connected to at least one of the one or more elastic members, the clutch mechanism being configured to selectively adjust the assistive force or assistive torque provided by the one or more elastic members to/about the back;
• and
• a control mechanism for adjusting an operation of the clutch mechanism, the control mechanism being located on a front of the first body interface.

A method of using a wearable assistance device, the wearable assistance device comprising:

• a fall protection harness comprising a first body interface, a second body interface, and a fall arrest attachment;
• one or more elastic members operatively coupling the first body interface to the second body interface and extending along a back of a user so as to provide an assistive force to or assistive torque about the back;
• a clutch mechanism operatively connected to at least one of the one or more elastic members;
• and a control mechanism for adjusting an operation of the clutch mechanism, the control mechanism being located on the front of the first body interface,
• the method comprising:
• selectively adjusting, via the clutch mechanism, the assistive torque provided by the one or more elastic members about the back.