A device to change the motion dynamics between a first member of the human spine and a second member of the human spine—wherein one or more motion dynamics are selected from the group consisting of direction of motion, range of motion, and resistance to motion—comprising:
- a flowable substance, wherein this substance is a liquid, gas, or gel;
- one or more reservoirs, wherein:
- the one or more reservoirs contain the flowable substance;
- the one or more reservoirs are implanted into the human body;
- movement of moving portions of the one or more reservoirs causes the flowable substance to flow;
- the one or more reservoirs are selected from the group consisting of:
- a bladder;
- a sack;
- a bulb;
- a balloon;
- a disk;
- a tube;
- a hollow mesh;
- a layer
- with multiple bubbles or cells;
- and a chamber with telescoping or pleated walls;
- the moving portions of the one or more reservoirs are:
- the walls of the one or more reservoirs;
- or one or more moving members within the walls of the one or more reservoirs;
- and the moving portions of the one or more reservoirs are moved by means selected from the group consisting of:
- movement of an object external to the human body relative to the one or more reservoirs (such as pushing, pressing, pulling, compressing, squeezing, pumping, stretching, bending, twisting, shaking, or tilting movement);
- movement of the one or more reservoirs, and/or the human body within which it is implanted, relative to an object external to the human body (such as sitting, leaning or standing movement);
- movement of an internal member of the human body relative to the one or more reservoirs (such as extension, contraction, bending, or rotation movement);
- movement of the one or more reservoirs, and/or the human body within which it is implanted, relative to the force of gravity;
- and acceleration or deceleration of the one or more reservoirs and/or the human body within which it is implanted.
- and an energy-transducing mechanism, wherein:
- this mechanism is implanted into the human body;
- this mechanism transduces energy from a flow of the flowable substance into changes in the motion dynamics between the first member of the human spine and the second member of the human spine;
- and this mechanism includes one or more members selected from the group consisting of:
- a bundle of substantially-parallel longitudinal members, each with areas of greater and lesser flexibility along their length (wherein the longitudinal members may be rods with thicker and thinner areas along their length, rods with joints at certain locations along their length, or segmented rods connected by a flexible wire or cord);
- wherein the overall degree and/or direction of flexibility of the bundle depends on the degree to which the areas of greater and lesser flexibility among the longitudinal members are aligned;
- wherein this bundle is configured to resist movement of the first member of the human spine relative to the second member of the human spine;
- and wherein energy from the flow of the flowable substance is transduced into changes in the alignment of the longitudinal members in the bundle;
- one or more longitudinal flexible members (such as wires, filaments, cables, cords, chains, fibers, threads or bands);
- wherein these longitudinal flexible members are configured to create tension between the first member of the human spine and the second member of the human spine;
- and wherein energy from the flow of the flowable substance is transduced into changes in the length, tension, or length and tension, of the one or more longitudinal flexible members;
- and one or more motion-dampening members (such as springs, rods with helical cuts, or elastic bands);
- wherein these motion-dampening flexible members are configured to dampen movement of the first member of the human spine relative to the second member of the human spine;
- and wherein energy from the flow of the flowable substance is transduced into changes in the length, tension, or length and tension, of the one or more motion-dampening members.