Instructional system using a mat-like component equipped with a pressure-sensitive element

Abstract

To provide a device which measures the body condition of a participant, allows an instructor to provide advice and allows even a beginner to safely and effectively reach a meditation state.SOLUTION: In an instruction system comprising: earphones attached to ears of a participant; a mat-like member which measures load data; a participant terminal which is wirelessly connected to the earphones and the mat-like member and having an imaging device for imaging the body of the participant in synchronization with acquisition of the load data, a communication unit and an image display unit; an instructor terminal having an imaging device for imaging the body of the instructor, a communication unit, a speaker for reproducing voice data and an image display device; and a server computer having a communication unit and an image generation unit, the participant terminal, the instructor terminal and the server computer are connected to each other via a telecommunication circuit such as Internet, and the instructor terminal displays image data related to the pressure distribution state with respect to the mat-like member of the participant on the image display device on the basis of the image data of the imaged participant and the load data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a guidance system using a device such as a mat-shaped member provided with a pressure-sensitive element. Based on information regarding the physical condition of a trainee measured by the mat-shaped member or the like, an instructor provides immediate and appropriate advice to the trainee, thereby providing a guidance system that enables the trainee to more safely approach the meditation state, which is the ultimate goal of yoga.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, for various purposes such as beauty, stress relief, or health promotion, exercises such as taking various poses or moving other parts while fixing a part of the body in a specific pose, as represented by yoga and stretching exercises, have been widely popular.

[0003] When starting such exercises, for example, by going to a certain place such as a yoga school and practicing various poses while receiving direct guidance and advice from an instructor, improvement is expected. However, in order to receive direct guidance from an instructor, there are inconveniences such as adjusting the guidance schedule or going to a certain place.

[0004] Regarding this point, in recent years, many DVD teaching materials recorded with guidance videos and voices for exercises have been commercially available, and a large number of such video contents have been publicly available on websites. By viewing these video contents, trainees can easily acquire exercises while staying at home.

[0005] However, since these video contents are one-way information provided to trainees, even if a trainee takes various poses by imitating while viewing the video contents, if the trainee makes a mistake in the way of taking the center of gravity, etc., it will not only be an exercise that has no effect on the trainee, but there is also a concern that it may cause serious injury to the body such as a fracture.

[0006] Furthermore, many yoga poses are complex, and it can be difficult for beginners in particular to perform or maintain the designated poses. As a result, participants often struggle to reach the meditative state that is the ultimate goal of yoga, and they find it difficult to experience its effects. Consequently, many end up giving up midway through. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-37168 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] Therefore, the objective of this invention is to provide a teaching system that allows even beginners to be safely and effectively guided into a meditative state by monitoring the physical condition of the participant in real time and providing timely and appropriate advice based on the results. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] As a means to solve the above problems, the configuration of the instruction system of the present invention is an instruction system comprising: earphones worn on the ears of the student; a mat-like member that acquires and measures load data relating to the distribution of pressure applied by the student at an appropriate sampling rate; a student terminal wirelessly connected to the earphones and the mat-like member and equipped with an imaging device that photographs the student's body in synchronization with the acquisition of the load data, a communication unit that transmits and receives data, and an image display unit that displays an image based on the image data; an instructor terminal equipped with an imaging device that photographs the instructor's body, a communication unit, a speaker that plays back audio data received by the communication unit, and an image display device that displays the image data; and a server computer equipped with at least a communication unit and an image generation unit. The instruction system is characterized in that the student terminal, the instructor terminal and the server computer are interconnected via an internet or other telecommunication line, the instructor terminal receives image data relating to the condition of the student's body photographed by the imaging device of the student terminal, and image data relating to the pressure distribution of the student on the mat-like member generated by the image generation unit based on the load data received by the server computer from the student terminal, and displays these on the image display device.

[0010] The aforementioned earphones may also be equipped with a pressure-sensitive element that senses slight pressure changes and can be configured to sense the participant's breathing sounds and / or heartbeat sounds.

[0011] Furthermore, the earphones may also be equipped with a thermometer and configured to measure the skin temperature inside the ear canal of the participant.

[0012] The imaging device of the participant terminal can also be configured to include a thermal camera and measure the temperature of various parts of the participant's body.

