Exercise Equipment Control via Center of Mass and Motion Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional exercise equipment, such as treadmills, lack a fundamental grounding in biomechanics, making it difficult to adjust for the dynamic pace and motion of individual users, which affects safety and user experience, especially for those with disabilities.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a control unit communicatively coupled with a center of mass sensor and additional sensors to track user position and off-center movements, allowing for real-time modulation of exercise equipment parameters like speed based on collected measurements, enabling automated self-pacing and enhanced safety features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If exercise equipment parameters are manually set by user, then user can control equipment, but user experience deteriorates and safety decreases due to inability to dynamically adjust for individual pace and motion
Solution Approach 1:
The exercise equipment automatically adjusts its operational parameters (speed, incline, resistance) based on real-time sensor data about user motion and physiology, eliminating the need for manual intervention. The system serves itself by making intelligent adjustments without user input, thereby improving adaptability while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors user motion through sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes, pressure sensors) and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust equipment parameters. This closed-loop control enables the equipment to adapt to individual user dynamics while requiring no manual operation from the user.
2Reliability
If conventional exercise equipment is used without biomechanics grounding, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to inability to properly adjust for individual user dynamics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms with electronic sensors and software-based control algorithms. Instead of multiple physical dials and switches for adjusting speed, incline, and resistance, the system uses accelerometers, gyroscopes, and pressure sensors combined with biomechanical algorithms to automatically adjust parameters, improving reliability while managing complexity through electronic rather than mechanical means.
Solution Approach 2:
The system integrates multiple functions into a single unified control platform that simultaneously monitors various physiological parameters (heart rate, motion, position) and controls multiple equipment parameters (speed, incline, resistance). This multi-functional approach improves reliability through comprehensive monitoring while avoiding the complexity of separate independent control systems.
3Productivity
If manual keypad or touch interface is used for parameter changes, then device complexity is minimized, but productivity deteriorates due to interruption of exercise routine and loss of time
Solution Approach 1:
The exercise equipment automatically adjusts parameters during operation without requiring the user to stop or reach for controls. The system monitors user dynamics continuously and makes real-time adjustments, maintaining exercise continuity and productivity while eliminating the need for manual interfaces during exercise.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary analysis of user motion patterns and pre-adjusts parameters before the user would need to request changes. By anticipating user needs based on real-time biomechanical data, the system maintains exercise flow without interruptions, improving productivity while requiring no manual interaction.
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 system provides real-time responsive self-pacing, improves safety by automatically adjusting to user dynamics, and accommodates users with disabilities by automatically adjusting speed and providing an automatic shut-off feature when necessary.
Implementation Method 1
a first time-of-flight (TOF) sensor configured to track a position of a body of a user on the treadmill over time; a second TOF sensor configured to track a position of a left leg of the user on the treadmill over time; a third TOF sensor configured to track a position of a right leg of the user on the treadmill over time
Data Source
AI summary
A system for controlling exercise equipment based on user pace and motion analysis is disclosed. The system includes a control unit communicatively coupled with a center of mass (COM) sensor and one or more additional sensors. The COM sensor is configured to track a position of a body of a user on the exercise equipment over time. The one or more additional sensors are configured to track off-center movements of the user over time. The control unit is configured to modulate an adjustable parameter of the exercise equipment based on a plurality of measurements of the user's body position and off-center movements collected by the COM sensor and the one or more additional sensors over time.