Exercise Machine Force Sensing for Real-Time User Effectiveness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing exercise machines lack an effective method to monitor and provide real-time feedback on user effectiveness during cyclic operations, which is crucial for optimizing pedaling or cranking techniques.
Innovation Solution
A method that involves measuring and monitoring the drive force applied to the exercise machine's drive members during cyclic movement, generating force signals, and calculating user effectiveness coefficients to derive a user effectiveness score, which is then displayed or transmitted to the user.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If force sensors and signal processing are implemented to measure and monitor drive force during cyclic movement, then measurement precision of user effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces force sensors as intermediary devices that indirectly measure user effectiveness through drive force measurement. Rather than directly measuring complex biomechanical parameters, the system uses force sensors on the drive train to capture relevant data, which is then processed through signal analysis algorithms to derive effectiveness metrics. This intermediary approach maintains measurement precision while avoiding the complexity of direct biomechanical sensing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical measurement systems with electronic sensing and digital signal processing. Instead of using elaborate mechanical apparatus to directly measure effectiveness, the system uses force sensors coupled with computational algorithms to calculate effectiveness coefficients. This substitution reduces mechanical complexity while enhancing measurement capabilities through electronic and computational means.
2Productivity
If real-time feedback on user effectiveness is provided, then user performance improvement is accelerated, but information processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential information needed for performance feedback - the effectiveness coefficient - from the complex raw force signal data. By deriving a single representative metric that captures the dominant characteristics of cyclic effectiveness, the system provides actionable real-time feedback while minimizing information processing requirements. This extraction approach filters out redundant data while retaining the critical performance indicators.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback loop where effectiveness scores are immediately presented to users during exercise, enabling real-time technique adjustment. The system processes force signals, calculates effectiveness coefficients, and delivers feedback continuously, creating a closed-loop system that accelerates performance improvement. This feedback mechanism transforms complex measurement data into actionable insights that users can immediately apply.
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 method provides an immediate and accurate user effectiveness score, allowing users to adjust their technique in real-time, thereby improving their performance and efficiency during exercise.
Implementation Method 1
measuring and monitoring the drive force applied to the drive members during cyclic movement of the drive members and generating one or more force signals indicative thereof
Data Source
AI summary
A method of monitoring user effectiveness during cyclic operation of an exercise machine (10) having a pair of human limb-operable drive members (31,32) coupled for cyclic movement. The method comprises the steps of: (i) measuring and monitoring the drive force applied to the drive members (31,32) during cyclic movement of the drive members (31,32) and generating one or more force signals indicative thereof; (ii) using the one or more force signals to derive for each cycle of movement of the drive members (31,32) at least one maximum user effectiveness coefficient signal indicative of variation of force relative to a maximum force value measured for that cycle of movement and at least one minimum user effectiveness coefficient signal indicative of variation in force relative to a minimum force value measured for that cycle of movement; (iii) using the maximum and minimum user effectiveness coefficient signals derived in step (ii) to generate a user effectiveness score signal that is indicative of user effectiveness in driving cyclic movement of the drive members; and (iv) using the user effectiveness score signal in recording, displaying, printing, storing, downloading, uploading or transmitting one or more indicia representative of the user effectiveness score signal.