# US 8,147,436 B2 · Powered orthosis > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,147,436 B2 - Document ID: US8147436B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/062,903 - Filed: 2008-04-04 - Published: 2008-10-16 - Granted: 2012-04-03 - Earliest claimed: 2007-04-06 - Assignees: University of Delaware - Inventors: Sunil Agrawal; Sai Banala - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8147436B2 ## CPC - A63B 21/00181: {comprising additional means assisting the user to overcome part of the resisting force, i.e. assisted-active exercising} - A61H 1/0255: {Both knee and hip of a patient, e.g. in supine or sitting position, the feet being moved together in a plane substantially parallel to the body-symmetrical plane (A61H1/0214 takes precedence)} - A61H 1/0262: {Walking movement; Appliances for aiding disabled persons to walk (A61H3/00 takes precedence)} - A63B 22/0235: {driven by a motor} - A63B 24/0006: {Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement} - A63B 69/0064: {Attachments on the trainee preventing falling} - A61H 3/008: {using suspension devices for supporting the body in an upright walking or standing position, e.g. harnesses} - A61H 2201/123: Linear drive - A61H 2201/1623: Back - A61H 2201/163: holding means therefor - A61H 2201/1635: Hand or arm, e.g. handle - A61H 2201/1642: Holding means therefor - A61H 2201/1676: Pivoting - A61H 2201/5061: Force sensors - A63B 71/0009: {for handicapped persons} - A63B 2024/0009: {Computerised real time comparison with previous movements or motion sequences of the user} - A63B 2220/16: Angular positions - A63B 2220/54: Torque - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) - A61H: PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY (electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, radiation therapy or ultrasound therapy A61N) ## Abstract A powered orthosis, adapted to be secured to a corresponding body portion of the user for guiding motion of a user, the orthosis comprising a plurality of structural members and one or more joints adjoining adjacent structural members, each joint having one or more degrees of freedom and a range of joint angles. One or more of the joints each comprise at least one back-drivable actuator governed by a controller for controlling the joint angle. The plurality of joint controllers are synchronized to cause the corresponding actuators to generate forces for assisting the user to move the orthosis at least in part under the user's power along a desired trajectory within an allowed tolerance. One embodiment comprises force-field controllers that define a virtual tunnel for movement of the orthosis, in which the forces applied to the orthosis for assisting the user may be proportional to deviation from the desired trajectory. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A powered orthosis adapted to be secured to a corresponding body portion of a user for guiding motion of the user, the orthosis comprising: a plurality of structural members; and one or more joints adjoining adjacent structural members, each joint having one or more degrees of freedom and a range of joint angles, one or more of the joints comprising: at least one back-drivable actuator governed by at least one joint actuator controller for controlling the joint angle, the one or more joint actuator controllers comprising force-field controllers that define a virtual tunnel for movement of the orthosis, the force-field controllers synchronized to cause the corresponding joint actuators to generate forces for assisting the user to move the orthosis at least in part under the user's power along a desired trajectory within an allowed tolerance, the generated forces comprising tangential forces along the desired trajectory and normal forces perpendicular to the trajectory, the tangential forces being inversely proportional and the normal forces being directly proportional to deviation from the desired trajectory. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A system for training a user to move a portion of the user's body in a desired trajectory, the system comprising the powered orthosis of claim 1, and a visual display configured to provide real-time visual feedback to the user showing a relationship between a desired trajectory and an actual trajectory followed by the orthosis in response to movement by the user. ### Claim 3 A system for training a user to move a portion of the user's body in a desired trajectory, the system comprising a powered orthosis adapted to be secured to a corresponding body portion of a user for guiding motion of the user, the orthosis comprising: a plurality of structural members; and one or more joints adjoining adjacent structural members, each joint having one or more degrees of freedom and a range of joint angles, one or more of the joints comprising: at least one back-drivable actuator governed by at least one joint actuator controller for controlling the joint angle, the one or more joint actuator controllers comprising force-field controllers that define a virtual tunnel for movement of the orthosis, the force-field controllers synchronized to cause the corresponding joint actuators to generate forces for assisting the user to move the orthosis at least in part under the user's power along a desired trajectory within an allowed tolerance; and a visual display configured to provide real-time visual feedback to the user showing a relationship between the desired trajectory and an actual trajectory followed by the orthosis in response to movement by the user. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the forces generated by the joint actuators and applied to the orthosis for assisting the user are proportional to deviation from the desired trajectory. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the applied forces comprise tangential forces along the trajectory and normal forces perpendicular to the trajectory, in which the tangential forces are inversely proportional and the normal forces are directly proportional to the deviation from the desired trajectory. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the forces comprise damping forces. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the orthosis is a leg orthosis comprising a frame, a trunk connected to the frame at one or more trunk joints, a thigh segment connected to the trunk at least a hip joint, and a shank segment connected to the thigh segment at a knee joint. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The powered orthosis of claim 7, wherein the frame is adapted to support at least a portion of the weight of the orthosis and the user. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The powered orthosis of claim 7, further comprising a foot segment attached to the shank segment at an ankle joint. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The powered orthosis of claim 7, wherein the hip joint has at least one degree of freedom in the sagittal plane governed by a first actuator and the knee joint has at least one degree of freedom governed by a second actuator. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The powered orthosis of claim 10, wherein the first actuator and the second actuator each comprise linear actuators having friction compensation sufficient to make the actuators back-drivable. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The powered orthosis of claim 7, further comprising a first connector for connecting the orthosis thigh segment to a corresponding thigh of a user and a shank connector for connecting the orthosis shank segment to a corresponding shank of a user, the first connector having a first force-torque sensor to measure net forces between the user and the orthosis, and the second connector having a second force-torque sensor to measure net forces between the user and the orthosis. ### Claim 13 A method for training a user to move a portion of the user's body in a desired trajectory, the method comprising: (a) securing the user to an orthosis comprising a plurality of exoskeletal members and a plurality of joints each having one or more degrees of freedom and a spectrum of joint angles between adjacent members connected at the joint, a plurality of the joints each comprising at least one backdrivable actuator governed by a controller for controlling the joint angle, the plurality of joint controllers synchronized with one another; (b) causing the synchronized joint controllers to operate the corresponding actuators to generate forces for assisting the user to move the orthosis at least in part under the user's power along a desired trajectory within an allowed tolerance; and (c) providing visual feedback to the user that shows a relationship between the desired trajectory and an actual trajectory followed by the orthosis in response to movement by the user. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the joint controllers comprise force-field controllers that define a virtual tunnel for movement of the orthosis, the method comprising in step (b) generating forces for assisting the user that are proportional to deviation of the actual trajectory from the desired trajectory. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, comprising generating tangential forces along the trajectory inversely proportional to the deviation from the desired trajectory and normal forces perpendicular to the desired trajectory directly proportional to the deviation from the desired trajectory. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the orthosis comprises a leg orthosis comprising a frame adapted to support at least a portion of the weight of the orthosis and the user, a trunk connected to the frame at one or more trunk joints, a thigh segment connected to the trunk at least a hip joint, and a shank segment connected to the thigh segment at a knee joint, and a foot segment attached to the shank segment at an ankle joint, the hip joint having at least one degree of freedom in the sagittal plane governed by a first actuator and the knee joint having at least one degree of freedom governed by a second actuator, the method comprising training the user to move the user's leg in a desired gait. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) A method for rehabilitation of a patient with impaired motor control, comprising training the user to move a portion of the user's body in a desired trajectory in accordance with the method of claim 13. ### Claim 18 A method for training a healthy user to adopt a desired trajectory for a body motion, the method comprising: (a) securing the user to an orthosis comprising a plurality of exoskeletal members and a plurality of joints each having one or more degrees of freedom and a spectrum of joint angles between adjacent members connected at the joint, a plurality of the joints each comprising at least one back-drivable actuator governed by a controller for controlling the joint angle, the plurality of joint controllers synchronized with one another; (b) causing the synchronized joint controllers to operate the corresponding actuators to generate forces for assisting the user to move the orthosis at least in part under the user's power along the desired trajectory within an allowed tolerance; and (c) providing visual feedback to the user that shows a relationship between the desired trajectory and an actual trajectory followed by the orthosis in response to movement by the user.