An electric horse simulator with biofeedback sensor

Abstract

The application discloses an electric horse simulator with a biofeedback sensor, and relates to the field of electric horses. The simulator comprises a base, a body, a driving mechanism connecting the base and the body, and a controller connected with the driving mechanism. The body imitates the shape and structure of a real horse, and comprises a horse body and a horse head. The horse body and the horse head are connected through a horse neck with certain flexibility, and the tail of the horse body is designed with a horse hip, so that the whole simulator is more lifelike in appearance, and can bring a user a more real horse-riding feeling. The simulator has local capacitive and pressure sensing areas, can realize the sensing of touching and pressing, and can provide corresponding feedback to realize better simulation effect, so that the equestrian simulation training is more real.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of electric horses, and in particular to an electric horse simulator with a biofeedback sensor. Background Technology

[0002] Current electric horse simulators primarily rely on pressure sensors and inertial measurement units (IMUs) to capture basic user movements. For example, they monitor changes in riding position using an array of pressure sensors placed under the saddle, determine balance using pressure points on the armrests and stirrups, and simulate basic motion trajectories through a motor drive system. In the field of sports training, these devices have achieved preliminary standardized guidance of movements; for instance, some companies use three-axis gyroscopes to detect the user's tilt angle and trigger adjustments to the horse's posture accordingly. However, this technology has significant limitations: its sensor systems can only detect static pressure distribution or large-scale motion displacements, failing to accurately capture dynamic tactile interactions such as the rider patting the horse's neck or stroking its ears. For instance, when a rider executes typical human-horse interaction commands such as a light tap for acceleration or a gentle stroking, the lack of tactile sensors in existing devices prevents the recognition of these changes in movement, resulting in a lack of corresponding feedback mechanisms. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this application is to overcome at least one deficiency in the existing technology and provide an electric horse simulator with biofeedback sensors, aiming to provide a highly realistic and interactive riding experience. The simulator has localized capacitive and pressure sensing areas to detect touch and press, and provides corresponding feedback to achieve a better simulation effect, making equestrian simulation training more realistic.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this application discloses an electric horse simulator with a biofeedback sensor. The simulator includes a base, a body, a drive mechanism connecting the base and the body, and a controller connected to the drive mechanism.

[0005] The simulator mimics the shape and structure of a real horse, including a horse's body and head. The horse's body and head are connected by a flexible neck, and the tail of the horse's body is designed with a horse's rump, making the entire simulator look more realistic and providing users with a more realistic riding experience.

[0006] The horse neck is connected to the horse head and body through a flexible connector. The main body of the horse adopts a frame structure and is covered with a flexible cover that simulates the texture of horse leather. The horse rump area is equipped with a tail drive device that simulates the swinging of the tail. This tail drive device is controlled by a controller signal and drives the horse rump to swing through a linkage mechanism.

[0007] The neck and arm areas of the horse are covered with a sensory skin layer, which consists of a silicone base layer, a pressure strain layer, a capacitance sensing layer and an outer layer from the inside out.

[0008] Furthermore, the pressure strain layer consists of a fabric layer with several pressure sensors arranged in an array embedded within it.

[0009] Furthermore, the pressure sensors are spaced 10-20 mm apart, and each pressure sensor is connected to the controller via an independent wire to sense changes in external pressure.

[0010] Furthermore, the capacitive sensing layer is composed of at least one flexible circuit board and a capacitive sensing sheet disposed thereon.

[0011] Furthermore, the capacitive sensing element uses an ITO transparent conductive film arranged in a matrix. Its rows and columns are connected to the controller's capacitance detection module via FPC flexible cables, enabling it to capture capacitance changes generated when a human body comes into contact with the simulator. Additionally, the outer layer is made of 1-2mm thick PU synthetic leather with an embossed surface mimicking horsehair texture. Both the pressure sensor and the capacitive sensing element are electrically connected to the controller, allowing their respective sensing signals to be transmitted to the controller in real time, providing data support for subsequent simulator motion feedback and interactive experiences.

[0012] Furthermore, a sound-emitting device is installed inside the horse's head, and this device is connected to the controller. It can emit corresponding horse neighing or other simulated sounds according to the simulator's operating status and the user's operation, thereby enhancing the user's immersive experience.

[0013] Furthermore, a swing mechanism is installed inside the horse's neck. One end of the swing mechanism is connected to the horse's head via a universal joint, and the other end is connected to the neck support of the horse's body. Under the precise control of the controller, it can drive the horse's head to swing, simulating the natural swaying posture of a real horse's head during walking, running, etc., further enhancing the user's immersive experience.

