Multi-Axis Treadmill Deck Motion for Balance and Agility Training
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional treadmills lack the ability to accommodate simultaneous displacement of the moving deck about multiple axes, limiting their versatility in exercises that require non-forward facing orientations, such as side-to-side striding, and do not provide adequate support for maintaining balance during such movements.
Innovation Solution
A treadmill exercise apparatus that allows the deck to rotate and tilt about the vertical, longitudinal, and lateral axes, with actuators controlling these movements, and includes a controller for adjusting speed and motion, along with features like anchor points and visual cues to enhance user experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the treadmill deck is fixed in a single forward-facing orientation, then the device structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the exercise versatility is limited and cannot accommodate side-to-side or multi-directional movements
Solution Approach 1:
The treadmill deck is transformed from a fixed structure to a dynamic one capable of rotating about the vertical axis and tilting about the longitudinal axis. Motors and actuators are integrated to enable real-time adjustment of deck orientation, allowing users to perform forward, backward, side-to-side, and diagonal movements while maintaining a forward-facing position.
Solution Approach 2:
The treadmill deck is designed to perform multiple functions by accommodating various orientations and exercise types. The same deck structure supports forward running, backward walking, side shuffling, and agility drills, making the device universally applicable for diverse exercise routines without requiring multiple separate machines.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the treadmill deck allows simultaneous rotation and tilting about multiple axes, then exercise versatility and balance training capability are improved, but the device complexity and control system requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The complex multi-axis movement capability is achieved by dividing the system into separate functional modules: one actuator system for vertical axis rotation and another for longitudinal axis tilting. This segmentation allows independent control of each degree of freedom, simplifying the overall control architecture while maintaining full multi-axis functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
A control system acts as an intermediary between the user's exercise intentions and the physical deck movements. The controller receives input signals and coordinates the actuators to produce the desired combined rotation and tilting movements, managing the complexity of simultaneous multi-axis control through software-based coordination.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the deck platform rotates and tilts during exercise, then balance training and agility improvement are enhanced, but the risk of user loss of balance and injury increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors that continuously monitor the deck's orientation and the user's position. This feedback is processed in real-time to detect when the user may be losing balance, allowing the control system to automatically adjust deck movements or provide alerts to prevent falls and injuries while maintaining effective balance training.
Solution Approach 2:
The treadmill design includes safety features such as handrails, emergency stop mechanisms, and controlled deceleration systems that are prepared in advance. These measures cushion against potential falls or loss of balance by providing immediate protection or stopping the deck movement before injury can occur.
Data Source
AI summary
A treadmill exercise apparatus which accommodates displacement of the moving treadmill deck about the vertical axis and the longitudinal axis, and optionally about the lateral axis, simultaneously.