[0013] Furthermore, the earphones may be equipped with an irradiation unit that emits weak laser light or other electromagnetic waves, and may be configured to measure blood flow in the skin tissue on the surface of the participant's ear canal.

[0014] Furthermore, the server computer can also be configured to store data for each lesson relating to one or all of the participant's pressure distribution, respiratory rate per unit time, heart rate, blood flow rate, and body temperature.

[0015] As another configuration of the instruction system of the present invention, the instruction system comprises a mat-like member that acquires and measures load data relating to the distribution of pressure applied by the student at an appropriate sampling rate; a student terminal wirelessly connected to the mat-like member and equipped with an imaging device that photographs the student's body in synchronization with the acquisition of the load data, a communication unit that transmits and receives data, a speaker that plays back audio data received by the communication unit, and an image display unit that displays an image based on the image data; an instructor terminal equipped with an imaging device that photographs the instructor's body, a communication unit, a speaker that plays back audio data received by the communication unit, and an image display device that displays the image data; and a server computer equipped with at least a communication unit and an image generation unit. In this instruction system, the student terminal, the instructor terminal, and the server computer are interconnected via a telecommunications line such as the Internet, and the instructor terminal is configured to receive image data relating to the student's body condition photographed by the imaging device of the student terminal, and image data relating to the pressure distribution of the student on the mat-like member generated by the image generation unit based on the load data received by the server computer from the student terminal, and to display these on the image display device.

[0016] The server computer may also be configured to include: an index item acquisition means for acquiring index items to be indexed; a student item acquisition means for acquiring student items held by students; an item matching means for associating the student items acquired by the student item acquisition means with source data items of source data that reflect the attributes of specific or unspecified persons; a machine learning model that has been trained using the source data items corresponding to the student items as input data; a classification item creation means for classifying the student items using the machine learning model according to the content of the index items and creating classification items; and a score assignment means for assigning scores to the classification items created by the classification item creation means based on predetermined rules.

[0017] The server computer receives image data relating to the participant's facial expression, captured by the imaging device installed in the participant terminal, from the communication unit, and measures the amount of change in a predetermined part of the image data at an appropriate timing to grasp changes in the participant's facial expression. By providing a facial expression scoring means that assigns a score based on the amount of change, it becomes possible to grasp changes in the participant's facial expression such as ecstasy, pleasure, exhilaration, fatigue, pain, and depression, quantify these changes, and use them as an indicator of the degree to which the participant has reached a meditative state. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the instruction system of the present invention, the instructor can grasp in real time whether the student's body balance is appropriate from information on the student's posture captured by an imaging device on the student's terminal and the student's center of gravity position obtained from the pressure distribution measured by a mat-like member, and can immediately provide appropriate advice through two-way dialogue with the student.

[0019] Furthermore, this allows instructors to safely and effectively guide participants into a meditative state, and to prevent them from being injured or otherwise harmed if they lose their balance.

[0020] In addition, the earphones worn by the trainee measure the trainee's respiration, heartbeat, body temperature or blood flow, and display the information on the display device of the instructor terminal by graphing or the like, so that the instructor can grasp the trainee's proficiency and the degree of attainment of meditation in more detail.

[0021] In addition, by providing a machine learning model, the present invention enables an efficient yoga guidance method for trainees, setting of guidance times, etc., and can accurately estimate the risk of injuries and diseases predicted from attribute information such as the characteristics of the trainees, the posture and behavior during yoga practice.

[0022] In addition, the present invention can score the degree of attainment of the meditation state by using the trainee's expression as an index, and it becomes possible to grasp the physical and mental state of the trainee in real time.

