Vanderbilt University

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Skip Innovations, Inc.

Erik Lamers

Karl Zelik

Robert J Webster, Iii

Joseph Hollis Sargent

Bryan Irby Hartley

Philip Joseph Swaney

Richard Harry Feins

Rhoda Jill Kentin

Ron Alterovitz

Arthur William Mahoney

Andria Annette Remirez

Alan David Kuntz

Matthew Yandell

Dustin Howser

Keaton Scherpereel

A moment arm extension system and method for improving the mechanical advantage of a wearable assistance device by increasing the moment arm of a force-bearing member relative to an underlying body segment of a user are disclosed. The moment arm extension system achieves this by shifting the force-bearing member to lie farther away from the body segment of the user.

Moment arm extension system for exosuit

Wearable assistance devices and methods of operating the same are provided. A wearable assistance device includes an upper-body interface with a front side and a rear side and a lower-body interface with a front side and a rear side. The assistance device also includes one or more elastic members, each of the elastic members mechanically coupling the upper-body interface to the lower-body interface and extending from the rear side of the upper-body interface to the rear side of the lower-body interface and along a back of the user so as to provide an assistive force parallel to the back of the user. Further, the assistance device also includes a clutch mechanism associated with each one of the elastic members, the clutch mechanism configured for selectively adjusting the assistive force provided by the one of the elastic members.

Wearable assistance devices and methods of operation

An exosuit includes a first structure including a series of link elements joined together by joints. The series of link elements extends along a length of the first structure. The joints are configured to flex such that, when the exosuit is worn by a user, the first structure at least partially conforms to a shape of the user's anatomy at a first side of the first structure that extends along the length. The joints restrict flexing that would deform a second side of the first structure extending along the length of the first structure. The exosuit includes a second structure and an actuator coupled to the first structure and the second structure. The actuator causes movement of the first structure relative to the second structure. The exosuit includes an attachment portion to attach the exosuit to the user with the first side of the first structure facing toward the user.

Flexible exosuit for assistive mobility

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for transoral lung access. In some examples, the system includes a bronchoscope, a concentric tube probe deployable from within the bronchoscope, and a steerable needle nested deployable from within the concentric tube probe. The system can include a control system for deploying the concentric tube probe from the bronchoscope into a lung to a location where a target is within a range of the steerable needle and for deploying the steerable needle from the location to the target.

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for transoral lung access

Growing community of inventors

Allison Park, PA, United States of America

Erik Lamers