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AssigneesThe Regents of the University of California, Berkeley Bionics
InventorsHomayoon Kazerooni, Nathan Harding, Russdon Angold, Kurt Amundson, Jon William Burns, Adam Zoss
Estimating the term…
An exoskeleton configured to be coupled to a person includes an exoskeleton trunk and leg supports adapted to contact the ground. Hip torque generators extend between the exoskeleton trunk and respective leg supports. A load holding mechanism is rotatably coupled to the exoskeleton trunk, preferably via over-shoulder members configured to support a load in front of the person. In use, hip torque generators create torque between the exoskeleton trunk and respective leg supports in the stance phase, wherein at least one torque generator is configured to create a first torque between the exoskeleton trunk and one of the first and second leg supports in the stance phase opposing a second torque generated on the exoskeleton by a weight of the load. Load bearing sensors may be utilized to determine the torque generated by the load and communicate with a controller to control power to the torque generators.
An exoskeleton, configurable to be coupled to a person, said exoskeleton comprising:
A method for supporting an object using an exoskeleton configurable to be coupled to a person and including:
The method claim of 29, further comprising:
The method claim of 30, wherein said load signal is generated manually by a person.
The method claim of 30, wherein said load signal is generated by a load sensor.
The method claim of 33, wherein said load sensor is located between said exoskeleton trunk and said load holding mechanism.
The method claim of 33, wherein said load sensor is located in said first and second leg supports.
The method claim of 33, wherein said load sensor is a force measuring device generating a load signal wherein said load signal represents a portion of a force or a torque applied by said object onto said exoskeleton.
The method claim of 30, wherein said object comprises an element or combination of elements selected from the group consisting of a box, a camera, a battery, a monitor and a projectile.
A method for controlling an exoskeleton configurable to be coupled to a person, said exoskeleton, among other components, comprising first and second leg supports configurable to be coupled to a person's lower limbs and configured to rest on the ground during a stance phase, an exoskeleton trunk rotatably connectable to said first and second leg supports, at least one hip torque generator configured to create torque between said exoskeleton trunk and one of the first and second leg supports in the stance phase, a power unit in communication with the at least one hip torque generator for generating a torque to the at least one hip torque generator, and a load holding mechanism, said method comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.