Lockheed Martin Corporation

Gavin A Barnes

Robert Owen Brady

Erik A Holmen

Keith Everett Maxwell

Patricia Ann Aelker

Joel Raymond Chartier

Jeffreys R Nichols

Alexander Hussain

Antoine J Bell

Steven D MacFarlane

Evan M Herndon

Shuoran Qu

Patricia A Aelker

Steven D Macfarlane

Keith E Maxwell

Disclosed herein is a mechanical joint for an exoskeleton ankle. The mechanical joint includes a first connector (e.g., to attach to a foot), a second connector (e.g., to attach to a leg), a stack of at least partially nested cones between the first connector and the second connector (e.g., at an outstep of the foot), and a strand extending through the second connector and the cone stack. The second connector is configured to freely translate away from the first connector and freely tilt relative to the first connector. Similarly, the second cone is configured to freely translate away from the first cone along the strand and freely tilt relative to the first cone. Accordingly, the mechanical joint provides vertical support (e.g., of an exoskeleton structure) while minimizing angular resistance (e.g., about an ankle joint).

Mechanical joint for exoskeleton ankle

Automatic electromyography (EMG) electrode selection for robotic devices is disclosed. A plurality of signals from a corresponding plurality of sensors coupled to a skin of a user is received. For each pair of at least some pairs of the plurality of sensors, a sensor pair signature is generated based on differences in signals that are generated by the respective pair of sensors. Each of the sensor pair signatures is compared to a predetermined sensor pair signature to identify a particular pair of sensors. A signal difference between two signals generated by the particular pair of sensors is subsequently utilized to generate a command to drive a motor.

Automatic sensor selection

An exoskeleton boot that can be selectively coupled to and decoupled from a lower link of an exoskeleton includes an upper configured to receive a foot of a human user and an outsole coupled to the upper. An exoskeleton connection interface is structurally coupled to the outsole and has a locked mode and an unlocked mode. In the locked mode, the exoskeleton connection interface is configured to inhibit decoupling from a boot connection interface of an exoskeleton link. In the unlocked mode, the exoskeleton connection interface is configured to facilitate decoupling from the boot connection interface.

Exoskeleton boot and lower link

A counterbalance system for an exoskeleton is provided, including a first hip joint to displace an external load experienced by a user above a waist of the user, the first hip joint provides for three degrees of freedom of movement, a tool interface located above the first hip joint to direct load displacement through the first hip joint, and a counterbalance arm having a first end and a second end, the counterbalance arm is secured to the tool interface at the first end, the second end of the counterbalance arm is moveable in an arcuate rotational path ranging from in front of the tool interface to behind the tool interface. Another system and method are also provided.

Exoskeleton system providing for a load transfer when a user is standing and kneeling

An exoskeleton pelvic sub-assembly includes one or more pelvic links each having a hip sagittal rotation axis and an inguinal sagittal rotation axis different from the hip sagittal rotation axis. A hip joint is coupled to the pelvic link and is configured to be coupled to a hip link of the exoskeleton. The hip joint is configured to allow sagittal plane rotation of the pelvic link with respect to the hip link about the hip sagittal rotation axis. One or more inguinal joints are also coupled to the pelvic link, each configured to be coupled to a thigh link. The inguinal joint is configured to allow sagittal plane rotation of the pelvic link with respect to the thigh link about the inguinal sagittal rotation axis.

Exoskeleton pelvic link having hip joint and inguinal joint

An adjustable force exoskeleton hip joint system. The system includes a hip joint. The hip joint includes a first member rotatable about a hip joint rotation axis, the first member configured to be coupled to one of a lower body link or an upper body link. The hip joint further includes a second member rotatable about the hip joint rotation axis, the second member configured to be coupled to the other of the lower body link or the upper body link. The system further includes an adjustable force mechanism coupled to at least one of the first member and the second member. The adjustable force mechanism includes an actuator coupled to the first member, the actuator comprising a motor configured to selectively apply an adjustable force to the second member to inhibit rotation of the first member with respect to the second member.

Variable force exoskeleton hip joint

An adjustable force exoskeleton hip joint system. The system includes a hip joint that includes a rotation axis, and a first member that is rotatable about the rotation axis. The first member has a lower body connection location configured to be coupled to a lower body link. The hip joint further includes a second member rotatable about the rotation axis and having an upper body connection location configured to be coupled to an upper body link. The system includes an adjustable force mechanism coupled to at least one member of the first member and the second member and configured to apply an adjustable force to the at least one member to hinder rotation of the upper body connection location with respect to the lower body connection location in a rotational direction.

An exoskeleton joint for a load-bearing powered exoskeleton includes a first exoskeleton link supporting a weight of an external load being applied to the powered exoskeleton and a second exoskeleton link that transfers the weight of the external load to a support surface, i.e., to the ground. In response to a contraction of a muscle of a human user associated with the exoskeleton joint, an electromyography (EMG) sensor generates EMG sensor data based on the muscle contraction. A controller receives the EMG sensor data, determines an actuator command based on the EMG sensor data, and communicates the actuator command to an actuator associated with the exoskeleton joint. This has the advantage that the exoskeleton joint associated with the human user's joint can be instructed to move in response to contraction of the muscle of the human user before the muscle causes the human user's joint to actually move.

Load-bearing powered exoskeleton using electromyographic control

An exoskeleton system is disclosed including a hip joint to provide anatomically emulating three degrees of freedom of movement of the hip joint at a hip location of a user, a knee joint to provide anatomically emulating forward and backward movement of the knee joint at a knee location of the user, an ankle joint to provide anatomically emulating forward and backward movement of the ankle joint at an ankle location of the user, a knee rocker arm as part of the knee joint to transfer a load to a ground surface when the knee rocker arm is in contact with the ground surface as manually powered by the user, and a ground rocker arm as part of the ankle joint to transfer the load to a ground surface when the ground rocker arm is in contact with the ground surface as manually powered by the user.

An intermediate link for a tool arm assembly is provided. The intermediate link includes first and second connectors that are at least partially rotatable about respective first and second rotation axes. The intermediate link includes first and/or second lock rotation mechanisms that are configured to selectively prevent rotation of the first and second connectors.

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St. Cloud, FL, United States of America

Gavin A Barnes