Pressure-Sensitive Force Transducer for Athletic Gait Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gait analysis systems are inadequate for effectively characterizing athletic movements and motion, particularly in measuring forces and timing during activities like running, walking, and changing direction, which are crucial for athletic performance and injury assessment.
Innovation Solution
The development of vertical and lateral force transducer systems that include pressure-sensitive sheets and read-out circuitry to measure and provide information on the amplitude and location of vertical and lateral forces applied during movements, along with restraining brackets and friction-reducing elements to restrict movement, enabling precise force measurement and analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional gait analysis systems are used, then basic movement observation is possible, but measurement precision of forces and timing during athletic movements is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the measurement function into separate specialized sensors: vertical force transducers for measuring vertical forces, lateral force transducers for measuring lateral forces, and timing systems for capturing temporal data. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific measurement task, achieving high measurement precision while keeping individual components relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The force transducer system is designed to measure multiple types of forces (vertical and lateral) and multiple movement types (running, walking, cutting, jumping) using a unified platform. This multi-functionality allows the system to achieve comprehensive measurement precision across various athletic movements without requiring entirely separate systems for each function.
2Loss of information
If detailed force measurement systems are implemented, then characterization of athletic movements is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines vertical force measurement, lateral force measurement, and timing functions into an integrated force transducer platform. By merging these measurement capabilities into a single coordinated system, the patent reduces information loss about athletic movements while avoiding the complexity of multiple separate measurement systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The force transducers act as intermediary devices that convert complex athletic movements into measurable electrical signals. These intermediaries capture detailed force and timing information without requiring direct complex instrumentation of the athlete, thus reducing information loss while maintaining relatively simple device architecture.
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
These systems provide detailed diagnostic information for athletes and trainers, improving athletic performance, injury assessment, and rehabilitation by accurately measuring forces and timing, thus enhancing the characterization of athletic movements and motion.
Implementation Method 1
A vertical force applied at a location along at least one of the top surface or the bottom surface forms an electrical path between the top surface and the bottom surface having a resistance, rf, that is inversely proportional to an amplitude of the vertical force
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for measuring the location, the amplitude, and/or the direction of forces applied to a walking or running surface. An example system includes a pressure-sensitive sheet that extends along a first axis. The pressure-sensitive sheet includes a top surface and a bottom surface. A vertical force applied at a location along at least one of the top surface or the bottom surface forms an electrical path between the top surface and the bottom surface having a resistance, rf, that is inversely proportional to an amplitude of the vertical force. The system further includes read out circuitry configured to provide information indicative of the amplitude of the vertical force and the location of the vertical force along the first axis of the pressure-sensitive sheet.