The present invention relates to electroactive polymers that are pre-strained to improve conversion from electrical to mechanical energy. When a voltage is applied to electrodes contacting a pre-strained polymer, the polymer deflects. This deflection may be used to do mechanical work. The pre-strain improves the mechanical response of an electroactive polymer. The present invention also relates to actuators including an electroactive polymer and mechanical coupling to convert deflection of the polymer into mechanical work. The present invention further relates to compliant electrodes that conform to the shape of a polymer. The present invention provides methods for fabricating electromechanical devices including one or more electroactive polymers.

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The invention provides a device and method for wireless material handling systems. The invention further provides an instrumented glove device worn by an operator. A sensory system within the glove device measures the contact force the operator is exerting on either an object to be moved or the material handling system and generates a set of contact signals representing the contact force. The contact signals are transmitted, via a transmitter circuitry, to a controller in another location. The controller receives and processes the signals and generates a set of command signals. The command signals control the speed and mechanical assistance required of an actuator, as a function of the operator contact force, to move the material handling system.

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A robotic exoskeleton and a control system for driving the robotic exoskeleton, including a method for making and using the robotic exoskeleton and its control system. The robotic exoskeleton has sensors embedded in it which provide feedback to the control system. Feedback is used from the motion of the legs themselves, as they deviate from a normal gait, to provide corrective pressure and guidance. The position versus time is sensed and compared to a normal gait profile. Various normal profiles are obtained based on studies of the population for age, weight, height and other variables.

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The invention relates to an arm exoskeleton comprising a moving system of joints placed in parallel with the joints of the human arm, the exoskeleton comprising a shoulder exoskeleton, an elbow exoskeleton, and a wrist exoskeleton. In all, the exoskeleton has sixteen joints providing sixteen degrees of freedom. A support worn on the torso of a human operator comprises a rigid front plate and a rigid back plate. The shoulder exoskeleton has its proximal end fixed to the front plate, whereby the front plate provides a fixed reference for all movements of the exoskeleton, and the wrist exoskeleton is fixed to a rigid glove worn on the hand of the operator. Active joints are controlled by flexible cable tendons bridging the exoskeleton, said tendons themselves being actuated by control units disposed on the rigid back plate. Inflatable cushions prevent the wrist exoskeleton and the shoulder exoskeleton from moving relative to the arm of the operator. The invention is applicable in particular to remotely controlling a robot in space.

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A distal mechanism for providing three degrees of freedom for a rotating handle. Three stages provide a serial mechanical linkage between a handle and a platform, which may itself be moveable in three degrees of freedom. Each stage has an axis of rotation, and the three axes intersect. The first stage is mounted to the platform in such a way as to provide rotation about the first stage axis. The first stage carries the second, allowing the second stage to rotate about its axis. The second stage carries the third stage, allowing the third stage to rotate about its axis. The third stage is fixed to the handle, and the third stage axis passes along the length of the handle. Each stage has a sensor to measure its rotation, and a tendon means of transferring torque from a remote motor to torque about the rotation axis of the respective stage. The sensors have two limited angle ranges of measurement, about 110 degrees wide and on opposite sides of the rotation. The third stage has an auxiliary sensor, mounted in quadrature to the main third stage sensor. It is connected to an idler that carries the third stage tendon. The auxiliary third stage sensor measures angles of rotation that are not measured by the main third stage sensor. The two third stage sensors together provide continuous roll measurement about the third stage axis.

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