[0014] Furthermore, a display is carefully fitted to the eye area of ​​the horse's head, which can simulate various changes in the horse's eyes in real time, such as eye movement and blinking, making the simulator more vivid and realistic in terms of expression.

[0015] Furthermore, an atomizer is cleverly installed inside the nostrils of the horse's head. This atomizer is also controlled by the controller. During the simulator's operation, it can generate mist in a timely manner according to the set scene or the user's interactive commands, simulating the effect of a horse's nostrils spraying when breathing or running.

[0016] Furthermore, the atomizer includes an ultrasonic atomizing plate, a liquid storage chamber, a miniature air pump, and a solenoid valve.

[0017] Furthermore, the controller adopts an embedded ARM processor and integrates a pressure signal processing module, a capacitive touch detection module, a motion control unit, an audio processing module, and a fogging control unit. Each functional module is connected to the main control chip through an internal bus.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, this application has at least one of the following beneficial effects:

[0019] 1. By setting up multiple layers of sensory skin in the horse's neck and arm areas, the simulator can accurately sense the user's movements and force. Combined with feedback components such as sound devices, displays, and atomizers, it provides users with a highly realistic riding experience and enhances the interactivity between the user and the simulator.

[0020] 2. The swing mechanism inside the horse's neck is controlled by the controller, which can drive the horse's head to swing in multiple directions and angles. It can simulate the natural posture of the horse's head in different scenarios, improve the flexibility and movement diversity of the simulator, and make it closer to the real horse riding experience.

[0021] 3. The display on the horse's eyes and the atomizer in the nostrils work together. The former can simulate the changes in the horse's eyes, while the latter can simulate the spray effect in the nostrils when the horse is running. This enriches the simulator's feedback from both visual and tactile perspectives, further enhancing the simulator's immersion and realism.

[0022] The beneficial effects listed above are not exhaustive of all advantages. Other potential beneficial effects and detailed technical implementation methods will be further disclosed in the embodiments or other descriptive sections of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0023] A better understanding of various aspects of this disclosure will be achieved by reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The positions, dimensions, and extents of the structures shown in the drawings, etc., do not always represent actual positions, dimensions, and extents. In the drawings:

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of one embodiment disclosed in this application.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the sensory skin layer in one embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate several embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it should be understood that the present disclosure can be presented in many different ways and is not limited to the embodiments described below; in fact, the embodiments described below are intended to make the disclosure more complete and to fully illustrate the scope of protection of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. It should also be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein can be combined in various ways to provide further additional embodiments.

[0027] It should be understood that the same reference numerals denote the same elements in all the accompanying drawings. For clarity, the dimensions of certain features may be modified in the drawings.

[0028] It should be understood that the terminology used in this specification is for describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to limit this disclosure. All terms used in this specification (including technical and scientific terms) have the meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art, unless otherwise defined. For the sake of brevity and / or clarity, techniques, methods, and apparatus known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail; however, where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and apparatus should be considered part of this specification.

[0029] Unless otherwise specified, the singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in this specification include the plural forms. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “containing” used in this specification indicate the presence of the claimed feature but do not exclude the presence of one or more other features. The term “and / or” used in this specification includes any and all combinations of one or more of the relevant listed items.

[0030] See attached document Figure 1 and 2 In this embodiment, the electric horse simulator with biofeedback sensors generally consists of a base 1, a body 2, a drive mechanism 3, and a controller 4.

[0031] Specifically, the base 1, serving as the fundamental support structure of the entire simulator, is made of high-strength steel through precision machining and welding. Its bottom is equipped with several rubber shock-absorbing pads to enhance the stability of the simulator when placed and reduce vibration noise during operation. The drive mechanism 3 connects the base 1 to the main body 2, which presents itself to the user in the form of a realistic horse, comprising a horse body 201 and a horse head 202, connected by a flexible horse neck 203. The horse's rump area 204 at the tail of the horse body 201 is also meticulously designed. All components work together to create a near-realistic horseback riding experience.

[0032] Specifically, regarding the construction of the main body, the Horse Body 201 adopts a frame structure, using lightweight yet sturdy aluminum alloy to construct the skeleton, while the surface is covered with a flexible outer cover that simulates the texture of horsehide. For example, the flexible outer cover can use composite materials, with an inner layer of elastic foam interspersed with a biomimetic fiber layer, and an outer layer of waterproof and wear-resistant polyurethane coating. The touch is delicate and elastic, which can well simulate the feel of real horsehide, giving users an immersive experience when in contact with it.

