Hand-eye coordination training system
The headband target system with tether retractor and paddles provides a self-contained solution for hand-eye coordination training, addressing the need for independent practice with adjustable difficulty levels.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- JOSPEPH SULLIVAN WILLIAM
- Filing Date
- 2025-11-05
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-30
AI Technical Summary
Existing sports require equipment that necessitates a second person or is expensive and difficult to set up for hand-eye coordination training.
A headband target system with a tether retractor and paddles that allow individuals to practice hand-eye coordination independently, featuring adjustable straps, elastic tethers, and interchangeable targets for varying difficulty levels.
Enables effective hand-eye coordination training with adjustable difficulty levels, allowing individuals to practice without additional personnel or expensive equipment.
Smart Images
Figure US2025054245_30072026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Docket No.: ITP / 1004PCTHAND-EYE COORDINATION TRAINING SYSTEMCross Reference To Related Applications
[0001] This application claims the benefits of priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 63 / 749,595, filed on January 25, 2025; the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONField of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a hand-eye coordination training system that includes a headband target system that retains a target by a target tether and a paddle or paddles that strap to a person's hands for batting the target successively away from the person and wherein the target tether, which may be an elastic tether, retracts the target back toward the person.Background
[0003] Many sports require keen hand-eye coordination and athletes can develop hand-eye coordination through practicing their sport. However, many sports require equipment that necessitate a second person to practice or expensive equipment that may be difficult to set up, such as a tennis ball or baseball pitching machine.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] An exemplary headband target system includes a headband having a headband strap configured to extend around a person’s head to retain the headband to the person’s head. A tether retractor is configured on the headband and a target tether extends from the tether retractor to a target, such as a ball. Paddles are coupled to the person’s hand or hands to bat the target away from the person and wherein the target tether retracts the target back towards the person.
[0005] The headband strap of the headband target system may be adjustable and include a strap length adjuster such as a buckle that may be configured on one orDocket No.: ITP / 1004PCTmore sides of the headband. A strap retainer may be configured to retain two portions of the headband strap, and the strap retainer may be configured on the back side of the headband. A tether retractor is configured proximal to the front of the headband and retains the elastic tether. The tether retractor may have a tether length adjustment, such as an adjustment knob that can be turned to change the active length of the target tether between the tether retractor and the target, such as a ball. The adjustment knob may be turned to coil the target tether around a tether spool to change the active length of the target tether.
[0006] The target tether may be an elastic tether being made of or comprising an elastic material. The target tether has an active length from the tether retractor to the target and the active length can be adjusted by the tether length adjuster, such as a knob that can be turned to rotate the tether spool to wind up or release the target tether around the tether spool. The active length is the length of the target tether that can be extracted from the tether retractor during a hand-eye training exercise. The spooled tether is wrapped around the tether spool and the tether spool may be rotated to change the active length.
[0007] The headband target system may include a counter that may be coupled to the tether retractor that counts the number of times the tether is hit or batted away from the tether retractor. The force of batting the target away from the tether retractor may mechanically move a component that enables counting the number of hits of the target away from the tether retractor. A spring may be coupled with the spool axle and the counter and may produce an electrical contact when the spring is stretched to enable electronic counting that is displayed on a display, such as a digital display. A battery may be configured on the headband or in the tether retractor to power the electronic counter and the digital display.
[0008] The tether retractor may be used to adjust the active length of the target tether such that an adjusted or second length is 25% greater or more than a first length, and may be 50% greater or more, 75% greater or more, 100% greater or more, 150% greater or more, or even 200% greater or more. The maximum length of the target tether, or maximum active length 44 may be about 40cm or more, about 50cm or more, about 60cm or more, about 75cm or more, about 1 m or more, about 1 ,25m or more, or even about 1.5m or more. The tether may be elastic and therefore may enable stretching by as much as about 25% or more, about 50%Docket No.: ITP / 1004PCTmore, about 75% or more, about 100% or more, about 150% or more, or even 200% or more and return back to an original length upon release of a stretching force.
