Spinal Treatment Devices, Methods, and Systems

摘要

Active wearable body brace embodiments provide selectable conformation control of the interface between the trunk of a human subject and the brace, which conformation may be varied over time and responsively to feedback and an updateable prescription. Further active wearable body brace embodiments provide selectable movement control of the interface between the trunk of a human subject and the brace with up to six degrees of freedom between elements to allow a controller to implement operations such as muscle challenges, active support, and passive-like support where actuators mimic springs. Further embodiments may also provide detection functions such as quantifying muscle weakness. The features of these embodiments may be combined in various ways to provide still further embodiments.

主权项

1. A mobile wearable body brace suitable for correcting a spinal deformity, comprising:
at least three members axially offset from and shaped to engage the trunk of a predefined person at different points along the caudal-cranial axis, the members being shaped, or configured to be able to shape, to conform closely with the trunk of the predefined person; one or more sensors positioned on or between the at least three members and the trunk of the predefined person to provide real-time sensor data, the one or more sensors including pressure, shear, and/or temperature sensors; actuators selectively controlled by a controller and connecting one of the at least three members to another one of the at least three members, the number and placement of the actuators providing forces tending to displace, rotationally or linearly, at least one of the at least three members relative to another in a combination of multiple degrees of freedom; a programmable controller connected to the actuators to control them and programmed to generate said forces responsively to predefined parameters according to a treatment to be performed to correct the spinal deformity; a battery sized to permit the self-sufficient powering of said actuators and said controller for autonomous and mobile use of said body brace.