SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MEASURING POWER GENERATED DURING LEGGED LOCOMOTION

• US 20110054809A1
• Filed: 08/27/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Templeman, Robert E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,744,783 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/44
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/38 with power sources
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/22 Ergometry; Measuring muscular strength or the force of a muscular blow exercising apparatus A63B21/00 ; measuring of work or force in general G01L
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6807 Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/26 Auxiliary measures taken, or devices used, in connection with the measurement of force, e.g. for preventing influence of transverse components of force, for preventing overload

Abstract

A system and method is provided for calculating power generated by a body during legged locomotion. The system includes at least one accelerometer to measure acceleration of the body during legged locomotion, at least one force sensor to measure a plurality of propulsive force impulses created by the body during legged locomotion, and a processor configured to calculate the power generated by the body during legged locomotion using output signals from both the at least one accelerometer and the at least one force sensor.

Claims

1. A method for calculating power generated by a body during legged locomotion comprising:

providing at least one accelerometer to measure acceleration of the body during legged locomotion;

providing at least one force sensor to measure a plurality of propulsive force impulses created by the body during legged locomotion; and

calculating the power generated by the body during legged locomotion using output signals from both the at least one accelerometer and the at least one force sensor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein three accelerometers are provided to measure acceleration of the body in an X-axis direction, in a Y-axis direction, and in a Z-axis direction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a single accelerometer is used to measure acceleration of the body.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of force sensors are located in a spaced apart array and located in a footwear item worn on the body.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one accelerometer and the at least one force sensor are located in an insole configured to fit within a shoe.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a signal indicative of the calculated power to a remote location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculating step comprises:

detecting a plurality of force impulses based on output signals from the at least one force sensor;

determining the distance traversed between successive force impulses based on output signals from the at least one accelerometer;

determining an elapsed time between the successive force impulses; and

calculating power based upon the magnitude of the force impulse, the distance traversed between successive force impulses, and the elapsed time.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an indication related to the calculated power on an indicator.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the indicator is a graphical display.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the indicator is one of an audible indication, a visual indication, and a vibration.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculating step includes providing at least one accelerometer and at least one force sensor on each leg of the body, calculating power generated by each leg of the body, and summing the power generated by the legs to calculate total power generated by the body during legged locomotion.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing the power calculated with at least one physiological sensor output signal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one physiological sensor is at least one of a heart rate sensor, a blood oxygen sensor, and a lactate sensor.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein output signals from the at least one accelerometer and the at least one force sensor are transmitted to a remote computing device which performs the calculating step.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising calibrating the at least one force sensor based upon a weight of the body.

16. A system to calculate power generated by a body during legged locomotion, the system comprising:

at least one accelerometer to measure acceleration of the body during legged locomotion;

at least one force sensor to measure a plurality of propulsive force impulses created by the body during legged locomotion; and

a processor configured to calculate the power generated by the body during legged locomotion using output signals from both the at least one accelerometer and the at least one force sensor.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein three accelerometers are provided to measure acceleration of the body in an X-axis direction, in a Y-axis direction, and in a Z-axis direction.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein a single accelerometer is used to measure acceleration of the body.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein a plurality of force sensors are located in a spaced apart array and located in a footwear item worn on the body.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one accelerometer and the at least one force sensor are located in an insole configured to fit within a shoe.

21. The system of claim 16, further comprising a transmitter coupled to the processor to transmit a signal indicative of the calculated power to a remote location.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is programmed with software to detect and measure a plurality of force impulses based on output signals from the at least one force sensor;

to determine a distance traversed between successive force impulses based on output signals from the at least one accelerometer;

to determine an elapsed time between the successive force impulses; and

to calculate power based upon the magnitude of the force impulse, the distance traversed between successive force impulses, and the elapsed time.

23. The system of claim 16, further comprising an indicator coupled to the processor, the indicator providing an indication related to the calculated power on an indicator.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the indicator is a display.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the indicator is one of an audible indicator, a visual indicator, and a vibrator.

26. The system of claim 16, wherein at least one accelerometer and at least one force sensor are located on each leg of the body, and the processor calculates power generated by each leg of the body and sums the power generated by the legs to calculate total power generated by the body during legged locomotion.

27. The system of claim 16, further comprising at least one physiological sensor coupled to the processor, the processor comparing the power calculated with at least one physiological sensor output signal.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the at least one physiological sensor is at least one of a heart rate sensor, a blood oxygen sensor, and a lactate sensor.

29. The system of claim 16, wherein processor is located in a remote computing device spaced apart from the at least one accelerometer and the at least one force sensor, and further comprising a transmitter configured to transmit the output signals from the at least one accelerometer and the at least one force sensor to the remote computing device which calculates the power generated by the body during legged locomotion.

30. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is programmed with software to calibrate the at least one force sensor based upon a weight of the body.