Fitness Tracking System Using Onboard Cameras for Exercise Form
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Individuals requiring physical therapy or wanting to perform exercises face challenges due to limited access to rehabilitation centers or training facilities, and they often lack the ability to properly monitor their technique and form during exercises.
Innovation Solution
A fitness tracking computing system that utilizes onboard cameras of user devices to track movements, provide customized exercise protocols, and offer real-time feedback and monitoring, allowing users to perform exercises remotely and ensuring proper technique.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If individuals travel to rehabilitation centers or training facilities to receive physical therapy or perform exercises, then they can receive professional guidance and proper monitoring, but this approach reduces accessibility and convenience for individuals who are physically remote or have limited mobility
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses an intermediary computing system with machine vision capabilities to bridge the gap between remote users and professional trainers. The intermediary captures video data, processes it through pose estimation algorithms, and provides automated feedback on technique and form, enabling professional-grade monitoring without physical presence
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of in-person physical therapy with an automated computer vision system. Machine learning models estimate human pose from video feeds and provide feedback, substituting the physical interaction between trainer and patient with an automated digital system that maintains monitoring quality while enabling remote access
2Ease of operation
If physical therapists travel to individuals' homes to provide at-home physical therapy sessions, then accessibility is improved, but this approach increases cost and device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system makes computing devices universal by enabling standard cameras and processors to perform specialized physical therapy monitoring functions. The same device can be used for video calls, exercise tracking, and pose estimation without requiring specialized hardware, reducing complexity while maintaining functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service physical therapy monitoring where individuals can independently perform exercises and receive automated feedback through their existing devices. The machine vision system automatically tracks pose, provides technique correction, and monitors progress without requiring a physical therapist's constant presence or specialized equipment
3Adaptability or versatility
If individuals attempt to structure their own exercise regimen without professional guidance, then accessibility and independence are improved, but this approach reduces measurement precision of technique and form
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous feedback loops where the machine vision system constantly monitors exercise technique, compares it against proper form standards, and provides real-time corrections. This automated feedback mechanism enables independent exercise management while maintaining high measurement precision through algorithmic pose estimation and technique analysis
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for providing a customized exercise protocol to a computing device of a user. As the user performs the exercise protocol, one or more cameras of the computing device can track the user's movements. The user's movement are assessed to determine if proper form and technique is being used.