Apparatus and method for delivery of assistive force to user moved weights

An assist apparatus for delivering an assist force to user moved weight of an exercise or rehabilitation station comprising:

• an assist assembly including a motor and a reel operably connected with the motor so as to be rotated by the motor;
• a flexible assist member having first and second opposing ends, the first end being configured to be secured to the reel so as to permit the member to be wound onto and from the reel by operation of the motor and the second end being configured to be coupled directly or indirectly with the user moved weight;
• a human-machine interface configured to receive human input of variable parameters for assistance control including entry of at least a user selected non-zero assist force;
• and
• a main digital controller operably connected with at least the assist assembly and the human-machine interface, the main digital controller being preprogrammed to convert the user selected non-zero assist force into control signals suitable to operate the motor to provide the user selected non-zero assist force through the flexible assist member during each concentric movement portion of an exercise set having repeated consecutive concentric and eccentric movement portions.