APPARATUS, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR GATHERING AND PROCESSING BIOMETRIC AND BIOMECHANICAL DATA

• US 20120143093A1
• Filed: 02/09/2012
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Applied Technology Holdings, Inc.
• Inventors: Stirling, Harold Dan, Cusey, Lee Norman, Shears, Jay Allan
• Granted Patent: US 8,821,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/592
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• 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 5/1114 Tracking parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1124 Determining motor skills
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1127 using markers
• 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 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6802 Sensor mounted on worn items
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0012 Comparing movements or motion sequences with a registered reference
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/08 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/10 with adhesive type surfaces, i.e. hook and loop-type fastener
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/10 Positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/13 Relative positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/24 Angular displacement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 : Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 : with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 : Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0006 : Computerised comparison for qualitative assessment of motion sequences or the course of a movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 : Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 5/11 : Trampolines
• 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: A63B 69/3667 : Golf stance aids, e.g. means for positioning a golfer's feet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 : Pattern recognition
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/23 : Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 : ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring

Abstract

Apparatus, systems, and methods are provided for measuring and analyzing movements of a body and for communicating information related to such body movements over a network. In certain embodiments, a system gathers biometric and biomechanical data relating to positions, orientations, and movements of various body parts of a user performed during sports activities, physical rehabilitation, or military or law enforcement activities. The biometric and biomechanical data can be communicated to a local and/or remote interface, which uses digital performance assessment tools to provide a performance evaluation to the user. The performance evaluation may include a graphical representation (e.g., a video), statistical information, and/or a comparison to another user and/or instructor. In some embodiments, the biometric and biomechanical data is communicated wirelessly to one or more devices including a processor, display, and/or data storage medium for further analysis, archiving, and data mining. In some embodiments, the device includes a cellular telephone.

Claims

1. A system for gathering body movement data related to sports activities, the system comprising:

a first sensor associated with a first body portion, the first sensor being configured for sensing movement of the first body portion during a sports activity, which involves movement of the first body portion within a first range of speeds;

a second sensor associated with a second body portion, the second sensor being configured for sensing movement of the second body portion during the same sports activity, which involves movement of the second body portion within a second range of speeds, the average of which is faster than the first range of speeds;

a third sensor associated with a third body portion, the third sensor being configured for sensing movement of the third body portion during the same sports activity, which involves movement of the third body portion within a third range of speeds, the average of which is faster than the second range of speeds;

a control unit configured to receive data from at least the first, second and third sensors; and

a processor configured to communicate with the control unit and generate information related to the sensors;

wherein the first sensor is configured to sense body movement at a first sampling rate, the second sensor is configured to sense body movement at a second sampling rate, the third sensor is configured to sense body movement at a third sampling rate, the second sampling rate is faster than the first sampling rate such that the movement of the second body portion is recorded with higher resolution than the movement of the first body portion, and the third sampling rate is faster than the second sampling rate such that the movement of the third body portion is recorded with higher resolution than the movement of the second body portion.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sampling rate is in the range of 1 Hz to 100 Hz, the second sampling rate is in the range of 100 Hz to 1000 Hz, and the third sampling rate is greater than 1000 Hz.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first body portion is selected from the group consisting of a head, an ankle, a waist, or a lower leg;

the second body portion is selected from the group consisting of a shoulder, hip, upper leg or upper arm; and

the third body portion is selected from the group consisting of an arm, hand or foot.

4. A sports movement data apparatus comprising:

a single first sensor having a first sampling rate that is associated with a first body portion of a user, the single first sensor being configured for sensing movement of the first body portion at the first sampling rate during activity that involves movement of the first body portion within a first range of speeds;

a single second sensor having a second sampling rate that is associated with a second body portion of the user, the single second sensor being configured for sensing movement of the second body portion at the second sampling rate during activity that involves movement of the second body portion within a second range of speeds, the average of which is slower than the first range of speeds;

a control unit configured to receive data from at least the first and second sensors; and

a processor configured to communicate with the control unit and obtain information related to at least one of the first and second sensors;

