Exercise Device With Level Indicator For Balance Training
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Solution Overview
Problem
Exercise devices like slosh pipes primarily provide tactile feedback, making it difficult for users to maintain an even distribution of flowable materials, and lack visual feedback, which can limit their effectiveness and user experience.
Innovation Solution
An exercise device with a main body containing a flowable material and a level indicator, such as a spirit level, providing both tactile and visual feedback to users to maintain the device in a level position, allowing for enhanced muscle coordination and balance training.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If only tactile feedback is provided through the flowable material, then the exercise device provides simple feedback mechanism, but the user difficulty in maintaining level position increases and feedback completeness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple feedback modalities (tactile feedback from flowable material and visual feedback from level indicator) into a single exercise device system, allowing users to receive both types of feedback simultaneously to improve ease of operation and feedback completeness
Solution Approach 2:
The level indicator acts as an intermediary element that translates the distribution state of the flowable material into visual information, bridging the gap between tactile feedback and user comprehension to improve ease of maintaining level position
2Loss of information
If a level indicator is added to provide visual feedback, then feedback completeness improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The level indicator serves multiple functions: it provides visual feedback about material distribution, acts as a reference for users to maintain level position, and integrates with the existing chamber structure, thereby improving feedback completeness without proportionally increasing device complexity
3Loss of information
If the flowable material is allowed to flow freely, then the tactile feedback mechanism works effectively, but the difficulty of maintaining level position increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from both tactile (flowable material distribution) and visual (level indicator position) channels to help users adjust their movements and maintain the device in a level position, reducing the difficulty of operation while preserving feedback completeness
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The combination of tactile and visual feedback enhances user experience, making it easier to maintain the device's level position, thereby improving muscle control and balance training, and potentially increasing user engagement and fitness benefits.
Implementation Method 1
a flowable material such as water or sand, for example, is disposed within the chamber. In use, a person uses legs or arms, for example, to raise and lower the slosh pipe while trying to maintain the slosh pipe in a level position to militate against a flow of the flowable material within the chamber.
Implementation Method 2
a level indicator coupled to the main body, wherein the flowable material and the level indicator provide sensory feedback to the user in respect of maintaining the exercise device in a substantially level position while in use.
Data Source
AI summary
An exercise device is disclosed having a main body including a material chamber formed therein. A flowable material is disposed within the material chamber and a level indicator is coupled to the main body. The exercise device is grasped by user. The flowable material and the level indicator provide sensory feedback to the user in respect of maintaining the exercise device in a substantially level position while in use.