Automated mounting and positioning apparatus for increased user independence

An accessibility-enhancing arm assembly, comprising:

• a first joint module including:
• a housing having a body portion and a proximal mounting portion;
• a motor disposed within the housing;
• and
• a rotatable receiving member operatively connected to the motor;
• a first tubular arm member matingly attached to the proximal mounting portion of the first joint module;
• a second tubular member spaced apart from the first tubular member, the second tubular member having an end cap including one or more connection ports disposed therein matingly attached to the second tubular arm member;
• and
• a battery disposed within the second tubular arm member for powering the first joint module;
• wherein the end cap is operatively connected to the first joint module.

An accessibility-enhancing joint module, comprising:

• a housing including a proximal mounting portion configured to accommodate a tubular arm member within the proximal mounting portion;
• a motor disposed within the housing;
• a gear set including a worm and a worm wheel, the worm disposed within a worm carriage that is pivotally coupled to the housing, the gear set operably coupled to the motor;
• the worm carriage pivotable between a first position in which the worm is engaged with the worm wheel and a second position in which the worm is disengaged from the worm wheel;
• a spring biasing the worm carriage towards the second position;
• a releasable switch movable between a locked position in which the worm carriage is held in the first position and an unlocked position in which the worm carriage is free to move towards the second position;
• and
• a control board disposed within the housing and operatively connected to the motor.