Vertical knee un-bend support?

[Query]

I've been looking at knee braces, partly to limit the sideways motion of my kneecap (pateller tracking), and partly to see if I could get help getting out of single leg deep knee bends.

I tried several braces from Ace, Mueller and MacDavid, like these. None helped perceptively with either sideways or vertical support.

A simple adhesive wrap (with figure eights around the knee, as per the instructions in the Ace bandage package) worked a little better with pateller tracking, but still supplied no vertical support. [Hey: is this typical? Are the expensive braces not as good as simple tape, or did I do something wrong? They are expensive, so they must be good for something.]

I have in mind two ideas:

(1) The military combat suits that contain motors and such, to allow soldiers to jump, be stronger and run very fast. Alas, much too expensive and clumsy. Definitely not designed for skating and dance applications. Must drop idea for now.

(2) Bionic Skater, with surgically embedded motors and cables. For now, same problems.

(3) A stretch band extending from the hip or waste, down the front of the leg over the knee, to the ankle or foot. As long as one uses one's weight to bend the knee (and doesn't do too many "attitude" moves), I think it would work.

(4) A rigid jointed brace with substantial built in springs or elastic stretch bands.

Has anyone seen anything along the lines of (3) or (4), or something else?

(My best guess is that the stretch band would end up being somewhat clumsy, and this wouldn't be so hot for serious competitors. But for those of us who are tired old folks, it would sometimes be nice.)

Just incidentally, does anyone know if ISI or USFSA object to mechanical aids? I know lots of skaters do use various braces, and have surgery (which sometimes includes tightening up muscles and ligaments, which does somewhat the same thing), to correct medical problems. But I couldn't find anything about external mechanical aids to strength.