Brief Explanation of Drawings

[0023] [Figure 1] Schematic diagram showing the configuration of the guidance system of the present invention [Figure 2] Perspective view showing the mat-like member of the guidance system of the present invention [Figure 3] Schematic diagram showing the configuration of the instructor terminal of the guidance system of the present invention [Figure 4] Schematic diagram showing the configuration of the trainee terminal of the guidance system of the present invention [Figure 5] Schematic diagram showing the configuration of the earphones of the guidance system of the present invention [Figure 6] Schematic diagram showing another configuration of the guidance system of the present invention [Figure 7] Perspective view showing the mat-like member in another configuration of the guidance system of the present invention [Figure 8] Schematic diagram showing the instructor terminal in another configuration of the guidance system of the present invention [Figure 9] Schematic diagram showing the trainee terminal in another configuration of the guidance system of the present invention [Figure 10] Overall view showing the mat-like member in the guidance system of the present invention and other configurations [Figure 11]Cross-sectional view showing details of the mat-like member in the guidance system and other components of the present invention. [Figure 12] Overall diagram showing another embodiment of the mat-like member in the guidance system and other components of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] An example of an embodiment of the instruction system of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, yoga instruction will be used as an example, but the invention is not limited to yoga and can be applied to various types of instruction related to the posture of participants, such as instruction on the model's standing position and posing, dance instruction, or physical therapy rehabilitation instruction. The technical scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited to yoga instruction. [Examples]

[0025] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the instruction system of the present invention, which comprises a server computer SV connected via the Internet, an instructor terminal Ti, and a student terminal Cs.

[0026] In this embodiment, the instructor terminal Ti comprises a communication unit TRi, memory Mi, storage Si, imaging device CMi, image display unit Di, and processing unit Ci. As shown in Figure 1, it is wirelessly connected to a router installed in a location where, for example, the instructor demonstrates yoga, via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (registered trademark; hereinafter the same), and can send and receive various information with a server computer SV, etc.

[0027] Similarly, the student terminal Cs comprises a communication unit TRs, memory Ms, storage Ss, imaging device CMs, image display unit Ds, and processing unit Cs. As shown in Figure 1, it is wirelessly connected to a router installed in the room where the student receives yoga instruction via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc., and can send and receive information with a server computer SV, etc.

[0028] The server computer SV comprises a communication unit, memory, storage, and a processing unit (not shown), and the processing unit includes a comparison unit and an image generation unit.

[0029] The instructor terminal Ti and the student terminal Cs are wirelessly connected to the mat M used in the yoga instruction system of the present invention via a communication unit TRm provided in the mat M, and they mutually send and receive information with each other.

[0030] Mat M is a yoga mat that is roughly rectangular in shape, as shown in Figure 2, and has a sensor installed inside for measuring load.

[0031] As for the configuration of the sensor, for example, a conductive fabric 22 is inserted inside the mat M, and as shown in the enlarged view of the main part in Figure 2, a first conductive region 23 is formed by conductive threads extending in a first direction, a first insulating region 24 is formed by insulating threads extending in a first direction, a second conductive region 25 is formed by conductive threads extending in a second direction, and a second insulating region 26 is formed by insulating threads extending in a second direction, and the cell 27, which is the intersection of the first conductive region 23 and the second conductive region 25, is made to function as a load sensor, but is not limited to this.

[0032] Cell 27, which is the intersection of the first conductive region 23 and the second conductive region 25, has conductive threads running in the vertical and horizontal directions in close proximity. When a load is applied to cell 27, the load on each cell 27 is detected based on the change in capacitance compared to when a load is applied to other regions.

[0033] Fabric sensors made of conductive threads have advantages such as being lightweight, highly flexible, and having a long lifespan compared to conductive materials such as metal, making them preferable as sensors for yoga mats.

[0034] Mat M is equipped with a detection circuit (not shown) that detects changes in capacitance in each cell 27, and transmits the cell position and corresponding load data from the communication unit TRm to the server computer SV.

[0035] Furthermore, the sensors can be configured in any way as long as they can grasp the center of gravity of the yoga instructor, and the installation of multiple independent pressure sensors is also optional.

[0036] Mat M includes a fabric-like sensor M1 and an elastic material M2 such as a cushion as components. Covering the fabric-like sensor with the cushion or other material is preferable because it improves the durability of the fabric-like sensor and also improves the feel and shock absorption of Mat M.

[0037] Mat M incorporates a fabric-like sensor M1 internally, and its surface and back surfaces are covered with cushioning material M2. By configuring the mat to sandwich the fabric-like sensor between the cushioning material, the fabric sensor can be protected from damage caused by pressure from participants or friction with the floor.

[0038] It goes without saying that even when cushioning material M2 is placed on either the front or back surface of the fabric-like sensor M1, the fabric-like sensor can still be protected.

