Biofeedback system for sensing body motion and flexure
US6032530A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 21, 1998 |
| Grant date | Mar 7, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 21, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA63B2220/803
- WIPO fieldFurniture, games
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A method and apparatus for monitoring key components of body movement and flexure during kinetic activities, and providing intuitive, audible, real time biofeedback to the user. The system uses one or more transducers of types that are directionally sensitive to motion, distance, velocity, and the like, or sensitive to flexure of body joints, at frequencies and magnitudes consistent with human physical activities. Universal appliances aid in the ready emplacement of transducers at user selected points on the body, with user selected orientation. Transducers are connected by wires or wireless means to a small, battery powered signal processor and biofeedback module worn by the user. Individual or integrated transducer outputs are processed to obtain the selected parameter, such as speed of rotation or degree of flexure, and measured against a multistep scale of preferably 3 to 5 steps calibrated to the range of interest and separated by perceptible difference in value. Each step triggers a respective audio tone, each successive tone preferably separated by 1/3 to 1/1 octave in pitch, the highest pitched tone triggered being held for preferably 0.1 to 0.3 seconds. Additional outputs …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.