Exercise Apparatus Walking Running Calibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motion sensors used in sports activities often result in inaccuracies when measuring walking and running due to the different types of motion they involve, as they typically use the same calibration for both activities.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus that acquires walking and running motion metrics during a calibration phase, computes a calibration value based on these metrics, and uses it to calibrate measurements during exercise, with the option to scale metrics if the distances for walking and running are different, and to determine which type of motion metric provides less accurate results for improved accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the same motion sensor and calibration are used for both walking and running measurements, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to different motion types
Solution Approach 1:
The calibration process is segmented into separate walking calibration and running calibration phases. The system performs independent calibration for each motion type by acquiring walking motion metrics when the user walks a first real distance and running motion metrics when the user runs a second real distance, then computes separate calibration values for each activity type.
Solution Approach 2:
Different calibration values are applied locally to different motion types. The system determines which motion metric (walking or running) provides less accurate measurement results and applies the appropriate calibration value specifically to that motion type, making the calibration quality adapted to local measurement needs.
2Measurement precision
If separate calibration values are computed for walking and running, then the measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional calibration procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calibration actions by acquiring walking motion metrics and running motion metrics during separate calibration phases before actual exercise measurement. This preliminary calibration establishes baseline data that simplifies subsequent measurement processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically determines which motion metric provides less accurate results and self-adjusts by applying the appropriate calibration value without requiring manual intervention. The apparatus autonomously selects and applies calibration values based on the detected motion type.
3Reliability
If the user walks and runs different real distances during calibration, then the calibration can be more comprehensive, but the calibration time increases due to additional scaling computations
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes parameters by scaling at least one of the running motion metric or walking motion metric according to the relation between the first real distance and the second real distance. This allows the calibration to be valid regardless of whether the distances are equal or different.
Data Source
AI summary
A procedure for calibrating walking and/or running measurements in an exercise-related apparatus are provided. As a result of a user running and walking a given distance which may be the same or different for running and walking, respective running and walking motion metrics are obtained during a calibration phase. A relation between the obtained running and walking motion metrics are then used to compute a calibration value applied to calibrate one of running and walking measurements during an exercise.