[0039] Furthermore, since the participants wear the earphones Es in their ears, and these earphones Es are in close contact with the skin on the surface of the participant's ear canal while being worn, they have the advantage of being able to stably measure biological information such as body temperature, sweating, and heart rate. Compared to wristwatch-type terminals with electrocardiogram functions, they have less dynamic noise and are superior in terms of data acquisition reliability and ease of use.

[0040] The earphone Es comprises, in addition to the speaker Se found in typical earphones, a memory Me, a battery, a communication unit TRe, a microphone MCe, a temperature sensing unit THe, an irradiating unit IRe capable of emitting laser light, and a pressure transducer PTe.

[0041] The IRe (Irradiation Unit) emits a weak laser beam, for example, with a wavelength of approximately 850 nm, from the earphone opening towards the skin on the surface of the participant's ear canal. The scattered light from the skin tissue and blood cells is received by a photodiode (not shown), and the blood flow can be measured by analyzing its frequency spectrum.

[0042] Blood flow in the capillaries of skin tissue is controlled by the autonomic nervous system and changes due to factors such as core body temperature and stress. The IRe irradiation unit, based on the so-called laser Doppler principle, irradiates the participant's body with laser light and can measure blood flow by calculating the amount and velocity of blood cells in the skin capillaries from the scattered light.

[0043] The IRe (illumination element) in the Earphone Es is highly suitable for application to the yoga instruction system of the present invention because it allows for non-invasive continuous measurement, is free from motion noise, and can be configured as a wearable device. Of course, it is also possible to configure the system in which blood flow is measured by irradiating with LED light or the like from an optical heart rate sensor built into the skin contact surface of a device worn on the wrist and measuring the amount of scattered light reflected by blood flow.

[0044] Furthermore, the temperature-sensing element THe can measure the temperature of the skin on the surface of the participant's ear canal by contacting it. Needless to say, the temperature-sensing element THe can also be configured to be non-contact, for example, by sensing infrared rays emitted from the skin on the surface of the participant's ear canal and measuring its temperature.

[0045] Furthermore, the pressure transducer PTe in the earphone Es detects minute pressure changes within the space formed by the earphone opening and the learner's ear canal, acquiring biometric information such as the learner's breathing sounds and heartbeat sounds. It is preferable that the earphone Es be configured to fit snugly inside the learner's ear canal, for example, by attaching a silicone ear cap. By sealing the ear canal and measuring minute pressure changes generated from the eardrum and ear canal, heart rate can be obtained as an intra-ear canal cardiac pressure signal in the 2-20 Hz range.

[0046] Audio data collected by the pressure transducer PTe can be filtered and separated into the participant's speech, breathing sounds, and heartbeat sounds. For example, when measuring the relative sound pressure level of breathing sounds, heart rate pressure, and speech frequency using a pressure transducer placed in the ear canal, breathing sounds can be acquired in the ear canal as a noise signal in the range of 0.2 to 2 Hz, and heart rate pressure as a cardiac pressure signal in the range of 2 to 20 Hz. The earphone-type pressure transducer is based on a 16mm diameter diaphragm dynamic earphone type, and by optimizing the strengthening of the magnetic circuit, the number of coil windings, and the diaphragm's resonant frequency, a conversion voltage of approximately -100 to -90 dBV can be obtained in response to pressure changes in the ear canal. At this time, by ensuring that the number of effective bits of the AD conversion data is 22 bits or more, calculation errors caused by noise during digital signal processing can be reduced.

[0047] Biometric information such as the participant's voice, blood flow rate, body temperature, respiratory sounds, and heart rate, collected by the earphone Es, is transmitted from the communication unit TRe to the participant terminal Cs via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc., and then transmitted from the participant terminal Cs to the server computer SV via the internet.

[0048] The calculation unit of the server computer SV, based on the position information of cells on the mat M received by the communication unit and the corresponding load data, creates a pressure distribution diagram for the participant's mat-like member M in the image generation unit, and at the same time transmits the image data related to the pressure distribution diagram to the instructor terminal Ti.

[0049] Furthermore, the calculation unit generates an image graphing the changes in body temperature, blood flow rate per unit time, respiratory rate, and heart rate based on the received biometric information of the participant and the audio data obtained through filtering, and transmits this image along with the audio data related to the participant's voice to the instructor terminal Ti. These image and audio data are acquired and generated at an arbitrary sampling rate and are synchronized.