[0009] The target tether may have an elongation force, or force required to elongate the tether at a rate of 100mm / sec that is about 0.1 N or less, about 0.2N or less, about 0.5N or less, about 1 N or less, about 1.5N or less, about 2.0N or less, about 3N or less or even 4N or less or any range between. The target tether may be viscoelastic wherein the force to elongate the tether is greater when the rate is higher and much lower when elongated at a slower rate. An exemplary target tether is a synthetic rubber available from CHEGIF, Santa Clara, CA, UPC 768459357259.
[0010] The target is an object coupled to the tether that is configured to be batted or hit away from the headband and then retracts back. The target may be any shape but is preferably a ball or a spherical-shaped target and may be detachably attachable to the target tether by a target coupler, such as a clip, hook, strap or band, or other detachable attachment means and this may allow the target to be interchangeable for a person’s skill level. A hand-eye coordination training system may include two or more different targets, such as three or more, four or more or even five or more, and these targets may have different diameters, surfaces, and / or bounce heights as described herein.
[0011] A target may be larger and have less bounce for a beginner and as the person becomes more proficient, the target may be changed out to provide a smaller and / or more responsive target, and / or a target that has more bounce. According to the International Tennis Federation (ITF) rules, a tennis ball has a bounce height of between 135cm and 147cm when dropped on a concrete floor from a height of 254 cm (100inches). A target may be a tennis ball or may be a racquet ball that is has a much greater bounce height. A target may have an exterior target surface that is formulated for a particular response from the paddle and may include fibers, such as fibers found on a tennis ball. The fibers on the exterior target surface of the target may aid in softening the recoil and may improve traction or friction against the grooves on the paddle.
[0012] A first target when dropped from a height of 2.54m (1 OOin) onto a concrete surface may bounce a first bounce height of 0.5m for example, and a second target for more proficient people may have a second bounce height of 1m or more and therefore may have double the recoil of the first target, double the bounce height.Docket No.: ITP / 1004PCTRecoil of a target, or bounce, may be measured as a relative degree between a first target and a second target as herein described. Also, a target may have a recoil or bounce height when dropped from 2.54m(100in) onto a concrete surface of about 0.25m or more, about 0.5m or more about 0.75m or more, about 1.0m or more, about 1.5m or more, about 2.0m or more and any range between and including the bounce heights provided. A target having a recoil or bounce height of 2.0m or more may be very difficult to control, even for very proficient athletes. A preferred bounce height is therefore between about 0.75m and 1.75m with the more preferred range being between 1.0m and 1.5m.
[0013] A target may have a diameter of about 4cm or more, about 6cm or more, about 8cm or more, about 10cm or less and any range between and including the values provided. Again, the target may be interchanged for a smaller or larger target depending on the skill level of the player. A typical tennis ball has a diameter of about 6.26cm and the target may be a tennis ball.
[0014] A target may include an elastomeric material, such as an elastomeric cover and may be filled with air or foam or other material to provide the proper bounce and response from the paddle. A target may have a mass of about 25g or more, about 35g or more, about 50g or more, about 60g or more, about 75g or more, about 100g or more and any range between and including the values provided. A preferred mass of the target is about 35g to about 75g with the more preferred range being between about 50g to about 60g. If the ball is too heavy, it may require too much force to produce the desired recoil.
[0015] An exemplary paddle has a paddle hand side with a paddle strap for coupling with a person’s hand. The paddle strap may be an elastic strap and may have a paddle strap buckle to tighten the paddle strap over a person’s hand. The paddle has a paddle target side that may have a specific hardness or may have a paddletarget interface material thereon, which may contain an elastomeric material configured to provide recoil of the target from the paddle. The Shore A durometer of the paddle or the paddle-target interface material may be about 30 or more, about 50 or more, about 75 or more, or about 100 or less. An exemplary paddle is polypropylene with a hardness of 60 shore D. A harder paddle may recoil a target with more energy and at a higher velocity than a softer paddle material, but a softer paddle material may provide more control and may be used for more novice users ofDocket No.: ITP / 1004PCTthe system. The paddle-target interface material may have a thickness of about 1mm or more, about 2mm or more, about 3mm or more, about 5mm or more, and any range between and including the thickness values provided. A thicker paddletarget interface material may provide more energy absorption and may make it easier to control or bat away the target successively as the target may not recoil as much with a thicker paddle-target interface material having an elastomeric material thereon. A thinner paddle-target interface material may be desired as a person becomes more proficient batting away the target. The paddle-target interface material may be interchangeable or detachably attachable to the paddle to enable different difficulty levels.
