Patent ID: 8800366

Claim:
A method for assessing, studying, or assessing and studying sensorimotor function of a limb of a subject, comprising: coupling a virtual joint of a first robotic mechanical linkage to a first selected joint of the limb of the subject; wherein an axis of the virtual joint is not located on the first robotic mechanical linkage; wherein the first robotic mechanical linkage is not located on or along an axis of the coupled first selected joint of the limb; wherein the first robotic mechanical linkage includes a second joint that is not located on an axis of the first selected joint of the limb when the limb is coupled to the linkage; and wherein the first robotic mechanical linkage includes at least two links that couple the virtual joint to the second joint of the robotic mechanical linkage; wherein coupling provides that motion or torque about an axis at one or more selected joint of the limb will produce a related motion or torque about an axis of one or more selected joint or link of the robotic mechanical linkage; the method further comprising: engaging the limb of the subject in a task involving articulation of at least the first selected joint of the limb; using one or more sensor with the robotic mechanical linkage, wherein the one or more sensor provides one or more signal corresponding to at least one of angular position, torque, and acceleration of the at least one joint or link of the robotic mechanical linkage; processing the one or more signal to generate data, the data corresponding to at least one of angular position, torque, and acceleration of one or more joints of the limb during the task; and using the data to assess, study, or assess and study sensorimotor function of the limb of the subject.