University of California

Other

University of Texas System

Flint Rehabilitation Devices, LLC

David J Reinkensmeyer

Daniel K Zondervan

Mark Bachman

V Reggie Edgerton

Nizan Friedman

Mark Plecnik

Derek Bissell

J Michael McCarthy

Susan Jill Harkema

Robert Joseph Sanchez, Jr

Robert F Smith, Jr

John H Wynne

Christopher C Painter

Wojciech Timoszyk

Nikolas London

Justin Rowe

Ray D De Leon

Brendan Smith

Clifton T Pang

Marti Comellas Andres

Punit Shah

Daniel Zondervan

James Bobrow

Chia Yu Wang

In one embodiment, a wheelchair device includes a frame adapted to be removably mounted to a wheelchair, a slide member supported by the frame that is configured to be pushed in a forward direction away from a user of the device with the user's arm, a transmission mechanism including a rotatable reel and a spring associated with the reel that resists rotation of the reel in a first direction and assists rotation of the reel in a second direction, and a cable having first and second ends, the first end of the cable being attached to the slide member and the second end being attached to the rotatable reel. With such a configuration, movement of the slide member in the forward direction causes the rotatable reel to rotate in the first direction and movement of the slide member in a backward direction opposite to the forward direction causes the rotatable reel to rotate in the second direction.

Wheelchair arm rest device

In one embodiment, a torque-compensating assistive wrist brace includes a hand member adapted to be provided on a user's hand, a forearm member adapted to be provided on the user's forearm, and an assistive linkage that connects the hand and forearm members together, the assistive linkage being configured to apply a balancing torque to a wrist of the user that counteracts intrinsic stiffness within the wrist and assists the user in rotating the wrist in both the flexion and extension directions.

Torque-compensating assistive wrist braces

In one embodiment, a torque-compensating assistive wrist brace includes a hand member adapted to be provided on a user's hand, a forearm member adapted to be provided on the user's forearm, and an assistive linkage that connects the hand and forearm members together and that applies a balancing torque to a wrist of the user that counteracts intrinsic stiffness within the wrist and assists the user in rotating the wrist in both the flexion and extension directions.

In one embodiment, a system includes apparatus for monitoring hand or wrist movement, the apparatus including a magnetic ring adapted to be worn on a finger of a patient and a data acquisition unit adapted to be worn on a wrist of the patient, the data acquisition unit including a magnetic sensor that can measure the strength and orientation of magnetic fields generated by the ring.

Systems and methods for monitoring hand and wrist movement

Hand-worn user interface device

In one embodiment, a wheelchair drive mechanism adapted to mount to a wheelchair includes a drive lever adapted to be rotated forward and rearward by a user of the wheelchair, a clutch mechanism associated with the drive lever, wherein actuation of the clutch mechanism causes the drive lever to be coupled to a wheel of the wheelchair such that they rotate together, and a clutch actuation device provided on the drive lever that is operable by the wheelchair user to actuate the clutch mechanism.

Lever-operated wheelchair

In one embodiment, an exercise apparatus for exercising an arm includes a lever adapted to attach to a wheel of a wheelchair, a forearm support pivotally mounted to the lever that is adapted to support a forearm of a wheelchair user during exercise, and a resilient member attached to the lever that is adapted to resist movement of the lever by the user.

Apparatuses and methods for exercising the arm

A method and apparatus for upper limb rehabilitation training of coordinated arm/forearm, forearm/forearm and grasping movements of a motor impaired patient comprises a nonrobotic, passive support, an arm/forearm sensor, a gripping device, a grip sensor capable of measuring an impaired grasping force of a grasping of the patient, a computer to process measurements of coordinated and simultaneous impaired arm/forearm, forearm/forearm and grasping movements to control a graphical representation of the arm/forearm and grasping movements in interaction with a virtual environment, and to provide a visual feedback signal to the patient of simulated normal activities of daily living performed with enhanced motor ability relative to the actual impaired motor ability. A visual feedback signal of the simulated activities of daily living is provided to motivate the patient to perform the upper limb rehabilitation movement training despite limited motor ability.

Method and apparatus for automating arm and grasping movement training for rehabilitation of patients with motor impairment

A method and a robotic device for locomotion training. The method involves shifting a subject's pelvis without directly contacting the subject's leg, thereby causing the subject's legs to move along a moveable surface. The device comprises two backdriveable robots, each having three pneumatic cylinders that connect to each other at their rod ends for attachment to the subject's torso. Also provided is a method of determining a locomotion training strategy for a pelvic-shifting robot by incorporating dynamic motion optimization.

Robotic gait rehabilitation by optimal motion of the hip

A robotic system and method for locomotion assessment and training of a mammal, exemplified by a rodent. A neurologically impaired animal is suspended over a moving surface in a harness, and the animal's hindlimbs are connected to robotic arms that apply force to the hindlimbs or measure limb movement characteristics. The moving surface can be a physical or virtual surface. A single robotic mechanism comprising two robotic arms can simultaneously apply force, measure limb movement, and provide a virtual surface. Manual or automatic adjustment of load support allows the mammal to step at varying body weight loads.

Robotic device for locomotor training

A backdriveable device for manipulating and measuring limb movement, and a method of use thereof. The device comprises a plurality of forcers, at least one linear guide for constraining the forcers to reciprocate along respective linear trajectories, and a linkage for attachment to a limb of a user, the linkage rotatably connected between the forcers and including two bars rotatably connected together at a vertex. Movement of the forcers along their linear trajectories results in movement of the vertex along a spatial trajectory. In specific embodiments, the forcers are moving coils of a linear motor. The movement and forces applied by the coils can be controlled through a computer interface, providing robotic control of limb movement.

Mechanism for manipulating and measuring legs during stepping

A computer-based system provides arm movement therapy for patients with sensory motor impairments. The system is based off a web site that provides access to assessment and therapy exercises designed to test and improve motor coordination in the arm. It operates over the World Wide Web using client-side applets, and can track user movement recovery over time and report it to a remote server computer. The system can also be customized to provide a personalized program of therapeutic exercise to a multiplicity of individuals. A mass manufactured computer input device senses the user's movement and provides a means to track sensory motor performance.

Method and apparatus for mass-delivered movement rehabilitation

The present invention provides a guide that can be used to quantify impaired movement performance of a limb, to diagnose whether passive, active, or reflexive impairments limit movement performance, to quantify the resistance to movement provided by the limb at the workspace boundary, and to provide a means for a user to practice improving movement performance of the limb.

Growing community of inventors

Irvine, CA, United States of America

David J Reinkensmeyer