Hiking Shoe Pod for Accurate Navigation on Rugged Terrain
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional navigation techniques, such as dead reckoning, are inaccurate for hikers traversing rugged terrain, and there is a need for footwear that can track hiking activity data including geodetic location, speed, and altitude to aid navigation and monitor fitness progress.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an activity tracking pod in hiking footwear with a positioning component, altimeter, and biometric sensors to collect and transmit data such as geodetic location, hiking speed, altitude, and biometric parameters to a mobile device for real-time tracking and comparison.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional navigation techniques (dead reckoning) are used, then the navigation system is simple, but the navigation accuracy deteriorates on rugged terrain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple navigation components (GPS receiver, altimeter, compass, accelerometer) into an integrated activity pod that collects and processes data from multiple sensors simultaneously. This merging of components enables accurate tracking on rugged terrain by compensating for individual sensor limitations through data fusion, resolving the contradiction between navigation accuracy and system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The activity pod serves multiple functions: it tracks geodetic location via GPS, measures altitude changes with an altimeter, determines direction with a compass, and monitors physical activity with an accelerometer. This multi-functionality allows a single device to provide comprehensive navigation and fitness tracking, improving navigation accuracy without proportionally increasing system complexity.
2Measurement precision
If activity tracking pod with multiple sensors is incorporated, then the activity tracking precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The activity pod is nested within the shoe structure, with sensors and processing components housed in a compact unit that integrates into the footwear. This nesting approach allows multiple sensors (GPS, altimeter, compass, accelerometer) to be contained within a single pod module, improving activity tracking precision while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity and maintaining wearability.
3Loss of information
If real-time data transmission to mobile device is implemented, then the information availability is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system transmits activity data to the mobile device at periodic intervals rather than continuously in real-time. The processor module collects data from sensors and transmits consolidated information at scheduled moments, which maintains information availability for tracking progress while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous data streaming.
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
Enables accurate tracking and navigation by providing hikers with detailed activity data, allowing them to monitor their progress and improve their hiking experience by overcoming the limitations of traditional navigation methods.
Implementation Method 1
The positioning component determines a first geodetic location of the shoe at a first time... determines a second geodetic location of the shoe at a second time
Implementation Method 2
the altimeter determines a first elevation of the shoe at the first time... determines a second elevation of the shoe at the second time
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a shoe and a pod. The pod is disposed at the shoe and includes a positioning component and an altimeter. The positioning component determines a first geodetic location of the shoe at a first time, whereas the altimeter determines a first elevation of the shoe at the first time. The first positioning component additionally determines a second geodetic location of the shoe at a second time and generate shoe distance data based on the first geodetic location and the second geodetic location. The altimeter additionally determines a second elevation of the shoe at the second time. The positioning component additionally determines a total distance traveled based on the shoe distance data, the first elevation and the second elevation.