Wearable assistance devices and methods of operation

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

• an upper-body interface;
• a lower-body interface;
• one or more elastic bands mechanically coupling the upper-body interface to the lower-body interface along a back of the user, the one or more elastic bands being configured to curve about at least a portion of the user's buttocks when the user bends forward;
• and
• at least one clutch mechanism associated with the one or more elastic bands, the at least one clutch mechanism being configured to engage the one or more elastic bands such that when the user bends forward the one or more elastic bands stretch, thereby providing an extension moment about the spine of the user, and the at least one clutch mechanism being configured to disengage the one or more elastic bands, thereby providing minimal or no extension moment about the spine of the user when the user bends forward.

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

• an upper-body interface;
• a lower-body interface;
• one or more elastic bands mechanically coupling the upper-body interface to the lower-body interface along a back of the user, the one or more elastic bands being configured to curve about at least a portion of the user's buttocks when the user bends forward, and each of the one or more elastic bands having first and second portions;
• and
• at least one clutch mechanism associated with the one or more elastic bands, the at least one clutch mechanism being configured to engage the one or more elastic bands such that when the user bends forward, the first portion of the one or more elastic bands does not stretch and the second portion of the one or more elastic bands stretches, thereby providing an extension moment about the spine of the user, and the at least one clutch mechanism being configured to disengage the one or more elastic bands such that when the user bends forward, the first portion and second portion of the one or more elastic bands move relative to the at least one clutch mechanism and provide minimal or no extension moment about the spine of the user when the user bends forward.

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

• an upper-body interface;
• a lower-body interface;
• one or more elastic bands mechanically coupling the upper-body interface to the lower-body interface along a back of the user so as to provide an extension moment about the spine of the user when stretched, the one or more elastic bands being configured to curve about at least a portion of the user's buttocks when the user bends forward;
• and
• at least one rotationally dynamic clutch mechanism associated with the one or more elastic bands, the at least one rotationally dynamic clutch mechanism being configured for selectively adjusting the extension moment provided by the one or more elastic bands when the user bends forward.