Golf Training Apparatus with Optical Target Calibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current golf training aids with inertial measurement units (IMUs) face calibration issues, leading to inaccurate data and drift over time, affecting the golfer's ability to improve their performance, as they are not calibrated to a reliable target and alter the weight and feel of the golf club, providing limited feedback on the club head's orientation relative to the target.
Innovation Solution
The golf training apparatus calibrates or re-calibrates sensing means using a known target other than a golf ball, allowing for accurate data collection and reducing drift, by detecting a target to generate absolute golf club orientation data, and providing feedback on specific user and equipment parameters, enhancing the range of performance statistics captured.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If IMUs are attached to the golf club shaft for automatic feedback, then a large range of statistical measured data can be captured, but the calibration is not accurate or tends to drift over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an optical target as an intermediary object that the sensing means tracks to establish and maintain accurate calibration. The target serves as a stable reference point in the environment, allowing the IMU to continuously recalibrate itself without drifting, thus resolving the contradiction between data capture capability and calibration stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously tracks the optical target and uses this feedback to monitor and correct calibration drift in real-time. By constantly comparing the sensed position of the target against expected values, the system can detect and correct calibration errors, maintaining accurate data over extended periods.
2Extent of automation
If IMUs are attached to the golf club shaft for calibration, then automatic feedback is provided, but the position on the club alters the weight and feel, making trained positions different from competition positions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sensing means from the traditional shaft attachment position and relocates it to the club head. This extraction from the shaft eliminates the weight and balance alterations that occur when IMUs are mounted on the shaft, while the sensing means remains attached to the club for continuous automatic feedback during practice.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses an optical copy or representation of the target environment through the sensing means, allowing the golfer to practice with modified equipment (sensing means attached) while the data collected accurately reflects competition conditions through continuous calibration against the optical target.
3Loss of information
If current training aids provide shaft position data in three dimensional space, then spatial information is available, but information on club head position relative to target and impact position is not provided
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds the dimension of optical target tracking to the traditional three-dimensional IMU data. By incorporating two-dimensional image data from the sensing means that tracks the optical target, the system creates a more comprehensive four-dimensional spatial understanding that includes club head position, orientation, and precise relationship to the target and impact position.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges IMU-based three-dimensional motion tracking with optical target-based two-dimensional position tracking. This combination of sensing methods provides both the temporal dynamics from the IMU and the precise spatial reference from the optical system, delivering comprehensive feedback on shaft position, club head position, and impact location.
4Device complexity
If training aids do not account for interaction between golfer, task and environment, then simple data collection is maintained, but limited feedback information is provided for performance improvement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a multi-functional system where the sensing means simultaneously performs multiple functions: tracking the optical target for calibration, monitoring club shaft position, detecting club head orientation, and measuring impact position. This universal approach captures the interaction between golfer, task, and environment without requiring separate complex systems for each measurement.
Data Source
AI summary
Golf training apparatus is provided including sensing means provided on, associated with and/or locatable on or with a golf club in use. At least one target means is provided that is detectable by the sensing means in use. The at least one target means is a target different to a golf ball that the golf club is to hit in use and is locatable separate to and remote from the sensing means and/or golf club in use. The golf training apparatus is arranged to detect the at least one target means and, once detected, use the detected position of the at least one target means to calibrate the sensing means, the apparatus and/or calibrate data being generated by the sensing means and/or apparatus in use.