[0016] The paddles may be circular or have a circular perimeter, and the paddle target side may have grooves, such as circular grooves, that are configured to help interface with the target and may provide additional traction or friction with the target and may prevent the target from slipping off the perimeter of the paddle. Grooves may be configured as concentric grooves and have a higher concentration of grooves configured proximal to the outer perimeter of the paddle, within 50mm or said perimeter, than the center of the paddle. Note the target side of the paddle may have two or more grooves, three or more grooves, five or more grooves, ten or more grooves, 20 or more grooves and any range between and including the number of grooves provided and these may be concentric circular grooves that provide traction in the radial direction of the paddle surface to prevent slipping of the target on the paddle. Also, the grooves may have a depth in the paddle target side, or paddle-target interface material of about 1mm or more, about 2mm or more, about 3mm or more, about 5mm or more and any range between and including the values provided.
[0017] A paddle may have a circular shape with a circular outer perimeter and with a diameter that may be about 10cm or more, about 12cm or more, about 14cm or more, about 16cm or more, about 18cm or more, about 20cm or more, and any range between and including the diameters provided. A paddle may be thin and generally planar having a thickness of no more than about 5cm, no more than about 4cm, no more than about 2.5cm or even no more than 1.5cm. The hand-eye coordination training system may include two paddles, one for each hand.Docket No.: ITP / 1004PCT
[0018] The summary of the invention is provided as a general introduction to some of the embodiments of the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Additional example embodiments including variations and alternative configurations of the invention are provided herein.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.
[0020] Figure 1 shows a person using the hand-eye coordination training system that includes a headband target system for retaining a target by a target tether and paddles that are strapped to the person’s hands for batting the target successively away from the person and wherein the target tether retracts the target back toward the person.
[0021] Figure 2 shows a person using the hand-eye coordination training system that includes a headband target system for retaining a target by a target tether and a paddle that is strapped to the person’s hand for batting the target successively away from the person and wherein the target tether retracts the target back toward the person.
[0022] Figure 3 shows a perspective top left side view of the headband target system.
[0023] Figure 4 shows a perspective top right side view of the headband target system.
[0024] Figure 5 shows a perspective bottom right side view of the headband target system.
[0025] Figure 5 shows a perspective bottom left side view of the headband target system.
[0026] Figure 7 shows a top view of the headband target system.
[0027] Figure 8 shows a bottom view of the headband target system.
[0028] Figure 9 shows a right side view of the headband target system.
[0029] Figure 10 shows a left side view of the headband target system.Docket No.: ITP / 1004PCT
[0030] Figure 11 shows a front view of the headband target system.
[0031] Figure 12 shows a back view of the headband target system.
[0032] Figure 13 shows a side view of the headband target system with the active length of the target tether set to a relatively shorter distance than the active length shown in FIG. 14.
[0033] Figure 14 shows a side view of the headband target system with the active length increased over than shown in FIG. 13.
[0034] Figure 15 shows a cross-sectional view of the tether retractor with the target tether spooled about a tether spool and a counter coupled with the spool axle to count when the target tether is forced away from the tether retractor.
[0035] Figure 16 shows a perspective left side hand side view of the paddle.
[0036] Figure 17 shows a perspective target side view of the paddle.
[0037] Figure 18 shows a hand side view of the paddle having a paddle strap to retain the paddle to a person’s hand.
[0038] Figure 19 shows a side view of the paddle.
[0039] Figure 20 shows a target side view of the paddle.
[0040] Figure 21 shows a perspective right side hand side view of the paddle.
[0041] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the figures. The figures represent an illustration of some of the embodiments of the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. Some of the figures may not show all of the features and components of the invention for ease of illustration, but it is to be understood that where possible, features and components from one figure may be included in the other figures. Further, the figures are not necessarily to scale, some features may be exaggerated to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
[0042] As used herein, the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," "including," "has," "having" or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusiveDocket No.: ITP / 1004PCTinclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Also, use of "a" or "an" are employed to describe elements and components described herein. This is done merely for convenience and to give a general sense of the scope of the invention. This description should be read to include one or at least one and the singular also includes the plural unless it is obvious that it is meant otherwise.
