Lower extremity enhancer

A lower extremity enhancer to be worn by a user to enable the user to carry a load, the lower extremity enhancer comprising:

• two leg supports having a plurality of joints;
• a back frame connected to proximal ends of the leg supports,
• the back frame configured to bear the load to be carried;
• two foot links connected to distal ends of the leg supports;
• a first set of sensors connected to the plurality of joints,
• the first set of sensors configured to detect joint angles of the plurality of joints;
• a plurality of mechanical actuators disposed on the two legs supports,
• each one of the plurality of mechanical actuators attached to at least one of the plurality of joints;
• and
• a control system connected to the first set of sensors and the plurality of mechanical actuators, the control system configured to control the mechanical actuators to rotate the joints to move the leg supports and the foot links based on the joint angles detected by the first set of sensors, and wherein the control system is configured to regulate the plurality of mechanical actuators to track a desired force.

A method of making a lower extremity enhancer to be worn by a user to enable the user to carry a load, the method comprising:

• obtaining two leg supports having a plurality of jointed links;
• obtaining a back frame adapted to carry the load;
• connecting the back frame to proximal ends of the leg supports;
• obtaining two foot links;
• connecting the two foot links to distal ends of the leg supports;
• and
• attaching a plurality of mechanical actuators to the leg supports, wherein the mechanical actuators are adapted to apply torques to the leg supports in response to movement of the user's legs, and wherein each foot link is rotatably jointed to a shank link of each leg support by a spring joint and configured to move in flexion and extension.

A method of operating a lower extremity enhancer to be worn by a user to enable the user to carry a load, the enhancer having:

• two leg supports having a plurality of joints;
• a back frame connected to proximal ends of the leg supports, the back frame configured to bear the load to be carried;
• two foot links connected to distal ends of the leg supports;
• a first set of sensors connected to the plurality of joints;
• a plurality of mechanical actuators disposed on the two leg supports, each one of the plurality of mechanical actuators attached to at least one of the plurality of joints;
• and
• a control system connected to the first set of sensors and the plurality of mechanical actuators, and the method comprising:
• detecting joint angles of the plurality of joints using the first set of sensors;
• controlling the mechanical actuators using the control system to rotate the joints to move the leg supports and the foot links based on the joint angles detected by the first set of sensors;
• and
• regulating the mechanical actuators using the control system to track a desired force.