Orthopedic apparatus for walking and rehabilitating disabled persons including tetraplegic persons and for facilitating and stimulating the revival of comatose patients through the use of electronic and virtual reality units
First Claim
1. An orthopedic apparatus comprising:
- an exoskeleton to be attached to a person for active movement of limbs of the person and emulation of human gait;
a programmed control unit operably connected to said exoskeleton, operable to control said exoskeleton so as to move said exoskeleton in a movement corresponding to a human gait;
a virtual reality unit to be worn by the person, operable to transmit information to the person so as to generate a virtual environment;
a remote control unit operably connected to said virtual reality unit and said programmed control unit, operable to control both a movement of said exoskeleton via said programmed control unit and said virtual reality unit such that the virtual environment generated by said virtual reality unit corresponds to the movement of said exoskeleton controlled by said remote control so that the movement of said exoskeleton and the virtual environment generated by said virtual reality unit are coordinated.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An exoskeleton for the support of a patient'"'"'s body is jointed opposite the hip and knee articulations, and is provided with a number of small actuators that are designed to move jointed parts of the exoskeleton in accordance with the human gait. A control unit is programmed to control the operation of the actuators so as to impress on the exoskeleton the movements of the human gait. A remote control for operation of the control unit allows the patient to transmit commands to the unit in order to start or stop the lower limbs, as well as to adjust the step speed. An electronic virtual reality unit transmits to the patient, through a special helmet, virtual reality pictures and stimulation interactive with the walking movement that is impressed by the exoskeleton on the patient'"'"'s body. A framework can be used to steady and support the person and allow the person to walk at the same time, and has grips having operating push buttons for the remote control unit. Alternatively, a rail is suspended at a distance from the ground higher than human height for supporting and guiding a ball bearing or a slide slidable inside or on the rail. A metal framework is supported by the ball bearing or slide and provided with two suspenders or rods for supporting the exoskeleton of the patient.
112 Citations
41 Claims
-
1. An orthopedic apparatus comprising:
-
an exoskeleton to be attached to a person for active movement of limbs of the person and emulation of human gait; a programmed control unit operably connected to said exoskeleton, operable to control said exoskeleton so as to move said exoskeleton in a movement corresponding to a human gait; a virtual reality unit to be worn by the person, operable to transmit information to the person so as to generate a virtual environment; a remote control unit operably connected to said virtual reality unit and said programmed control unit, operable to control both a movement of said exoskeleton via said programmed control unit and said virtual reality unit such that the virtual environment generated by said virtual reality unit corresponds to the movement of said exoskeleton controlled by said remote control so that the movement of said exoskeleton and the virtual environment generated by said virtual reality unit are coordinated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 33)
-
-
18. An orthopedic apparatus comprising:
-
an exoskeleton to be attached to a person for active movement of limbs of the person and emulation of human gait; a virtual reality unit to be worn by the person, operable to transmit information to the person so as to generate a virtual environment; a programmed control unit operably connected to said exoskeleton and said virtual reality unit, operable to control said exoskeleton so as to move said exoskeleton in a movement corresponding to a human gait and to control said virtual reality unit; a remote control unit operably connected to said programmed control unit, operable to control both a movement of said exoskeleton and said virtual reality unit via said programmed control unit such that the virtual environment generated by said virtual reality unit corresponds to the movement of said exoskeleton controlled by said remote control so that the movement of said exoskeleton and the virtual environment generated by said virtual reality unit are coordinated. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 34)
-
-
35. A method for rehabilitating motor abilities of a patient for use with an exoskeleton controlled by a programmed control unit so as to have a movement corresponding to a human gait, a virtual reality unit, and a remote control unit, said method comprising:
-
attaching the exoskeleton to the patient; fitting the virtual reality unit to the patient; transmitting information to the patient with the virtual reality unit so as to generate a virtual environment for the patient; and controlling both the movement of the exoskeleton corresponding to the human gait and the virtual reality unit with the remote control such that the virtual environment generated by the virtual reality unit corresponds to the movement of the exoskeleton controlled by the remote control so that the movement of the exoskeleton and the virtual environment generated by the virtual reality unit are coordinated. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
-
Specification