Martial Arts Exercise Device and Method

Abstract

A voice-controlled martial arts exercise device is comprised of targets for the user to strike with hands, feet, elbows, or knees. A processor system is interfaced to recognize voice commands from the user and to detect when a target has been hit and also controls a pixelized visual display and audio system. These elements are used to provide an entertaining and challenging assortment of games and drills with which the user can interact by voice commands as well as by striking the targets. Additionally, motorized limbs are optionally included which can strike at the user under processor or manual control; the user must block or avoid these strikers. The method of using voice command recognition and a pixelized visual display controlled by a processor system provides unique advantages, including much more abstract and complicated interaction than is otherwise possible for a martial arts exercise system, which allows for much more entertaining and sustained use.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION [0001] For proper health, it is necessary for a person to maintain some level of cardiovascular fitness and muscle tone, but many people today do not meet that requirement in their normal activities. In fact, obesity and its related health problems are currently a rampant problem in the USA and other countries. The need to provide effective exercise devices that encourage prolonged use to combat this problem is immense. [0002] A wide variety of methods and devices currently exist that provide effective cardiovascular and toning exercise, including those designed for martial exercise such as boxing. However, some level of physical discomfort is necessarily required for any exercise in order to achieve the desired benefit and therefore it is very typical for equipment of this type to not be used for very long, because the user does not care to continue the physical discomfort or because the exercise becomes too boring. To attempt to address these problems, mart...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012] Another advantage of the present invention is that it allows the ability to simultaneously engage in abstract game playing which can be unrelated to the martial arts exercise, such as a chess game or puzzle solving. This method is useful for allowing the subconscious to direct physical movement while allowing the conscious mind to relax and focus on the strategic thinking required by the game. This technique has been found to be useful to develop a performance-enhancing state of mind for various athletics, such as golf, and may be developed through practice and training with the present invention.

Problems solved by technology

For proper health, it is necessary for a person to maintain some level of cardiovascular fitness and muscle tone, but many people today do not meet that requirement in their normal activities.

In fact, obesity and its related health problems are currently a rampant problem in the USA and other countries.

However, some level of physical discomfort is necessarily required for any exercise in order to achieve the desired benefit and therefore it is very typical for equipment of this type to not be used for very long, because the user does not care to continue the physical discomfort or because the exercise becomes too boring.

Unfortunately, the games provided by the prior art devices and methods are too simple and repetitive to succeed in retaining the long-term interest of most prospective users.

Video games are very successful in distraction; in fact, these games are so engrossing that are they are known to be addictive to many people.

However, this has not been possible with prior art devices and methods because at least the hands and sometimes the feet are occupied with striking and perhaps with blocking, and are therefore generally unavailable to interact with the video game in any way other than striking the target.

Most video games are not amenable to such a restriction; generally, with the increase in the game's complexity, more complex interactive control is required.

A related drawback of the prior art devices and methods is that they are generally very limited with respect to the number of unique games they are able to provide, in contrast with video games which are virtually infinite in variety, type, and kind.

This limitation contributes to the tendency of most users to discontinue the use of the exercise device after becoming bored with the available games.

A closely related problem to the aforementioned issue of obesity and poor cardiovascular health is ironically related to the appeal and attraction of video games: little or no aerobic benefit is achieved when playing, and in fact, these games are a concern due to their addictive nature and because of how many people have substituted playing these games in lieu of physical activities, especially adolescents.

However, prior art martial arts exercise devices and methods have been unable to include games with enough entertainment appeal to most attract people to their use instead of video games, despite the obvious benefits of the exercise provided, and despite the favorable interest of large numbers of health-conscious individuals and parents today.

It is significant that none of the prior art martial arts exercise devices or methods can provide to most users a level of entertainment able to encourage prolonged use due to not having a control means for more complex games, nor are they able to provide enough variety of different games, nor are they able to provide a viable alternative to the attraction of contemporary and physically passive video games.

Images