[0043] Certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described herein and are illustrated in the accompanying figures. The embodiments described are only for purposes of illustrating the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention, and certain modifications, combinations and improvements of the described embodiments, will occur to those skilled in the art and all such alternate embodiments, combinations, modifications, improvements are within the scope of the present invention.
[0044] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a hand-eye coordination training system 10 includes a hand-eye training device 11 including a headband 20 having a tether retractor 30 that retracts a target 40 coupled to the tether retractor 30 by a target tether 42, such as an elastic tether 45, to form a headband target system 12. The headband strap 22 is configured to extend around a person’s head to retain the headband to the person’s head headband target system 12 includes. A tether retractor 30 is configured on the headband and a target tether 42 extends from the tether retractor to a target 40, such as a ball. Paddles 16, 16’ are coupled to the person’s hand, as shown in FIG. 1 to bat the target away from the person and wherein the target tether 42, an elastic tether 45, retracts the target 40 back towards the person. One or two paddles may be used to develop improved hand-eye coordination.
[0045] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 12, a headband target system 12 includes a headband 20 having a headband strap 22 configured to extend around a person’s head to retain the headband to the person’s head. The headband strap 22 may be adjustable and include a strap length adjuster 24, 24’ such as a buckle that may be configured on one or more sides of the headband 20. A strap retainer 25 may beDocket No.: ITP / 1004PCTconfigured to retain two portions of the headband strap 22 and the strap retainer may be configured on the back side of the headband.
[0046] A tether retractor 30 is configured proximal to the front of the headband 20 and retains the target tether 42 that extends through a tether opening 32 in the tether retractor 30, such as a slot in the tether retractor. The tether retractor has a tether length adjustment 34, such as an adjustment knob 35 that can be turned to change a length of the target tether between the tether retractor and the target 40, such as a ball 41. The adjustment knob 35 may be turned to coil the target tether around a tether spool 36. As described herein, changing the active length.
[0047] With reference to FIGS. 13 to 15, the active length 44 of the tether can be adjusted by the tether length adjuster 34, the knob that can be turned to rotate the tether spool 36 to wind up or release the target tether 42 around the tether spool. The spooled tether 46 is shown wrapped around the tether spool 36. Also, a counter 38 is shown that counts when the tether is hit away from the tether retractor 30 and this changes the counter display 39 as shown in some of FIGS. 1 to 12. The force of batting the target away from the tether retractor may mechanically move a component that enables counting the number of bats. A spring 33 may be coupled with the spool axle 37 and the counter 38 and may produce an electrical contact when the spring is stretched to enable electronic counting that is displayed on a counter display 39, such as a digital display. As shown in FIG. 11 , a battery 28 is configured to power the counter and counter display 39.
[0048] With reference to FIGS. 13 and 14, the active length 44 shown in FIG. 13 may be adjusted such that a second length, an extended length, is 25% greater or more than a first length, and may be 50% greater or more, 75% greater or more, 100% greater or more, 150% greater or more, or even 200% greater or more. The maximum length of the active length 44 may be about 40cm or more, about 50cm or more, about 60cm or more, about 75cm or more, about 1m or more, about 1.25m or more, or even about 1 ,5m or more. The tether may be elastic and therefore may enable stretching by as much as about 25% or more, about 50% more, about 75% or more, about 100% or more, about 150% or more, or even 200% or more.
[0049] The target tether may have an elongation force or force required to elongate the tether at a rate of 100mm / sec that is about 0.1 N or less, about 0.2N or less, about 0.5N or less, about 1 N or less, about 1.5N or less, about 2.0N or less, aboutDocket No.: ITP / 1004PCT3N or less or even 4N or less or any range between. The target tether may be viscoelastic wherein the force to elongate the tether is greater when the rate it higher and much lower when elongated at a slow rate.
[0050] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, the target 40 may be a ball or a sphericalshaped target and may be detachably attachable to the target tether 42 by a target coupler 43, such as a clip, hook, strap or band, or other detachable attachment means and this may allow the target 40 to be interchangeable for a person’s skill level. A hand-eye coordination training system 10 may include two or more different targets, such as three or more, four or more or even five or more, and these targets may have different diameters, surfaces, and / or bounce heights as described herein.
