INERTIAL MEASUREMENT OF SPORTS MOTION

• US 20150105882A1
• Filed: 12/17/2014
• Published: 04/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Pittsburgh of The Commonwealth System of Higher Education
• Original Assignee: University of Pittsburgh of The Commonwealth System of Higher Education
• Inventors: Clark, William W., Romeiko, Jeremy R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,851,374 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/91
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0619 Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 13/00 Indicating or recording presence, absence, or direction, of movement electric switches H01H; counting moving objects G06M7/00

Abstract

Systems and methods of motion tracking are disclosed that can be used in connection with sports motion. Such a method can include placing one or more inertial measurement units (IMUs) on at least one of a person or one or more pieces of equipment, recording motion data associated with the at least one of the person or the one or more pieces of equipment, and synchronizing the recorded motion data. The method can also include analyzing the synchronized motion data in connection with a motion standard, and generating feedback based at least in part on the analyzed motion data.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates motion tracking, comprising:

a control component that receives and synchronizes motion data monitored by each of a set of one or more inertial measurement units (IMUs) that are associated with at least one of a person or a piece of equipment; and

an analysis component that analyzes the synchronized motion data in connection with a motion standard and generates feedback based at least in part on the analysis.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the set of one or more IMUs is attached to and records motion data associated with the person.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the motion data is associated with a pitch of a baseball.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the feedback comprises information associated with velocity of a thrown ball, ball grip or ball release associated with the pitch.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the feedback comprises information associated with a thrower'"'"'s arm orientation, wrist or hand motion associated with the pitch.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the analysis component establishes a consistency of motion from pitch-to-pitch based at least in part upon historical or statistical data associated with the feedback.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the piece of equipment is one of a ball or a puck.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the feedback includes a rotation, velocity or trajectory of the one of a ball or the puck.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the generated feedback comprises a value of a performance index.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the performance index is based at least in part on one or more of a motion factor or an equipment-based factor.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the motion data is associated with at least a thrower'"'"'s motion and a motion of the piece of equipment.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the generated feedback is based at least in part on a motion of a baseball bat.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the generated feedback is based at least in part on a speed of the baseball bat at a time of contact with a baseball.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the analysis component derives at least one of a linear velocity or an angular velocity based at least in part on the synchronized motion data.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the feedback comprises a comparison between the synchronized motion data and benchmark motion data.

16. A method of motion tracking, comprising:

capturing motion data associated with at least one of a person or one or more pieces of equipment via one or more inertial measurement units (IMUs) on at least one of the person or the one or more pieces of equipment;

synchronizing the captured motion data;

analyzing the synchronized motion data in connection with a motion standard; and

generating feedback based at least in part on the analyzed motion data.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising deriving additional motion data that, wherein the additional motion data comprises at least one of a linear or an angular velocity associated with a second person or a disparate piece of equipment.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the motion data is associated with a combination of a motion of the one or more pieces of equipment and data associated with a pitched ball.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the motion data is associated with a pitch of a baseball.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the motion data comprises at least one of an arm speed associated with the pitch, grip data associated with the pitch, or release data associated with the pitch.