Method, apparatus, and system for teaching a person neuromusculoskeletal motor patterns

• US 20070219025A1
• Filed: 03/20/2006
• Published: 09/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Laura Aberton, Mark Aberton
• Original Assignee: Laura Aberton, Mark Aberton
• Inventors: Aberton, Mark, Aberton, Laura
• Application Number:
  US11/384,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20070219025A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/450
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0025 Tracking the path or location of one or more users, e.g. players of a game
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0028 Tracking the path of an object, e.g. a ball inside a soccer pitch
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0031 at the starting point
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/02 Tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/22 Field hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/32 Golf
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0054 Bowling, i.e. ten-pin bowling
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0003 Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0071 for basketball

Abstract

Methods for teaching a person a neuromusculoskeletal motor pattern include attaching an optical beam-emitting device, such as a laser, to the body, defining a path on a specified surface, and causing the person to repeat a predetermined neuromusculoskeletal motor pattern while tracking the optical beam relative to the path. Such methods may be used to teach a person proper technique for shooting a basketball towards a basketball hoop. Apparatuses for teaching a person proper technique for shooting a basketball include a strap or sleeve configured to be secured to an upper arm of a person, and a battery-operated laser device attached to the strap or sleeve. Such apparatuses may be free from external cables or wires extending between the laser and any other device, and may include a sleeve having a portion configured to be positioned over a hand of the person.

Claims

1. A method of teaching a person a neuromusculoskeletal motor pattern comprising:

attaching an optical beam-emitting device to the body of a person;

defining a path on a specified surface; and

causing the person to repeat a predetermined neuromusculoskeletal motor pattern while tracking a beam emitted by the optical beam-emitting device relative to the path.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein attaching an optical beam-emitting device to the body of a person includes attaching a laser device to the body of a person and wherein tracking a beam emitted by the optical beam-emitting device includes tracking a laser beam.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein causing the person to repeat a predetermined neuromusculoskeletal motor pattern comprises causing the person to repeat a neuromusculoskeletal motor pattern associated with shooting a basketball towards a hoop.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein attaching a laser device to the body of a person comprises attaching a laser device to the upper arm of the body of the person.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein attaching a laser device to the upper arm of the body of the person comprises positioning the laser device adjacent a posterior side of the upper arm of the person.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein attaching a laser device to the upper arm of the body of the person further comprises:

securing the device to an elongated strap; and

wrapping the strap around the upper arm of the body of the person.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein attaching a laser device to the upper arm of the body of the person further comprises:

securing the device to a sleeve of stretchable material configured to slide over the upper arm of the body of the person; and

sliding the sleeve over a hand and onto the upper arm of the body of the person.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein defining a path on a specified surface further comprises visually defining or physically marking a path on a specified surface.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein visually defining or physically marking a path on a specified surface further comprises visually defining or physically marking a path on at least one of a floor, a wall, a ceiling, a basketball backboard, and a basketball hoop.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein visually defining or physically marking a path on a specified surface comprises physically marking a path on a specified surface using at least one of tape, paint, and chalk.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein visually defining or physically marking a path on a specified surface comprises visually defining a path on a specified surface using at least one additional laser beam emitted by at least one additional laser device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein visually defining a path on a specified surface using at least one additional laser beam emitted by at least one additional laser device comprises:

attaching an additional laser device to a shoe disposed on a foot of the body of the person; and

visually defining the path on at least one of a floor, a wall, a ceiling, a basketball backboard, and a basketball hoop using an additional laser beam emitted by the additional laser device attached to the shoe.

13. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

recording the position of the laser beam emitted by the laser device relative to the path while causing the person to repeat a predetermined neuromusculoskeletal motor pattern using a camera device; and

reviewing a recording produced by the camera device.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein defining a path on specified surface further comprises defining a path disposed in a two-dimensional plane passing through a basketball hoop and oriented substantially perpendicular to a plane in which the basketball hoop is disposed.

15. A system for teaching a person proper technique for shooting a basketball towards a hoop, the system comprising:

a strap or sleeve configured to be secured to an upper arm of a person;

an optical beam-emitting device attached to the strap or sleeve;

a basketball hoop; and

a surface having a visually defined or physically marked path thereon, the path being visually defined or physically marked relative to a center of a basketball hoop and an intended position of a person relative to the basketball hoop.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the optical beam emitting device includes a laser device configured to emit a laser beam.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the strap or sleeve comprises a sleeve having a portion thereof configured to be positioned over the hand of the person, the portion including at least five apertures, each aperture configured to allow a finger or thumb of the body of the person to extend therethrough.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the laser device is moveably coupled to the strap or sleeve.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the laser device is configured to pivot in at least two dimensions relative to the strap or sleeve.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the laser device is configured to pivot in three dimensions relative to the strap or sleeve.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a ball joint coupled to the laser device and configured to facilitate the pivoting of the laser device relative to the strap or sleeve.

22. The system of claim 16, further comprising a sensor located proximate the basketball hoop and configured to provide at least one of an audible signal and a visible signal when the laser beam emitted by the laser device impinges on the sensor.

23. An apparatus for teaching a person proper technique for shooting a basketball towards a hoop, the apparatus comprising:

a strap or sleeve sized and configured to be secured to an upper arm of a body of a person; and

a laser device rotatably attached to the strap or sleeve and configured to emit a laser beam;

wherein the apparatus is free from external cables or wires extending between the laser device and any other device external of the strap or sleeve.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the strap or sleeve comprises a sleeve having a first portion sized and configured to be positioned over the upper arm of a body of a person and second portion sized and configured to be positioned over the forearm of a body of a person.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the strap or sleeve comprises a sleeve having a portion thereof sized and configured to be positioned over a hand of the person, the portion including at least five apertures, each aperture configured to allow a finger or thumb of the body of the person to extend therethrough.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the laser device is moveably attached to the strap or sleeve.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the laser device is configured to pivot in at least two dimensions relative to the strap or sleeve.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the laser device is configured to pivot in three dimensions relative to the strap or sleeve.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising a ball joint coupled to the laser device and facilitating the pivoting of the laser device relative to the strap or sleeve.