[0033] In this embodiment, the tail drive device simulating tail swinging, installed in the horse's rump region 204, mainly consists of a DC servo motor, a linkage mechanism, and a swing bracket. The DC servo motor is fixed to the internal frame of the horse's body 201, and its output shaft is connected to the tail swing bracket of the horse's rump through the linkage mechanism. It is precisely controlled by the controller signal and can drive the horse's rump to make realistic swinging movements. The swing angle can be flexibly adjusted between 0° and 30°, and the frequency can also be set according to different simulation scenarios, thereby bringing users a richer sense of motion.

[0034] The swing mechanism housed inside the neck 203 is connected to the horse's head at one end via a universal joint, and to the support frame of the body 201 at the other end. The universal joint employs a precision cross-shaft structure, with its shaft made of high-strength alloy steel, capable of withstanding significant torque while ensuring flexible swing. The support frame of the body 201 is made of robust aluminum alloy profiles, and shock-absorbing rubber pads are installed at the connection points with the swing mechanism to reduce the impact of vibrations generated during swing on the structure of the body 201. The entire swing mechanism is controlled by controller 4. By controlling the speed and direction of the motor, it can drive the horse head 202 to perform various swinging movements, such as left and right swinging to simulate the natural head swing of a horse when walking. The swing angle can be adjusted within ±15° and the frequency can be set according to the simulation scenario. Back and forth swinging can simulate the up and down movement of a horse's head when running. The swing angle can reach ±10° and the frequency is coordinated with the up and down movement of the horse body 201, thus realistically simulating the natural head swinging posture of a real horse during walking and running. This greatly enhances the user's immersive feeling and allows the user to feel the dynamic changes of the head as if riding a real horse.

[0035] The sensing layer 5 covering the horse neck 203 and horse arm region 204 has a complex structure and powerful functions. From the inside out, it consists of a silicone base layer 501, a pressure strain layer 502, a capacitive sensing layer 503, and an outer layer 504. The silicone base layer 501 is made of liquid silicone, which has a good feel and elasticity, and is about 2-3mm thick. It fits tightly against the internal frame of the horse neck 203 and horse arm region 204 as a base layer. The pressure strain layer 502 includes a fabric layer and an array of pressure sensors embedded in the fabric layer. The spacing between the sensors is precisely controlled between 50-200mm. Each pressure sensor is connected to the controller 4 through an independent thin wire. These wires are made of bend-resistant and interference-resistant cables, which can effectively sense the pressure changes applied to the corresponding parts of the simulator, convert the pressure signal into an electrical signal, and transmit it to the controller 4 in real time, providing accurate data support for subsequent simulator motion feedback.

[0036] The capacitive sensing layer 503 consists of at least one flexible circuit board and capacitive sensing elements disposed thereon. The flexible circuit board is made of polyimide (PI) material, which has good flexibility and high temperature resistance, and is only 0.1-0.2mm thick. The capacitive sensing elements on it are made of ITO transparent conductive film, arranged in a matrix. The rows and columns are connected to the controller's capacitance detection module via FPC flexible cables. This matrix arrangement can accurately capture the capacitance change signal generated when the human body comes into contact with the simulator. For cost considerations, the sensing range can only cover the habitual touch area of ​​the entire horse neck 203 and the horse arm area 204. Even if the user only touches it slightly, it can be sensitively detected and converted into an electrical signal and transmitted to the controller. The outer layer 504 is made of 1-2mm thick PU synthetic leather material. Its surface is embossed with a texture that simulates horse hair, making the outer layer visually present a realistic horse hair effect, and at the same time, it is closer to real horse skin in terms of touch, further enhancing the user's immersive experience.

[0037] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the sound-generating device (not shown in the figure) installed inside the horse head 202 is closely connected to the controller 4. This sound-generating device mainly consists of a high-fidelity speaker, an audio amplifier module, and an audio processing chip. The high-fidelity speaker uses high-quality neodymium iron boron magnets and special diaphragm materials, capable of producing clear and realistic horse neighing sounds and other simulated sounds. Its frequency response range reaches 100Hz - 20kHz, ensuring high sound fidelity. The audio amplifier module uses a high-efficiency Class D amplifier chip, which can accurately amplify and drive the speaker to produce sound based on the audio signal transmitted from the controller 4. The audio processing chip can retrieve corresponding audio files from a pre-stored library of various horse sound effects, such as horse neighing, hoofbeats, and panting sounds, based on the simulator's operating status and the user's actions. After processing, these files are sent to the audio amplifier module to produce corresponding simulated sounds, enhancing the user's immersive experience and making the user feel as if they are in a real horse farm, interacting closely with the horses.

