A computer controlled hydraulic resistance device for apparatus such as a
prosthetic knee for above knee amputees, includes a two stage pilot
operated solenoid valve connected to control the flow of hydraulic fluid
to and from a hydraulic actuator which applies resistance to the
prosthetic knee or other apparatus through a coupling. Hydraulic pressure
is sensed on the high and low side of the actuator by a spring biased
magnet and a magnetically actuated electronic sensor and is used by a
micro-controller in a closed-loop manner to compensate automatically for
variations in the device and in the hydraulic fluid viscosity. The device
also has magnetically actuated electronic sensors which sense positions
of the apparatus and feed back to the micro-controller for applying a
predetermined resistance profile to the apparatus.