Lower-leg exoskeleton system and method

Abstract

A lower-leg exoskeleton that includes an actuator configured to be worn about a portion a leg of a user that is below the knee of the user; and a foot structure coupled to a first actuator end of the actuator, the foot structure configured to surround a portion of the foot of the user. The foot structure includes one or more sidewalls configured to extend around the foot of the user and including one or more sidewall attachment points for connecting to a base portion, and a base portion configured to reside at a base of the foot of the user and including one or more base attachment points coupling with the one or more sidewall attachment points.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lower-leg exoskeleton comprising:
 a single degree-of-freedom (DOF) ankle actuator that is configured to be worn over a portion of a foot of a user and configured to be worn disposed adjacent to an ankle of the foot of the user at least on the lateral side of the lower leg of the user;   a rigid foot structure coupled to a first actuator end of the actuator, the rigid foot structure configured to surround a portion of the foot of the user, wherein the rigid foot structure comprises:
 one or more sidewalls configured to extend around the foot of the user and including first and second sidewall attachment points for connecting to a base portion, and 
 the base portion integrally built into a rigid sole of a boot or shoe, the base portion configured to reside at a base of the foot of the user and including exposed external first and second base attachment points coupling with the first and second sidewall attachment points; and 
   a rigid shin structure coupled at a second actuator end of the actuator, the rigid shin structure configured to couple and engage with a shin of the user   wherein, the actuator and rigid foot structure are configured to, when worn by the user, receive and transmit an actuator load generated by the actuator around the foot of the user to a load contact point of the lower-leg exoskeleton configured to be disposed at a bottom of the foot of the user defined by the rigid foot structure and generate a moment that forces the rigid shin structure toward the shin of the user such that the rigid shin structure engaging the shin of the user opposes the actuator such that the moment generated by the actuator results in flexion of the foot of the user.   
     
     
         2 . The lower-leg exoskeleton of  claim 1 , wherein the base portion is integrally built into the rigid sole of the boot or shoe and allows force to be transmitted directly through the rigid sole of the boot or shoe without using the foot of the user as part of a load path for the moment generated by the actuator that results in flexion of the foot of the user. 
     
     
         3 . The lower-leg exoskeleton of  claim 1 , wherein the rigid foot structure is coupled to a first actuator end of the actuator and comprises a heel structure in a heel of the shoe or boot configured to provide a load path for force generated by the actuator that results in the flexion of the foot of the user. 
     
     
         4 . A robotic exoskeleton system comprising:
 a first lower-leg exoskeleton of  claim 1  coupled to a left leg of the user;   a second lower-leg exoskeleton of  claim 1  coupled to a right leg of the user; and   a control system configured to sense conditions associated with the first and second lower-leg exoskeletons via one or more sensors and provide feedback control for the robotic exoskeleton system by selectively actuating the respective actuators of the first and second lower-leg exoskeletons in response to the sensed conditions, the feedback control generating a walking gait for the user wearing the first and second lower-leg exoskeletons by the selective actuation of the respective actuators, wherein sensing conditions associated with the first and second lower-leg exoskeletons includes determining a position, movement, rotation and orientation of the left and right legs of the user and/or a position, movement, rotation and orientation of the first and second lower-leg exoskeletons.   
     
     
         5 . A lower-leg exoskeleton comprising:
 an ankle actuator that is configured to be worn above a foot of a user and configured to be worn disposed below the knee of the user;   a rigid foot structure coupled to a first actuator end of the actuator, the rigid foot structure configured to surround a portion of the foot of the user, wherein the rigid foot structure comprises:
 one or more sidewalls configured to extend around the foot of the user and including first and second sidewall attachment points for connecting to a base portion, and 
 a base portion configured to reside at a base of the foot of the user and including exposed external first and second base attachment points coupling with the first and second sidewall attachment points; and 
   a rigid shin structure coupled at a second actuator end of the actuator, the rigid shin structure configured to engage with a shin of the user.   
     
     
         6 . The lower-leg exoskeleton of  claim 5 , wherein the actuator is a single degree-of-freedom (DOF) actuator that provides no more than one DOF. 
     