[0038] Building upon the aforementioned structure, the display 6 mounted on the eye area of ​​the horse head 202 is a major highlight of the simulator. This display uses a high-resolution liquid crystal display (LCD) with a screen size matching the size of the horse's eyes. It is surrounded by a protective transparent polycarbonate (PC) shell to prevent damage during user contact. The display connects to the controller via a high-speed data interface, enabling it to simulate various changes in the horse's eyes in real time based on commands and data from the controller. For example, eye rotation can be simulated by displaying different pupil position images, blinking is simulated by rapidly switching images on the screen, and even subtle changes in the horse's eyes under different emotions can be simulated, such as pupil constriction when tense and pupil dilation when relaxed. This makes the simulator more vivid and realistic in its expressions, establishing a more authentic emotional interaction between the user and the simulator, as if the simulator were a sentient, intelligent horse, further enhancing the user's immersion and interactive enjoyment.

[0039] The atomizer installed inside the nostrils of the Horse Head 202 is ingeniously designed and uniquely functional. This atomizer comprises key components such as an ultrasonic atomizing plate, a liquid reservoir, a miniature air pump, and a solenoid valve. The liquid reservoir, made of corrosion-resistant food-grade stainless steel, can store a certain amount of water or other atomizable liquids, such as solutions containing herbal spices. When simulating a horse running, it produces a fragrant mist, enhancing the realism of the simulation. The ultrasonic atomizing plate uses a high-frequency vibrating piezoelectric ceramic plate to atomize the liquid in the reservoir into tiny particles through high-frequency vibration. The miniature air pump is a silent miniature diaphragm pump that sprays the atomized particles through a conduit from the nostrils, simulating the nasal spray effect of a horse breathing or running. The spray volume and frequency can be precisely controlled by a controller. For example, when simulating a horse trotting, the atomizer can emit a small amount of mist, while when simulating a horse galloping, the amount of mist can be increased, allowing users to intuitively feel the physiological reactions of the horse under different exercise states, further enhancing the immersive experience of the simulator.

[0040] Controller 4, as the core control unit of the entire simulator, has a processor and integrates a pressure signal processing module, a capacitive touch detection module, a motion control unit, an audio processing module, and a fogging control unit. Each functional module is connected to the main control chip via an internal high-speed bus, enabling efficient data transmission and sharing. The pressure signal processing module receives electrical signals from the pressure sensor array in the skin-sensing layer 5. After amplification, filtering, and analog-to-digital conversion, it converts the signals into digital signals for the main control chip to analyze and process. This determines the magnitude and changes in pressure applied by the user to areas such as the horse's neck 203 and the horse's arm area 204, thereby controlling the simulator to provide corresponding action feedback. The capacitive touch detection module processes capacitance change signals from the capacitive sensing layer 503, identifying the user's contact position and force with the simulator, further enriching the simulator's interactive functions. The motion control unit controls the operation of the drive mechanism 3, the tail drive device, and the horse's neck swing mechanism. Based on the pre-set motion program and real-time feedback signals, it precisely adjusts the motor's speed, direction, and torque to ensure the simulator's motion posture meets the requirements of the simulated scenario. The audio processing module processes the audio signals from the sound-generating device, including volume adjustment, sound effect synthesis, and audio format conversion, to ensure that the emitted sound is clear, realistic, and meets the needs of different scenarios. The atomization control unit is responsible for controlling the working status of the atomizer at the horse's nostrils, adjusting the atomization volume and spray frequency in real time according to the simulated scenario and the user's operation, achieving precise control of the spray effect.

[0041] In practical applications, such as in professional horseback riding training scenarios, this electric horse simulator equipped with biofeedback sensors can play a significant role. In the initial training phase, trainees can familiarize themselves with basic riding postures and experience the movement patterns of a horse through the simulator. When a trainee sits on the simulator and gently touches the sensory skin layer 5 of the horse's neck 203 with both hands, the pressure sensor and capacitive sensor transmit the perceived force and contact position of the trainee's hands to the controller. Based on this information, the controller 4 controls the sound-emitting device to produce a gentle horse neighing sound, creating a calm atmosphere of a horse ready to ride. Simultaneously, the drive mechanism 3 causes the horse's body 201 to make slight undulating movements, simulating the horse's breathing, allowing the trainee to better adjust their posture and adapt to the physical requirements of riding. As training progresses, when simulating horse walking, the swing mechanism inside the neck 203, under the command of the controller 4, drives the horse's head to swing left and right, the frequency coordinated with the undulating motion of the body 201. The tail drive device also drives the rump area 204 to swing, combined with the sound of hooves emitted by the sound-generating device, creating a realistic scene of horse walking. This allows trainees to learn how to maintain balance while walking, correctly use leg strength to grip the horse's belly, and let their bodies rise and fall slightly with the horse's rhythm, just like walking on a real horse. When simulating horse running, all components work together. The motion control unit drives the horse's body to make large-amplitude undulating movements, simulating the strong jolts of a horse running; the swing mechanism increases the frequency and amplitude of the horse's head swing, simulating the violent head swing of a horse running; the sound-generating device emits a loud neighing sound and rapid hoof sounds; and the atomizer sprays an appropriate amount of mist according to the running speed, making trainees feel as if they are on a galloping battlefield, experiencing the powerful momentum and intense emotions of a horse running. Trainees can also adjust their posture by leaning forward or backward.

