A rotary displacement measuring apparatus includes an axle whose rotary displacement is to be determined, with the axle being mounted to rotate about its long axis. An emitter disk is mounted on the axle to define a plurality of concentric tracks circumscribing the axle to rotate as the axle rotates, with each of the tracks being segmented to define a plurality of spaced-apart, conductive sections for producing electric fields when energized. Also included is a voltage source for energizing the conductive sections. A detector is disposed adjacent to the tracks of the emitter disk and includes a plurality of sensors, each positioned adjacent a respective track to detect the electric fields of the respective track as the axle and tracks are rotated. The detector produces signals representing the detection of the electric fields as the emitter disk is rotated, and these signals provide an indication of the rotary displacement of the tracks and thus of the axle.

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An exoskeleton device is provided for measuring positions of links and angles of joints of an animate body, where the body comprises a plurality of links joined by intervening joints. The device is affixed at a first mobile terminus of said animate body and a second fixed terminus, having device links displaced from animate links, where the device links are connected by device joints and having sensor means for measuring the angle of the device joints. Using the signals from the sensor means, one can determine the position of the terminal device link and based on knowledge of the animate body structure, calculate the animate angle joints.

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A man-machine interface device is provided which employs rigid links interconnected by measured revolute joints to provide the position of a hand relative to a reference location, such as a desk, keyboard or chair. By proper selection of kinematic structure, and by placing one of the joints near the elbow and extending one of the links along the line of the forearm, translation of the joint-link structure is minimized, hence the undesirable perception of friction and inertia are also minimized. When Hall-Effect sensors are used as the revolute joint goniometers, the permanent magnets of neighboring joints are placed in the same link so the effects of magnetic field interference can be calibrated out. A hand-sensing joint-link device as described herein can produce data which is more noise free, at a higher sample rate, with less latency and more robust that competing electromagnetic, optical and ultrasonic sensing technologies, without adding much encumbrance. The output from the hand-sensing device may be used to produce a graphical «virtual hand» on a computer monitor which mimics the movement of the measured physical hand. The hand-sensing joint-link device may also be used with a finger-sensing joint-link device to provide data on the movements of the fingers and hand. When a right and left finger- and hand-sensing joint-link devices are used, the wearer can use both hands to manipulate virtual objects on a computer monitor.

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An object of the present invention is to provide a walk assisting apparatus which enables persons having walking difficulties due to leg paralysis or other conditions to make the alternate walk improved for unassisted walking. The walk assisting apparatus according to the present invention comprises a left and a right full length leg brace swingably connected to left and right outer coxa links, an inner coxa link interconnecting the insides of the thighs of the left and the right leg supports, a swing center of the inner crotch link substantially coinciding with a swing center of the coxa links, so that the inner coxa link allows the leg supports to make the alternate walk properly.

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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.

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