[0050] Upon receiving the image data and audio data from the server computer SV, the instructor terminal Ti displays the image on its image display unit Di and transmits the audio data to the earphone Ei worn by the instructor.

[0051] Instructors who access this information through the instructor terminal Ti and earphone Ei can understand the physical condition of the trainees in real time, and conversely, they can immediately send necessary and appropriate advice from the microphone MCi on the earphone Ei to the trainee's earphone Es via the trainee terminal Cs.

[0052] The server computer SV's calculation unit can be configured to compare the center of gravity position obtained from information on the mat M used by the student with the center of gravity position based on information on the mat M used by the instructor, and when the difference reaches a predetermined value, it can issue a command to display an alert or play a preset alert sound on each terminal.

[0053] The server computer SV in the instruction system of the present invention comprises: an index item acquisition means for acquiring index items to be indexed; a student item acquisition means for acquiring student items held by students; an item matching means for matching the student items acquired by the student item acquisition means with source data items of source data that reflect the attributes of specific or unspecified persons; a machine learning model that has been trained using the source data items corresponding to the student items as input data; a classification item creation means for classifying the student items using the machine learning model according to the content of the index items and creating classification items; and a score assigning means for assigning scores to the classification items created by the classification item creation means based on predetermined rules.

[0054] The means for acquiring indicator items in this invention sets and acquires indicator items that should be understood in relation to the teaching method for instructing yoga to students, such as "the risk of the target student injuring their lower body (especially the knees and ankles) in this lesson." The means for acquiring student-owned items acquires student-owned items from students as attributes such as gender, age, height, weight, body temperature, blood pressure, blood flow rate, history of past illnesses and injuries, yoga experience, and yoga level. The item matching means then links the student-owned items with source data items, and if necessary, the classification item creation means classifies the student-owned items according to the indicator items to create classification items.

[0055] The scoring method assigns scores to participant-possessed items and classification items based on predetermined rules, making it possible to distinguish between items with high scores and items with low scores. From these items, it is possible to accurately estimate potential participants who would require special instruction in that lesson (for example, participants who are at risk of injuring their lower body (especially the knees and ankles) in this lesson).

[0056] Specifically, in the server computer SV, a machine learning model is created by inputting participant-owned items and corresponding source data items (information obtained from source data that reflects one of the following: gender, age, height, weight, body temperature, blood pressure, blood flow rate, past illness / injury history, yoga experience, or yoga level of a specific or unspecified person). This allows for the creation of classification items and the assignment of scores when new index items and participant-owned items are input.

[0057] The aforementioned item handling means may be adjusted to align with a higher-level conceptual item if the content of the participant-held item and the source data item conceptually overlap.

[0058] In this configuration, the item matching mechanism compares the items held by the learners with the source data items, and adjusts the items if necessary, thereby linking the learners' items with the source data items. If the two items do not match but conceptually overlap, the item matching mechanism adjusts them to match the higher-level conceptual item, and a classification item can be created from the relationship between the adjusted item and the indexed item.

[0059] Furthermore, the scoring means can calculate a baseline value from all participants and calculate the score from the numerical values ​​of each item relative to the baseline value.

[0060] According to this configuration, the scoring method calculates a score based on how much larger or smaller the value of each item is compared to a baseline value for all participants. Therefore, a relative score can be assigned to each item. For example, if statistics show that lower body injuries during yoga lessons occur more frequently in men than in women, then in relation to the index item "Risk of participants in this lesson to injure their lower body (especially knees and ankles)," "men" will be scored higher. Similarly, if statistics show that those who have previously injured their ankles are more likely to suffer lower body injuries during lessons compared to those who have not, then in relation to the index item "Risk of participants in this lesson to injure their lower body (especially knees and ankles)," the item "Have previously injured an ankle" will be scored higher.

[0061] Furthermore, it is preferable to have a participant determination means that determines a participant to be a potential participant if the score assigned to each of the aforementioned items exceeds a predetermined threshold.

[0062] With this configuration, the participant identification method determines that a person is a potential participant in relation to the indexed item if the score for each classification item exceeds a threshold. This makes it possible to estimate the risk of injury or illness during lessons based on information about the participant's attributes.