wherein the single first sensor is configured to sense body movement at the first sampling rate, the single second sensor is configured to sense body movement at the second sampling rate, and the first sampling rate is faster than the second sampling rate such that the movement of the first body portion is recorded with higher resolution than the movement of the second body portion.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first sampling rate that is associated with a first body portion of a user is a sampling rate at which the processor receives first-sensor data, and the second sampling rate that is associated with a second body portion of the user is a sampling rate at which the processor receives second-sensor data.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the single first sensor is configured for sensing movement of the first body portion at the first sampling rate during a first time period, and the single second sensor is configured for sensing movement of the second body portion at a second time period.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first time period overlaps with the second time period.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the single first sensor and the single second sensor are configured for sensing movement at the first sampling rate during the first time period, and the single first sensor and the single second sensor are configured for sensing movement at the second sampling rate during the second time period.

9. The system of claim 4, wherein the first body portion is an appendage of a user.

10. The system of claim 4, wherein the first and second sensors are attached to or integrated into a garment worn by a user.

11. The system of claim 4, wherein the sampling rates of the sensors are configured to be adjusted by a user.

12. The system of claim 4, wherein the control unit is configured to be worn or carried by a user.

13. The system of claim 4, wherein the user is a human.

14. A method of evaluating a user'"'"'s body movement, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of sensors for association with portions of a user'"'"'s body, including providing at least a single first sensor having a first sampling rate and a single second sensor having a second sampling rate;

associating a control unit with the user, the control unit being configured to receive data from the plurality of sensors;

configuring a processor to communicate with the control unit and process information related to the movement of the sensors;

associating the single first sensor with a first portion of the user'"'"'s body, the first portion being expected to move faster than a second portion of the user'"'"'s body during a planned activity for which movement is to be evaluated;

associating the single second sensor with the second portion of the user'"'"'s body; and

configuring the single first sensor to achieve a faster sampling rate than the single second sensor in order to allow sufficient data for evaluating the movement of the first and second body portions during the planned activity.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein associating at least the single first sensor with a first portion of the user'"'"'s body comprises associating the single first sensor with an arm or hand.

16. A method of tracking body motion of a mover, the method comprising:

providing multiple sensors, each of which comprises at least a multi-axis accelerometer for measurement of three-dimensional movement and a gyroscopic sensor for measurement of orientation;

associating a single first one of the sensors with a first body portion of a mover and associating a single second one of the sensors with a second body portion of the mover;

determining a sample rate for each of the sensors—

wherein the sample rate for the single first one of the sensors associated with a faster moving body portion is higher than the sample rate for the single second one of the other sensors associated with a slower moving body portion—

and causing each sensor to begin sampling at the determined sample rate;

using the multiple sensors to collect biometric data showing movement of the mover'"'"'s body portions when the mover moves;

providing a first processor;

communicating the biometric data from the sensors to the first processor;

communicating the biometric data to a second processor comprising a learning center configured as a web-connected computer system;

providing for access by a user to the learning center;

displaying a three-dimensional animation of the movement of the mover'"'"'s body portions resulting from the data; and

storing the biometric data in a database for comparison and analysis.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein providing a first processor comprises providing a master control unit that accompanies the mover during the movement to be tracked.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing access to the biometric data through a user interface in real time, wherein real time comprises less than one minute after the movement has occurred.

19. The method of claim 16 with additional steps for tracking body motion of a second mover, the method comprising:

providing additional sensors for a second mover, each additional sensor comprising at least a multi-axis accelerometer for measurement of three-dimensional movement and a gyroscopic sensor for measurement of orientation;

associating one of the additional sensors with a first body portion of the second mover and associating another one of the additional sensors with a second body portion of the second mover;

using the multiple sensors to collect biometric data showing movement of the second mover'"'"'s body portions when the second mover moves;

communicating the biometric data from the additional sensors to a processor;

storing the biometric data of the second mover in the database for comparison and analysis; and

allowing for display and comparison of biometric data from multiple movers.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein allowing for display and comparison of biometric data from multiple movers comprises displaying a three-dimensional animation of the biometric data representing movement of one or more of the movers.