[0042] Those skilled in the art should understand that the basic machining processes, conventional design and manufacturing of electronic circuit boards, drive control principles of general-purpose motors, and simple audio signal processing involved in the above-mentioned simulator are well-known and existing technologies in the field, and therefore will not be described in more detail here. The detailed description in this embodiment aims to clearly and completely present the specific structural composition of the electric horse simulator with biofeedback sensors, the connection and cooperation relationships between the parts, and the design principles, working principles, and operating steps of each component, so that those skilled in the art can accurately understand and implement the technical solution created by this invention, and fully demonstrate its application value and advantages in horse riding training, entertainment experience, and other aspects.

[0043] While exemplary embodiments of this disclosure have been described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes and modifications can be made to the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Therefore, all changes and modifications are included within the scope of protection of this disclosure as defined by the claims. This disclosure is defined by the appended claims, and equivalents of those claims are also included.

Claims

1. An electric horse simulator with a biofeedback sensor, characterized in that, The simulator includes a base, a main body, a drive mechanism connecting the base and the main body, and a controller connected to the drive mechanism. The main body imitates the shape and structure of a real horse, including a horse body and a horse head. The horse body and the horse head are connected by a flexible horse neck, and the tail of the horse body is designed with a horse rump. The horse neck is connected to the horse head and body through a flexible connector. The main body of the horse adopts a frame structure and is covered with a flexible cover that simulates the texture of horse leather. The horse rump area is equipped with a tail drive device that simulates the swinging of the tail. The tail drive device is controlled by a controller signal and drives the horse rump to swing through a linkage mechanism. The neck and arm areas of the horse are covered with a sensory skin layer, which consists of a silicone base layer, a pressure strain layer, a capacitance sensing layer and an outer layer from the inside out.

2. The electric horse simulator with a biofeedback sensor as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The pressure strain layer consists of a fabric layer with several pressure sensors arranged in an array embedded within it. The pressure sensors are spaced 10-20 mm apart, and each pressure sensor is connected to the controller via an independent wire to sense changes in external pressure.

3. An electric horse simulator with a biofeedback sensor as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The capacitive sensing layer consists of at least one flexible circuit board and a capacitive sensing sheet disposed thereon. The capacitive sensing sheet is made of ITO transparent conductive film and is arranged in a matrix. Its row lines and column lines are connected to the capacitance detection module of the controller through FPC flexible flat cables, which can capture the capacitance change signal generated when the human body comes into contact with the simulator.

4. An electric horse simulator with a biofeedback sensor as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The outer layer is made of 1-2mm thick PU synthetic leather with an embossed surface that mimics the texture of horsehair.

5. An electric horse simulator with a biofeedback sensor as described in claim 1, characterized in that, A sound-generating device is installed inside the horse's head, and this device is connected to a controller.

6. An electric horse simulator with a biofeedback sensor as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The horse's neck is equipped with a swing mechanism. One end of the swing mechanism is connected to the horse's head via a universal joint, and the other end is connected to the neck support of the horse's body. It is precisely controlled by the controller and can drive the horse's head to swing.

7. An electric horse simulator with a biofeedback sensor as described in claim 1, characterized in that, A display screen is carefully fitted into the eye area of ​​the horse's head.

8. An electric horse simulator with a biofeedback sensor as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The horse's head also has a cleverly installed atomizer inside its nostrils, which is also controlled by the controller; the atomizer includes an ultrasonic atomizing plate, a liquid storage chamber, a micro air pump, and a solenoid valve.

9. An electric horse simulator with a biofeedback sensor as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The controller uses an embedded ARM processor and integrates a pressure signal processing module, a capacitive touch detection module, a motion control unit, an audio processing module, and a fogging control unit. Each functional module is connected to the main control chip through an internal bus.

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