[0063] By accessing the participant database, instructors possess participant information such as "gender," "age group," "yoga experience level," "posture and behavior during yoga practice," "yoga proficiency level," and "history of injuries or illnesses." However, they are not aware of the "risk of participants in this lesson injuring their lower body (especially the knees and ankles)."

[0064] In such cases, the instructor inputs into the device terminal the following items: "the risk of the participant in this lesson injuring their lower body (especially the knees and ankles)," which is an indicator to be quantified, and the participant's personal information, such as "gender," "age group," "yoga experience," "posture and behavior during yoga practice," "yoga proficiency," and "history of injuries, illnesses, etc."

[0065] Once the indicator items and participant-required items are entered, the server computer SV assigns a score to each item, classifying the participant-required items as needed.

[0066] The Server Computer SV calculates a baseline value for each item for all participants and scores each item based on its value relative to that baseline (relative evaluation).

[0067] The server computer SV evaluates a user as either "○" or "×" based on a value that combines these scores as appropriate. "○" indicates a potential student, and is awarded when the value exceeds (or becomes above) a predetermined threshold. By inputting the indicator items and the student's possession items, the system determines whether a user is a potential student.

[0068] Furthermore, this allows instructors to accurately predict participants (potential participants) who are at high risk of lower body (especially knee and ankle) injury during a lesson, even if the instructor is unaware of the participant's individual characteristics. This enables them to prepare a training program to prevent injuries during the lesson.

[0069] Even when indicator items are set to "injuries or experiences of injuries from lower back stretching" or "injuries or experiences of injuries from neck stretching," by setting items possessed by participants, linking each item using item correspondence means, categorizing using classification item creation means, and scoring using score assignment means, it is possible to identify potential participants who show values ​​indicating a high probability of injury in various parts of the body, and to set up appropriate training programs for participants who are expected to experience injuries, including to the lower back and neck.

[0070] By accumulating various data entered according to the above procedure and providing feedback on the accuracy of the calculated values, the accuracy of the server computer SV's judgments regarding the indicator items will be further improved.

[0071] The server computer SV receives image data relating to the participant's facial expression, captured by the imaging device CMs on the participant terminal Cs, from the communication unit TRm. By measuring the amount of change at predetermined locations in the image data at appropriate timings, it grasps changes in the participant's facial expression and assigns a score based on the amount of change. This makes it possible to grasp and quantify changes in the participant's facial expression, such as ecstasy, pleasure, exhilaration, fatigue, pain, and depression, and use this as an indicator of the degree to which the participant has reached a meditative state. Furthermore, the server computer SV can also be configured to store information relating to general characteristics common to each facial expression, such as bright, dark, stern, and expressionless, classify which category the current participant's facial expression belongs to, and score based on that classification.

[0072] The facial expression scoring means of the present invention scores the facial expressions of the student captured by the imaging device on the student's terminal, assigning points on a 10-point scale, for example, 10 points for an expression that is focused on the lesson and close to a meditative state, 5 points for an expression that is not focused on the lesson, and 0 points for an expression that is furrowed and poses a risk of injury.

[0073] Here, the participants may be limited to those being evaluated or those currently taking the lesson, as well as other participants and general participants taking yoga lessons. They may be taught to associate the facial expressions of these participants with their scores, based on the common characteristics of their facial expressions.

[0074] The score determination means of the present invention determines the category of facial expression based on facial features (such as the degree to which the eyes are open, the degree to which the corners of the mouth are turned up, and the angle of the eyebrows) extracted from the image data of the participant, and determines the score assigned to that category as the participant's facial expression score.

[0075] The instructor can take into account the student's facial expression score displayed on the instructor terminal Ti's image display unit Di to more accurately understand the student's meditative state during the lesson. [Examples]

[0076] Example 2 can have a configuration almost identical to Example 1, except for the earphone Es shown in Figure 5. Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, the instruction system of the present invention has a configuration that includes a server computer SV connected via the Internet or other telecommunication lines, an instructor terminal Ti, and a student terminal Cs.

[0077] As shown in Figure 8, the instructor terminal Ti comprises a communication unit TRi, memory Mi, storage Si, imaging device CMi, image display unit Di, and processing unit Ci. It is wirelessly connected via a router using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc., and can send and receive various information with the server computer SV, etc.