[0051] A target may be larger and have less bounce for a beginner and as the person becomes more proficient, the target may be changed out to provide a smaller and / or more responsive target, and / or a target that has more bounce. According to the International Tennis Federation (ITF) rules, a tennis ball has a bounce height of between 135cm and 147cm when dropped on a concrete floor from a height of 254 cm (100inches). A target may be a tennis ball or may be a racquet ball that has a much higher bounce height. A target may have an exterior target surface 47 that is formulated for a particular response from the paddle and may include fibers such as a tennis ball. The fibers 49, as shown on the target 40 in FIG. 4, on the exterior target surface 47 of the target 40, may aid in softening the recoil and may improve traction or friction against the grooves on the paddle. The
[0052] A first target when dropped from a height of 2.54m (100in) onto a concrete surface may bounce a first bounce height of 0.5m for example, and a second target for more proficient people may have a second bounce height of 1m or more and therefore may have double the recoil of the first target, double the bounce height. Recoil of a target, or bounce, may be measured as a relative degree between a first target and a second target as herein described. Also, a target may have a recoil or bounce height when dropped from 2.54m(100in) onto a concrete surface of about 0.25m or more, about 0.5m or more about 0.75m or more, about 1 ,0m or more, about 1 ,5m or more, about 2.0m or more and any range between and including the values provided. A recoil or bounce height of 2.0m or more may be very difficult to control, even for very proficient athletes. A preferred bounce height is between about 0.75m and 1.75m with a more preferred being between 1.0m and 1.5m.Docket No.: ITP / 1004PCT
[0053] A target may have a diameter 48 as shown in FIG. 4, of about 4cm or more, about 6cm or more, about 8cm or more, about 10cm or less and any range between and including the values provided. Again, the target may be interchanged for a smaller or larger target depending on the skill level of the player.
[0054] A target 40 may include an elastomeric material, such as an elastomeric cover and may be filled with air or foam or other material to provide the proper bounce and response from the paddle. A target may have a mass of about 25g or more, about 35g or more, about 50g or more, about 60g or more, about 75g or more, about 100g or more and any range between and including the values provided. A preferred mass of the target is about 35g to about 75g with a more preferred range being between about 50g to about 60g. If the ball is too heavy it may require too much force to produce the desired recoil.
[0055] Referring now to FIGS. 16 to 21, an exemplary paddle 16 has a paddle hand side 60 with a paddle strap 64 for coupling with a person’s hand, as shown in FIG. 1. The paddle strap may be an elastic strap and may have a paddle strap buckle 66 to tighten the paddle strap 64 over a person’s hand. The paddle has a paddle target side 62 that may have a specific hardness or may have a paddle-target interface material 63 thereon, which may contain an elastomeric material configured to provide recoil of the target from the paddle 16. The Shore A durometer of the paddle or the paddle-target interface material 63 may be about 30 or more, about 50 or more, about 75 or more, or about 100 or less. A harder paddle may recoil a target with more energy and at a higher velocity than a softer paddle material, but a softer paddle material may provide more control and may be used for more novice users of the system. The paddle-target interface material 63 may have a thickness of about 1mm or more, about 2mm or more, about 3mm or more, about 5mm or more, and any range between and including the thickness values provided. A thicker paddletarget interface material 63 may provide more energy absorption and may make it easier to control or bat away the target successively as the target may not recoil as much with a thicker paddle-target interface material 63 having an elastomeric material thereon. A thinner paddle-target interface material 63 may be desired as a person becomes more proficient batting away the target. The paddle-target interface material 63 may be interchangeable or detachably attachable to the paddle 16 to enable different difficulty levels.Docket No.: ITP / 1004PCT
[0056] The paddles may be circular or have a circular perimeter 61 and the paddle target side 62 may have grooves 65, such as circular grooves as shown, that are configured to help interface with the target and may provide additional traction or friction with the target and may prevent the target from slipping off the perimeter of the paddle. As shown, grooves 65 are configured as concentric grooves and have a higher concentration of grooves configured proximal to the perimeter 61 of the paddle, within 50mm or said perimeter, than the center of the paddle. Note the paddle target side 62 of the paddle may have two or more grooves, three or more grooves, five or more grooves, ten or more grooves, 20 or more grooved and any range between and including the number of grooves provided and these may be concentric circular grooves that provide traction in the radial direction of the paddle surface to prevent slipping of the target on the paddle. Also, the grooves may have a depth in the paddle target side 62, or paddle-target interface material 63 of about 1mm or more, about 2mm or more, about 3mm or more, about 5mm or more and any range between and including the values provided.