     
         7 . The lower-leg exoskeleton of  claim 5 , wherein the base portion is integrally built into a rigid sole of a boot or shoe. 
     
     
         8 . The lower-leg exoskeleton of  claim 5 , wherein, the actuator and rigid foot structure are configured to, when worn by the user, receive and transmit an actuator load generated by the actuator around the foot of the user to a load contact point of the lower-leg exoskeleton configured to be disposed at a bottom of the foot of the user defined by the rigid foot structure. 
     
     
         9 . The lower-leg exoskeleton of  claim 5 , wherein, the actuator is configured to generate a moment that forces the rigid shin structure toward the shin of the user such that the rigid shin structure engaging the shin of the user opposes the actuator such that the moment generated by the actuator results in flexion of the foot of the user. 
     
     
         10 . The lower-leg exoskeleton of  claim 5 , wherein the base portion is integrally built into a rigid sole of a boot or shoe and allows force to be transmitted directly through a heel structure in a heel of the rigid sole of the boot or shoe without using the foot of the user as part of a load path for a moment generated by the actuator that results in flexion of the foot of the user. 
     
     
         11 . A lower-leg exoskeleton comprising:
 an actuator configured to be worn about a portion a leg of a user that is below the knee of the user; and   a foot structure coupled to a first actuator end of the actuator, the foot structure configured to surround a portion of the foot of the user, wherein the foot structure comprises:
 one or more sidewalls configured to extend around the foot of the user and including one or more sidewall attachment points for connecting to a base portion, and 
 a base portion configured to reside at a base of the foot of the user and including one or more base attachment points coupling with the one or more sidewall attachment points. 
   
     
     
         12 . The lower-leg exoskeleton of  claim 11 , wherein the actuator is configured to be worn disposed adjacent to an ankle of the foot of the user. 
     
     
         13 . The lower-leg exoskeleton of  claim 11 , further comprising a shin structure coupled at a second actuator end of the actuator, the shin structure configured to engage with a shin of the user. 
     
     
         14 . The lower-leg exoskeleton of  claim 11 , wherein the actuator is a single degree-of-freedom (DOF) actuator that provides no more than one DOF. 
     
     
         15 . The lower-leg exoskeleton of  claim 11 , wherein the base portion is integrally built into a sole of a boot or shoe. 
     
     
         16 . The lower-leg exoskeleton of  claim 11 , wherein, the actuator and foot structure are configured to, when worn by the user, receive and transmit an actuator load generated by the actuator around the foot of the user to a load contact point of the lower-leg exoskeleton configured to be disposed at a bottom of the foot of the user defined by the foot structure. 
     
     
         17 . The lower-leg exoskeleton of  claim 11 , wherein, the actuator is configured to generate a moment that forces the shin structure toward the shin of the user such that the shin structure engaging the shin of the user opposes the actuator such that the moment generated by the actuator results in movement of the foot of the user. 
     
     
         18 . The lower-leg exoskeleton of  claim 11 , wherein the base portion is integrally built into a sole of a boot or shoe and allows force to be transmitted directly through a heel structure in a heel of the sole of the boot or shoe without using the foot of the user as part of a load path for a moment generated by the actuator that results in movement of the foot of the user. 
     
     
         19 . A robotic exoskeleton system comprising:
 a first lower-leg exoskeleton of  claim 11  coupled to a left leg of the user;   a second lower-leg exoskeleton of  claim 11  coupled to a right leg of the user;   one or more sensors; and   a control system configured to provide feedback control for the first and second lower-leg exoskeleton based on data from the one or more sensors.   
     
     
         20 . The robotic exoskeleton system of  claim 19 , wherein the control system is configured to sense conditions associated with the first and second lower-leg exoskeletons via the one or more sensors and provide feedback control for the robotic exoskeleton system by selectively actuating the respective actuators of the first and second lower-leg exoskeletons in response to the sensed conditions, the feedback control generating a walking gait for the user wearing the first and second lower-leg exoskeletons by the selective actuation of the respective actuators, wherein sensing conditions associated with the first and second lower-leg exoskeletons includes determining at least one of a position, movement, rotation and orientation of the left and right legs of the user and/or at least one of a position, movement, rotation and orientation of the first and second lower-leg exoskeletons.