[0078] Similarly, as shown in Figure 9, the student terminal Cs comprises a communication unit TRs, memory Ms, storage Ss, imaging device CMs, image display unit Ds, and processing unit Cs, and is wirelessly connected via a router using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc., and can send and receive information with the server computer SV, etc.

[0079] The server computer SV similarly comprises a communication unit, memory, storage, and an arithmetic unit, the arithmetic unit comprising a comparison unit and an image generation unit.

[0080] The instructor terminal Ti and the student terminal Cs are wirelessly connected to the mat M (Figure 7) via the communication unit TRm using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc., and can send and receive information to and from each other.

[0081] As shown in Figure 7, sensors for measuring load are installed inside Mat M.

[0082] The sensor is configured, for example, similar to Embodiment 1, by inserting a conductive fabric 22 inside the mat M, and consisting of a first conductive region 23 made of conductive threads extending in a first direction, a first insulating region 24 made of insulating threads extending in a first direction, a second conductive region 25 made of conductive threads extending in a second direction, and a second insulating region 26 made of insulating threads extending in a second direction, with the cell 27, which is the intersection of the first conductive region 23 and the second conductive region 25, functioning as a load sensor.

[0083] When a load is applied to cell 27, its capacitance changes, and the difference in capacitance between cell 27 and other cells in areas where no load is applied can be used to detect the load on cell 27.

[0084] The mat M is further equipped with a detection circuit that detects changes in capacitance in each cell 27, and is wirelessly connected from the communication unit TRm via a router using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc., to the server computer SV, which transmits the position information of the cells on the mat M and the corresponding load data.

[0085] Furthermore, such sensors can be configured in any way as long as they can grasp the center of gravity of the yoga instructor, and it is optional to install multiple independent pressure sensors.

[0086] The calculation unit of the server computer SV, based on the position information of cells on the mat M received from the communication unit and the corresponding load data, creates a pressure distribution diagram for the participant on the mat-like member M in the image generation unit, and at the same time transmits the image data related to the pressure distribution diagram to the instructor terminal Ti.

[0087] Upon receiving the location information and load data from the server computer SV, the instructor terminal Ti displays the image on its image display unit Di.

[0088] Instructors who access this information through their instructor terminal Ti can grasp the physical condition of the trainees in real time and immediately send necessary and appropriate advice to the trainee terminal Cs.

[0089] The server computer SV's calculation unit can be configured to compare the center of gravity position obtained from information on the mat M used by the student with the center of gravity position obtained from information on the mat M used by the instructor, and when the difference reaches a predetermined value, it can issue a command to display an alert or play a preset alert sound on each terminal. [Industrial applicability]

[0090] As described above, the present invention allows instructors to grasp in real time the state of the participant's posture and center of gravity from the participant's physical condition captured by the participant's terminal imaging device and the pressure distribution measured by the mat-like member, and to immediately provide accurate advice. In addition, by referring to various biometric information of the participant acquired through the earphone, instructors can objectively grasp the participant's degree to which they have reached a meditative state, and it becomes possible to set more efficient teaching methods and timing for yoga and other activities based on information related to various attributes, including changes in the participant's facial expressions. Furthermore, it has the effect of predicting and understanding injuries and illnesses that may occur during or in the future during lessons, making it extremely useful when applied to various teaching systems, including yoga studios.

Claims

1. The earphones that the participants wear in their ears, A mat-like member that acquires and measures load data related to the distribution of pressure applied by the participant at an appropriate sampling rate, A participant terminal comprising an imaging device wirelessly connected to the aforementioned earphones and mat-like member, which photographs the participant's body in synchronization with the acquisition of load data, a communication unit for transmitting and receiving data, and an image display unit for displaying images based on image data, An instructor terminal equipped with an imaging device for photographing the instructor's body, a communication unit, a speaker for playing back audio data received by the communication unit, and an image display device for displaying image data, In a teaching system having a server computer equipped with at least a communication unit and an image generation unit, The aforementioned student terminals, instructor terminals, and server computers are interconnected via telecommunication lines such as the Internet. The instructor terminal receives image data relating to the physical condition of the participant captured by the imaging device of the participant terminal, and image data relating to the pressure distribution of the participant on the mat-like member, generated by the image generation unit based on the load data received by the server computer from the participant terminal, and displays them on the image display device. The instructional system is characterized in that the server computer receives image data relating to the student's facial expression, captured by an imaging device installed in the student terminal, from the communication unit, and grasps changes in the student's facial expression by measuring the amount of change at a predetermined location in the image data relating to the student's facial expression at an appropriate timing, and provides a facial expression scoring means for assigning a score based on the amount of change.

