Motion measurement apparatus

• US 5,791,351 A
• Filed: 08/05/1996
• Issued: 08/11/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donald B. Curchod
• Original Assignee: Donald B. Curchod
• Inventors: Curchod, Donald B.
• Primary Examiner(s): RIMELL, SAMUEL G
• Application Number:
  US08/692,107
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 439/252, 128/774, 128/782, 33/511, 33/512
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1114 Tracking parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1121 Determining geometric values, e.g. centre of rotation or angular range of movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1124 Determining motor skills
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0012 Comparing movements or motion sequences with a registered reference
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/12 Absolute positions, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/09 Adjustable dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/093 Height
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0059 worn by the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3608 Attachments on the body, e.g. for measuring, aligning, restraining A63B69/0059, A63B69/3673 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00

Abstract

This invention is an apparatus for measuring and visually displaying a user'"'"'s body movement while performing a motion. Sensing means (22) such as potentiometers, are coupled to the joints of a user in order to quantitatively detect movement of the user'"'"'s body while performing a motion. The sensors (22) generate signals indicative of the motion and are received by processor means (30) which in turn connects to a display means (32) for graphically displaying at least one image representing the movement. A second image may be displayed with the first image for comparison purposes.

Claims

1. An apparatus for measuring body limb movement comprising:

a) a torque transmitting lever having a first end and a second end and a longitudinal axis extending from said first end to said second end,

b) a rotation sensor,

c) a first body joint attachment means,

d) a second body joint attachment means,

e) said first body joint attachment means connected to said first end of said torque transmitting lever,

f) said second body joint attachment means connected to said rotation sensor,

g) said rotation sensor connected to said second end of said torque transmitting lever for sensing rotation of said torque transmitting lever about said longitudinal axis,

whereby the rotation of a limb around its longitudinal axis is measured.

2. The limb movement measurement apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one universal joint coupled to at least one end of said lever.

3. The limb movement measurement apparatus of claim 1 wherein said torque transmitting lever is slidably extensible.

4. The limb movement measurement apparatus of claim 3 wherein said torque transmitting lever is a telescopic sliding rod having means for transmitting torque about said longitudinal axis from said first end to said second end.

5. The limb movement measurement apparatus of claim 3 wherein said rotation sensor is of the variable resistance type.

6. The limb movement measurement apparatus of claim 3 wherein said rotation sensor is a potentiometer.

7. An apparatus for measuring body limb movement comprising:

a) a slidably extensible torque transmitting lever,

b) a first rotation sensor,

c) a first body joint attachment means,

d) a second body joint attachment means,

e) said first body joint attachment means connected to a first end of said torque transmitting lever,

f) said second body joint attachment means connected to said first rotation sensor,

g) said first rotation sensor connected to a second end of said torque transmitting lever,

h) a second rotation sensor,

i) means for attaching said second rotation sensor to said first body joint attachment means,

j) means for attaching said second rotation sensor to said first end of said lever,

whereby at least one angle of movement of at least one limb joint and rotation of the limb are measured simultaneously.

9. The limb movement measurement apparatus of claim 7 wherein said torque transmitting lever is a telescopic sliding rod having means for transmitting torque about said longitudinal axis from said first end to said second end.

8. An apparatus for measuring body limb movement comprising:

a) a slidably extensible torque transmitting lever,

b) a first rotation sensor,

c) a first body joint attachment means,

d) a second body joint attachment means,

e) said first body joint attachment means connected to a first end of said torque transmitting lever,

f) said second body joint attachment means connected to said first rotation sensor,

g) said first rotation sensor connected to a second end of said torque transmitting lever,

h) a second rotation sensor,

i) means for attaching said second rotation sensor to said first body joint attachment means,

j) means for coupling said second rotation sensor to said first rotation sensor,

whereby at least one angle of movement of at least one limb joint at an end of the limb and rotation of the limb are measured simultaneously.

10. The limb movement measurement apparatus of claim 8 wherein said torque transmitting lever is a telescopic sliding rod having means for transmitting torque about said longitudinal axis from said first end to said second end.

11. The limb movement measurement apparatus of claim 8 wherein one said joint attachment means is a wrist attachment means and the other said joint attachment means is an elbow attachment means, whereby the angles of the wrist joint and the rotation of the lower arm and angle of elbow joint are measured.

12. The limb movement measurement apparatus of claim 8 wherein one said joint attachment means is an elbow attachment means and the other said joint attachment means is a shoulder attachment means, whereby the angle of the elbow joint and the rotation of the upper arm and angle of the shoulder joint are measured.

13. The limb movement measurement apparatus of claim 8 wherein one said joint attachment means is an ankle attachment means and the other joint attachment means is a knee attachment means, whereby the angles of the ankle and the rotation of the lower leg and the angle of the knee is measured.

14. The limb movement measurement apparatus of claim 8 wherein one said joint attachment means is a knee attachment means and the other said joint attachment means is a hip attachment means, whereby the angles of the hip and the rotation of the upper leg are measured.

15. An apparatus for measuring upper body motion comprising:

a) a slidably extensible torque transmitting lever,

b) hip attachment means,

c) shoulder attachment means,

d) plurality of rotation sensors,

e) means for coupling said rotation sensors to ends of said lever,

f) means for coupling said rotation sensors to said hip and shoulder attachment means,

whereby said rotation sensors simultaneously sense the rotation and bending of spine and the movements of the hips and the shoulders.

16. The limb movement measurement apparatus of claim 15 wherein said torque transmitting lever is a telescopic sliding rod having means for transmitting torque about said longitudinal axis from said first end to said second end.

17. A method of measuring body movement comprising:

a) attaching a first end of a torque transmitting lever to a first point on a user'"'"'s body;

b) connecting a first rotation sensor to a second end of the torque transmitting lever;

c) attaching the first rotation sensor to a second point on the user'"'"'s body;

d) measuring relative rotation between the first point on the user'"'"'s body and the second point on the user'"'"'s body by sensing rotation of the torque transmitting lever about a longitudinal axis extending from the first end to the second end of the torque transmitting lever.

18. The method as recited in claim 17 further comprising the step of processing signals from the rotation sensor indicative of the relative rotation between the first point on the user'"'"'s body and the second point on the user'"'"'s body.

19. The method as recited in claim 18 further comprising the step of visually displaying at least one image representing movement of the user'"'"'s body.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising slidably extending the torque transmitting lever.

21. The method of claim 17 further comprising telescopically extending the torque transmitting lever and transmitting torque about said longitudinal axis from the first end to the second end of the torque transmitting lever.

22. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

e) connecting a second rotation sensor to the first end of the torque transmitting lever;

f) measuring angular movement between the first point on the user'"'"'s body and the second point on the user'"'"'s body by sensing rotation of the torque transmitting lever about a second axis.

23. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

e) coupling a second rotation sensor to the rotation sensor;

f) measuring angular movement between the first point on the user'"'"'s body and the second point on the user'"'"'s body by sensing rotation of the torque transmitting lever about a second axis.