The present invention relates to transducers, their use and fabrication. The transducers convert between mechanical and electrical energy. Some transducers of the present invention include a pre-strained polymer. The pre-strain improves the conversion between electrical and mechanical energy. The present invention also relates to devices including an electroactive polymer to convert between electrical and mechanical energy. The present invention further relates to compliant electrodes that conform to the shape of a polymer included in a transducer. The present invention provides methods for fabricating electromechanical devices including one or more electroactive polymers.

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The invention in some embodiments relates to systems and methods of controlling pressure within a prosthetic knee. The knee in one embodiment comprises a flexible diaphragm that substantially prevents or mitigates undesirable pressure build-up in a sealed chamber of the knee. The knee in another embodiment comprises a compressible gas in the chamber that substantially prevents or mitigates undesirable pressure build-up in the chamber.

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Many patients with spinal injures are confined to wheelchairs, leading to a sedentary lifestyle with secondary pathologies and increased dependence on a carer. Increasing evi-dence has shown that locomotor training reduces the incidence of these secondary pathologies, but the physical effort involved in this training is such that there is poor compliance. This paper reports on the design and control of a new “human friendly” orthosis (exoskeleton), powered by high power pneumatic Muscle Actuators (pMAs). The combination of a highly compliant actuation system, with an intelligent embedded control mechanism which senses hip, knee, and ankle positions, velocity, acceleration and force, produces powerful yet inherently safe operation for paraplegic patients. This paper analyzes the motion of ankle, knee, and hip joints under zero loading, and loads which simulate human limb mass, showing that the use of “soft” actuators can provide a smooth user friendly motion. The application of this technology will greatly improve the rehabilitative protocols for paraplegic patients.

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Wheeled vehicles are often incapable of transporting heavy materials over rough terrain or up staircases. Lower extremity exoskeletons supplement human intelligence with the strength and endurance of a pair of wearable robotic legs that support a payload. This paper summarizes the design and analysis of the Berkeley lower extremity exoskeleton (BLEEX). The anthropomorphically based BLEEX has 7 DOF per leg, four of which are powered by linear hydraulic actuators. The selection of the DOF, critical hardware design aspects, and initial performance measurements of BLEEX are discussed.

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Двое нетрудоспособных японцев планируют в августе покорить вершину Брейтгорн (Breithorn), 4164-метровый пик в Бернских Альпах, используя силовые роботизированные костюмы HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limb), созданные в лаборатории Cybernics университета Цукубы (Tsukuba University).

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