2. The instructional system according to claim 1, wherein the earphone is equipped with a pressure-sensitive member that senses slight pressure changes and is configured to sense the breathing sounds and / or heartbeat sounds of the student.

3. The instruction system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the earphone is equipped with a thermometer to measure the temperature of the skin inside the ear canal of the student.

4. The instructional system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the imaging device of the participant terminal is equipped with a thermal camera and measures the temperature of various parts of the participant's body.

5. The instruction system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the earphone is equipped with an irradiation unit that emits a weak laser light or other light, and measures the blood flow rate in the skin tissue on the surface of the student's external auditory canal.

6. The instruction system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the server computer stores data for each instruction session relating to any or all of the participant's pressure distribution, respiratory rate, heart rate, body temperature, and blood flow rate.

7. The instruction system according to claim 5, wherein the server computer stores data for each instruction session relating to any or all of the participant's pressure distribution, respiratory rate, heart rate, body temperature, and blood flow rate.

8. The server computer is: A means for obtaining indicator items to be indexed, A means for acquiring participant-owned items that participants possess, An item matching means that associates the participant-owned items acquired by the participant-owned item acquisition means with source data items of source data that reflect the attributes of a specific or unspecified person, A machine learning model that has been trained using the aforementioned items held by the participant and the corresponding source data items as input data, A scoring means that assigns scores to the aforementioned items held by the participant based on predetermined rules. The instruction system according to claim 1, comprising:

9. The server computer is: Furthermore, a classification item creation means that classifies the items held by the participant using the machine learning model according to the content of the index items and creates classification items, A scoring means that assigns a score to the classification items created by the classification item creation means based on a predetermined rule. The instruction system according to claim 8, comprising:

10. A mat-like member that acquires and measures load data relating to the distribution of pressure applied by the participant at an appropriate sampling rate, A participant terminal is provided, which is wirelessly connected to the mat-like member and includes an imaging device that photographs the participant's body in synchronization with the acquisition of load data, a communication unit that transmits and receives data, a speaker that plays back audio data received by the communication unit, and an image display unit that displays an image based on the image data. An instructor terminal equipped with an imaging device for photographing the instructor's body, a communication unit, a speaker for playing back audio data received by the communication unit, and an image display device for displaying image data, In a teaching system having a server computer equipped with at least a communication unit and an image generation unit, The aforementioned student terminals, instructor terminals, and server computers are interconnected via telecommunication lines such as the Internet. The instructor terminal receives image data relating to the physical condition of the participant captured by the imaging device of the participant terminal, and image data relating to the pressure distribution of the participant on the mat-like member, generated by the image generation unit based on the load data received by the server computer from the participant terminal, and displays them on the image display device. The instructional system is characterized in that the server computer receives image data relating to the student's facial expression, captured by an imaging device installed in the student terminal, from the communication unit, and grasps changes in the student's facial expression by measuring the amount of change at a predetermined location in the image data relating to the student's facial expression at an appropriate timing, and provides a facial expression scoring means for assigning a score based on the amount of change.

11. The guidance system of claim 10, wherein part or all of the sensing portion of the mat-like member is covered with an elastic material.

12. The guidance system according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the sensor of the mat-like member is a cloth-like sensor.

13. The server computer is: A means for obtaining indicator items to be indexed, A means for acquiring participant-owned items that participants possess, An item matching means that associates the participant-owned items acquired by the participant-owned item acquisition means with source data items of source data that reflect the attributes of a specific or unspecified person, A machine learning model that has been trained using the aforementioned items held by the participant and the corresponding source data items as input data, A scoring means that assigns scores to the aforementioned items held by the participant based on predetermined rules. The instruction system according to claim 10, comprising:

14. The aforementioned server computer is Furthermore, a classification item creation means that classifies the items held by the participant using the machine learning model according to the content of the index items and creates classification items, A scoring means that assigns a score to the classification items created by the classification item creation means based on a predetermined rule. The instruction system according to claim 13, comprising:

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