[0057] As shown in FIG. 18 and 20, paddle 16 has a circular shape with a circular outer perimeter 61 and with a diameter 68 that may be about 10cm or more, about 12cm or more, about 14cm or more, about 16cm or more, about 18cm or more, about 20cm or more, and any range between and including the diameters provided. As shown in FIG. 19, the paddle is thin or generally planar having a thickness of no more than about 5cm, no more than about 4cm, no more than about 2.5cm or even no more than 1 ,5cm. The hand-eye coordination training system may include two paddles, one for each hand.
[0058] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention. Specific embodiments, features and elements described herein may be modified, and / or combined in any suitable manner. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications, combinations and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A hand-eye coordination training system comprising:a) a headband having a headband strap configured to extend around a head of a person;b) a tether retractor coupled to the headband and comprising:i) a target tether coupled to the tether retractor and extending to an extended end;ii) a tether length adjuster configured to adjust an active length of the target tether from the tether retractor to said extended end;c) a target coupled to the extended end of the target tether;d) a first paddle comprising:i) a paddle target side;ii) a paddle hand side having a paddle strap configured to couple with said person’s hand; andwherein the target tether is configured to retract the target back toward the tether retractor when batted away from the tether retractor by the first paddle.
2. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 1, further comprising a second paddle, wherein the first paddle is configured to couple to a first hand of said person and the second paddle is configured to couple to a second hand of said person.
3. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 2, wherein the first and second paddles have a circular perimeter.
4. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 3, wherein the target interface material of the first and second paddles is elastic.
5. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 3, wherein the paddle target side of each of the first and second paddles further comprises grooves.
6. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 5, wherein the grooves are concentric grooves.
7. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 1, wherein the paddle target side of each of the first and second paddles further comprises at least fivegrooves and wherein at least three grooves are configured proximal to said circular perimeter of the paddle within about 50mm or said perimeter.
8. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 2, wherein each of the first paddle and second paddle have a paddle strap extending on the paddle hand side.
9. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 8, wherein the paddle strap is elastic.
10. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 1, wherein the target is a ball.11.The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 10, wherein the target has a bounce height of at least 0.5m when dropped from 254cm onto a concrete surface.
12. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 10, wherein the target has diameter between 25mm and 75mm.
13. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 10, wherein the target has fibers on an exterior surface of the target.
14. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 13, wherein the target is a tennis ball.
15. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 10, further comprising a target coupler and wherein the target is detachable to the target tether by said target coupler.
16. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 15, comprising a plurality of interchangeable targets and wherein a first target has a bounce height that is at least 25% greater than a bounce height of a second target of the plurality of targets.
17. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 1, wherein the tether length adjuster comprises a length knob that rotates.
18. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 17, wherein the tether length adjuster comprises a tether spool that is coupled with the length knob and wherein rotation of the length knob rotates the tether spool to adjust said active length of the target tether.
19. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 18, wherein the target tether is spooled around the tether spool.
20. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 1, wherein the tether retractor comprises a tether spool and wherein the target tether is spooled around the tether spool.
21. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 1 , wherein the tether retractor further comprises a counter and a counter display that displays the number of times the target tether is batted away from the tether retractor.
22. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 1, further comprising a target coupler and wherein the target is detachable to the target tether by said target coupler.
23. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 22, comprising a plurality of interchangeable targets and wherein a first target has a bounce height that is at least 25% greater than a bounce height of a second target of the plurality of targets.
24. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 1, wherein the elastic tether is a viscoelastic tether.
25. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 1, wherein the target tether is an elastic tether comprising an elastic material.
26. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 25, wherein the elastic tether comprises an elastomer.
27. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 25, wherein the elastic tether comprises a synthetic rubber.
28. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 27, wherein the elastic tether has an elongation force required to elongate the tether at a rate of 100mm / sec of 4N or less.
29. The hand-eye coordination training system of claim 25, wherein the elastic tether has an elongation force required to elongate the tether at a rate of 100mm / sec of 4N or less.
30. A method of hand-eye coordination training comprising:a) providing the hand-eye coordination training system of claim 1 ;b) placing the headband strap around said head of said person;c) placing the first paddle on said hand of said person;d) said person bats the target away from the headband strap with the paddle;wherein the target moves away from the headband strap and wherein the target tether retracts the target back toward the tether retractor; ande) said person repeatably batting the target away from the headband strap when the target is returned by the target tether to train said person’s handeye coordination.A hand-eye coordination training system comprising:f) a headband having a headband strap configured to extend around a head of a person;g) a tether retractor coupled to the headband and comprising:i) a target tether coupled to the tether retractor and extending to an extended end;ii) a tether length adjuster configured to adjust an active length of the target tether from the tether retractor to said extended end;h) a target coupled to the extended end of the target tether;i) a first paddle comprising:i) a paddle target side;ii) a paddle hand side having a paddle strap configured to couple with said person’s hand; andwherein the target tether is configured to retract the target back toward the tether retractor when batted away from the tether retractor by the first paddle.31.The methos of claim 30, further comprising a second paddle, wherein the first paddle is configured to couple to a first hand of said person and the second paddle is configured to couple to a second hand of said person.
32. The method of claim 31 , wherein the first and second paddles have a circular perimeter.
33. The method of claim 32, wherein the target interface material of the first and second paddles is elastic.
34. The method of claim 32, wherein the paddle target side of each of the first and second paddles further comprises grooves.
35. The method of claim 34, wherein the grooves are concentric grooves.
36. The method of claim 34, wherein the paddle target side of each of the first and second paddles further comprises at least five grooves and wherein at least three grooves are configured proximal to said circular perimeter of the paddle within about 50mm or said perimeter.
37. The method of claim 31 , wherein each of the first paddle and second paddle have a paddle strap extending on the paddle hand side.
38. The method of claim 37, wherein the paddle strap is elastic.
39. The method of claim 30, wherein the target is a ball.
40. The method of claim 39, wherein the target has a bounce height of at least 0.5m when dropped from 254cm onto a concrete surface.
41. The method of claim 39, wherein the target has diameter between 25mm and 75mm.
42. The method of claim 39, wherein the target has fibers on an exterior surface of the target.
43. The method of claim 42, wherein the target is a tennis ball.
44. The method of claim 39, further comprising a target coupler and wherein the target is detachable to the target tether by said target coupler.
45. The method of claim 44, comprising a plurality of interchangeable targets and wherein a first target has a bounce height that is at least 25% greater than a bounce height of a second target of the plurality of targets.
46. The method of claim 30, wherein the tether length adjuster comprises a length knob that rotates.
47. The method of claim 46, wherein the tether length adjuster comprises a tether spool that is coupled with the length knob and wherein rotation of the length knob rotates the tether spool to adjust said active length of the target tether.
48. The method of claim 47, wherein the target tether is spooled around the tether spool.
49. The method of claim 30, wherein the tether retractor further comprises a counter and a counter display that displays the number of times the target tether is batted away from the tether retractor.
50. The method of claim 30, further comprising a target coupler and wherein the target is detachable to the target tether by said target coupler.51.The method of claim 50, comprising a plurality of interchangeable targets and wherein a first target has a bounce height that is at least 25% greater than a bounce height of a second target of the plurality of targets.
52. The method of claim 30, wherein the elastic tether is a viscoelastic tether.
53. The method of claim 52, wherein the target tether is an elastic tether comprising an elastic material.
54. The method of claim 53, wherein the elastic tether comprises an elastomer.
55. The method of claim 53, wherein the elastic tether comprises a synthetic rubber.
56. The method of claim 55, wherein the elastic tether has an elongation force required to elongate the tether at a rate of 10Omm / sec of 4N or less.
57. The method of claim 53, wherein the elastic tether has an elongation force required to elongate the tether at a rate of 100mm / sec of 4N or less.