Light-Guided Endurance Run Testing for Reliable Group Pace Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aerobic capacity tests, such as the PACER test, face challenges in reliability due to human errors in lap counting, lack of perception of the imposed pace, and difficulty in performing tests simultaneously with multiple individuals, especially in noisy environments, and are not accessible to hearing-impaired individuals.
Innovation Solution
A portable system using a variable length strip with light emitters that emit a light signal to indicate the required pace, combined with sound signals, controlled by a wireless interface and microcontroller, allowing simultaneous testing of multiple individuals and providing multisensory feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional laboratory-based aerobic cardiovascular endurance testing is used, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate due to requirement of multiple pieces of equipment and trained personnel
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate testing components (heart rate monitoring, speed measurement, distance tracking, and calculation functions) into a single integrated portable microcomputer-based system. The microcomputer centrally controls and processes data from all sensors, eliminating the need for multiple separate laboratory equipment pieces and complex manual coordination between them.
Solution Approach 2:
The portable system performs multiple testing functions (aerobic cardiovascular endurance assessment, submaximal exercise testing, and fitness evaluation) through a single device. The microcomputer can execute different test protocols and calculate various fitness parameters, replacing multiple specialized laboratory instruments with one universal portable unit.
2Reliability
If traditional laboratory-based testing with multiple equipment is used, then measurement reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to requirement of trained personnel
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically performs calculations, data processing, and test protocol management without requiring trained personnel to manually coordinate multiple devices. The microcomputer autonomously integrates sensor data, applies appropriate algorithms, and generates results, making the system self-sufficient and easy to operate while maintaining laboratory-grade reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operations (manual timing, manual heart rate calculation, manual data integration) with automated electronic sensing and microcomputer processing. This substitution maintains measurement reliability through precise electronic measurement while dramatically improving ease of operation through automation.
3Ease of operation
If portable simplified testing is used, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to simplification of equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The portable system replaces complex manual measurement procedures with electronic sensing and microcomputer-based calculations. Electronic heart rate sensors, speed sensors, and distance measurement devices provide precise data that is automatically processed, maintaining laboratory-grade measurement precision while achieving portable simplicity through electronic automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors and processes physiological and performance data in real-time, using feedback loops to adjust measurements and calculations. This ensures measurement precision is maintained throughout the test by continuously validating data quality and applying appropriate correction algorithms through the microcomputer.
4Adaptability or versatility
If manual calculation methods are used in traditional testing, then adaptability to different test protocols is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to time-consuming calculations
Solution Approach 1:
The microcomputer replaces manual calculation methods with automated electronic processing. The system can rapidly execute different test protocols and perform complex physiological calculations instantaneously, maintaining adaptability to various testing standards while increasing productivity by eliminating time-consuming manual computations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed with dynamic programmability, allowing the microcomputer to adapt to different test protocols through software configuration rather than physical reconfiguration. This enables rapid switching between testing methods and maintains versatility while achieving high-speed automated calculations that dramatically improve testing productivity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a portable system for the progressive aerobic cardiovascular endurance run test of a subject and method thereof. The portable system of the present disclosure comprises a strip comprising an interface configured for receiving input data from a user, sending instructions to a controller, and displaying data; a controller configured for receiving instructions from the interface, controlling a plurality of light emitters, and sending data to the interface; and, a variable length strip defining a length of the running path and connected to the controller comprising a plurality of light emitters for emitting a light signal to the subject. Wherein the input data are the test parameters of the progressive aerobic cardiovascular endurance run test and the lap counts at each stage, and wherein the light signal is a light pattern that, at a pre-determined pace, changes a state of a light emitter in the sequence of the running direction.