Feedforward exercise training machine and feedforward exercise evaluating system

• US 6,315,694 B1
• Filed: 04/04/2000
• Issued: 11/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Japan Science And Technology Corpration (Japan Science And Technology Agency)
• Original Assignee: Japan Science And Technology Corpration (Japan Science And Technology Agency)
• Inventors: Domen, Kazuhisa, Osu, Rieko
• Primary Examiner(s): Richman, Glenn E.
• Application Number:
  US09/463,493
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 482/1-9, 482/900-902, 434/258, 601/23, 473/209
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00 Exercising apparatus for developing or strengthening the muscles or joints of the body by working against a counterforce, with or without measuring devices electric or electronic controls therefor A63B24/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/90 Ergometer with feedback to load or with feedback comparison

Abstract

A feedforward-movement training apparatus, which is capable of restoring functions of fast and accurate movements in a relaxed state by training feedforward-movements includes a movement working portion where a patient causes a body part to do, within a time limit, a feedforward-movement between a start point and an end point arranged in advance, a movement measuring portion for measuring the feedforward-movement of the patient, and a movement feedback portion for giving the result of the measurement made by the movement measuring portion to the patient. A feedforward-movement evaluation system objectively and easily evaluates the degree of skillfulness of the patient'"'"'s feedforward-movements in the aforementioned feedforward-movement training apparatus and thus restores functions to execute fast and accurate movement in a relaxed state more effectively.

Claims

1. A feedforward-movement training apparatus for use by a patient, said feedforward-movement training apparatus comprising:

a movement working portion operable to be moved by the patient from a predetermined start point to a predetermined end point within a time limit in a feedforward-movement of a body part of the patient, wherein the start and end points are visible to the patient in advance of the feedforward-movement by the patient;

a movement measuring portion for measuring the feedforward-movement of the body part of the patient based on movement of said movement working portion; and

a movement feedback portion for giving a result of the measurement made by said movement measuring portion to the patient.

2. A feedforward-movement training apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said movement working portion is operable to be moved by the patient from the start point to the end point through at least one predetermined via point.

3. A feedforward-movement training apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the start point and the end point are located on said movement working portion.

4. A feedforward-movement training apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the at least one via point is located on said movement working portion.

5. A feedforward-movement training apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said movement measuring portion is operable to measure a trajectory of the feedforward-movement.

6. A feedforward-movement training apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said movement measuring portion is operable to measure a position of the body part of the patient during the feedforward-movement.

7. A feedforward-movement training apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said movement measuring portion is operable to measure a duration taken to complete the feedforward-movement.

8. A feedforward-movement training apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said movement feedback portion is operable to display the result of the measurement of the feedforward-movement to the patient.

9. A feedforward-movement training apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said movement feedback portion is operable to display the position of the body part of the patient in real-time during the feedforward movement.

10. A feedforward-movement training apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said movement feedback portion is operable to display the start point and the end point.

11. A feedforward-movement training apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said movement feedback portion is operable to display the at least one via point.

12. A feedforward-movement evaluating system comprising a feedforward-movement training apparatus according to claim 1, and a feedforward-movement evaluating apparatus operable to evaluate a degree of skillfulness of the feedforward-movement done by the patient in said feedforward-movement training apparatus.

13. A feedforward-movement evaluating system according to claim 12, wherein said feedforward-movement evaluating apparatus has a smoothness evaluating portion operable to evaluate a smoothness of the feedforward-movement based on the result of the measurement of the feedforward-movement made by said movement measuring portion of said feedforward-movement training apparatus.

14. A feedforward-movement evaluating system according to claim 13, wherein said feedforward-movement evaluating apparatus is operable to calculate a minimum joint-angle jerk and a minimum torque change as a smoothness objective function value based on the result of the measurement of the feedforward-movement made by said movement measuring portion of said feedforward-movement training apparatus.

15. A feedforward-movement evaluating system according to claim 12, wherein said feedforward-movement evaluating apparatus has a compliance evaluating portion operable to evaluate compliance of the feedforward-movement based on muscle tension of the body part doing the feedforward-movement.

16. A feedforward-movement evaluating system according to claim 15, wherein said feedforward-movement evaluating apparatus is operable to calculate an integrated value of an electromyogram indicating relative change of muscle tension.