US 12,186,210 B2
Wearable device including a sensor-actuated soft actuator and method for actuation
Kevin Galloway, Somerville, MA (US); Conor Walsh, Cambridge, MA (US); Donal Holland, Athgarvan (IE); Panagiotis Polygerinos, Mesa, AZ (US); Tyler Clites, Natick, MA (US); Paxton Maeder-York, Cambridge, MA (US); Ryan Neff, Lincoln Park, NJ (US); Emily Marie Boggs, Charleston, WV (US); and Zivthan Dubrovsky, Lexington, MA (US)
Assigned to President and Fellows of Harvard College, Cambridge, MA (US)
Filed by President and Fellows of Harvard College, Cambridge, MA (US)
Filed on Sep. 9, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/016,066.
Application 17/016,066 is a continuation of application No. 16/186,823, filed on Nov. 12, 2018, granted, now 10,788,058.
Application 16/186,823 is a continuation of application No. 15/033,270, granted, now 10,184,500, issued on Jan. 22, 2019, previously published as PCT/US2014/062844, filed on Oct. 29, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/896,984, filed on Oct. 29, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2021/0079935 A1, Mar. 18, 2021
Int. Cl. A61F 2/68 (2006.01); A61B 17/02 (2006.01); A61B 34/00 (2016.01); A61F 2/70 (2006.01); A61F 2/74 (2006.01); A61F 5/01 (2006.01); A61H 1/02 (2006.01); A61H 3/00 (2006.01); F15B 15/10 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 17/11 (2006.01); A61B 90/00 (2016.01); A61F 2/72 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 13/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 2/68 (2013.01) [A61B 17/02 (2013.01); A61B 17/0218 (2013.01); A61B 34/70 (2016.02); A61F 2/70 (2013.01); A61F 5/013 (2013.01); A61H 1/024 (2013.01); A61H 1/0288 (2013.01); A61H 3/00 (2013.01); F15B 15/103 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00535 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00539 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00544 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0225 (2013.01); A61B 2017/1103 (2013.01); A61B 2017/1132 (2013.01); A61B 2090/065 (2016.02); A61B 2090/0807 (2016.02); A61F 2/72 (2013.01); A61F 2/74 (2021.08); A61H 2201/1238 (2013.01); A61H 2201/165 (2013.01); A61H 2201/5061 (2013.01); A61H 2201/5071 (2013.01); A61H 2230/105 (2013.01); A61H 2230/605 (2013.01); B25J 9/1612 (2013.01); B25J 13/00 (2013.01); F15B 15/10 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device configured to be worn by a human including a sensor-actuated soft actuator, the device comprising:
at least one soft actuator body defining a chamber, wherein the soft actuator body is incorporated into the device;
a fluid connector positioned and configured to provide a path for fluid flow into and out of the chamber;
a control system connected with the soft actuator body, wherein the control system comprises a pneumatic or hydraulic pump, valves, and a microcontroller and is configured to control fluid flow through the fluid connector into and out of the chamber to produce at least one actuation motion selected from bending, extending, stiffening, expansion, contraction, twisting, and combinations thereof in the soft actuator body; and
at least one sensor, including a strain sensor, incorporated into the device and in communication with the microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller is configured to control the fluid flow based on communications from the at least one sensor, including the strain sensor, and to thereby control actuation of the soft actuator body.