INTEGRATED PORTABLE DEVICE AND METHOD IMPLEMENTING AN ACCELEROMETER FOR DETECTING ASYMMETRIES IN A MOVEMENT OF A USER

• US 20130190658A1
• Filed: 12/14/2012
• Published: 07/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Slyde Analytics LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Myotest SA
• Inventors: FLACTION, Patrick, Quievre, Jacques, Morin, Jean-Benoit
• Granted Patent: US 10,881,905 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1038 Measuring plantar pressure during gait
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/112 Gait analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1122 of movement trajectories
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0006 Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2218/00 Aspects of pattern recognition specially adapted for signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/23 Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training

Abstract

System and method implementing an accelerometer (17) for detecting asymmetries in a movement of a user. The system includes a fastening a device (1) on the torso of the runner, close to his/her center of gravity (CG), the device being electrically self-sufficient and comprising a triaxial accelerometer (17) and a digital processor (19). The accelerometer is used to measure a sequence of acceleration data in at least the vertical direction (a_v), while the user performs at least one exercise. During or at the end of the exercise, having the processor calculate the biomechanical parameters enabling the detection of at least one asymmetry in a movement of the user, on the basis of the acceleration data.

Claims

1. Method implementing an accelerometer for detecting asymmetries in a movement of a user, comprising:

(a) fastening a device on the torso of said user, close to his/her center of gravity, said device being electrically self-sufficient and comprising a triaxial accelerometer and a digital processor;

(b) measuring a sequence of acceleration data along at least the vertical direction using said accelerometer, while the user performs at least one exercise;

(c) during or at the end of this exercise, having said processor calculate the biomechanical parameters including at least one asymmetry in the movements of the user, on the basis of said acceleration data.

2. The method according to claim 1, for analyzing biomechanical parameters of the stride of a user who is a runner, wherein:

said sequence of acceleration data in at least the vertical direction is measured using said accelerometer, while the user runs a distance on a running course, said distance being either predetermined or entered manually or determined by a satellite receiver;

during or at the end of the running course, the biomechanical parameters of the stride of said runner are calculated by said processor on the basis of said acceleration data, of said distance and of a period of time measured by a chronograph of said device;

said parameters are displayed on a display of said device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said biomechanical parameters include at least one of the following parameters:

balance, explosive power, mobility, resistance, stability.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said biomechanical parameters include a regularity index of the exercise determined by means of said acceleration data.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said biomechanical parameters include a fatigue level indicator on the basis of said regularity index.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said biomechanical parameters include the asymmetry between at least one movement of the left leg and at least one corresponding movement of the right leg and/or the asymmetry between at least one forward movement of the user and at least one corresponding backward movement of the user.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said biomechanical parameters include an injury risk indicator calculated on the basis of said asymmetry.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein a sequence of acceleration data in at least the anteroposterior direction is measured by said accelerometer and processed separately from said sequence of acceleration data in the vertical direction in order to calculate at least some of said parameters.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein a sequence of acceleration data in at least the lateral direction is measured by said accelerometer and processed separately from said sequence of acceleration data in the vertical direction in order to calculate at least some of said parameters.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the anteroposterior direction is determined by determining the spatial direction in which the displacement is greater.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said device proposes a customized training schedule according to said parameters and designed to improve the technical or muscular qualities of the user.

12. The method according to claim 1, including the calculation and displaying of a radar chart or Kiviat diagram comprising said biomechanical parameters.

15. Computer data carrier storing in a semi-permanent manner a computer program designed to be executed by a microprocessor in order to execute the method of claim 1.

13. Method for determining a muscle injury risk indicator by means of an accelerometer, comprising:

measuring a sequence of acceleration data using said accelerometer, while the user performs an exercise;

determining an asymmetry between at least one movement of the left leg and at least one corresponding movement of the right leg and/or an asymmetry between at least one forward movement of the user and at least one corresponding backward movement of the user, on the basis of said acceleration data,

calculating said injury risk indicator on the basis of said asymmetry.

14. Method for determining a muscle fatigue level indicator by means of an accelerometer, comprising:

measuring a sequence of acceleration data using said accelerometer, while the user performs an exercise;

determining a regularity index of the exercise, on the basis of said acceleration data,

calculating said fatigue level indicator on the basis of said regularity index.

16. Device designed for detecting asymmetries in a movement of a user and comprising:

a self-sufficient electric power source;

a triaxial accelerometer capable of supplying at least one sequence of acceleration data in at least the vertical direction whilst the user performs at least one exercise;

a digital processor programmed for calculating, during or at the end of said exercise, biomechanical parameters enabling the detection of at least one asymmetry in a movement of said user, on the basis of said acceleration data.

17. The device according to claim 16, also comprising:

a chronograph;

a belt;

a display for displaying said parameters.