Portable Strain Gauge for Impulse Force Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for assessing unilateral horizontal force, such as instrumented treadmills and force plates, are costly, non-portable, and require specialized knowledge, making them inadequate for injury prevention and performance monitoring in sports, particularly for hamstring injuries which have high recurrence rates and significant financial impact.
Innovation Solution
A portable strain gauge system comprising a load cell, inertial measurement unit, microcontroller, and wireless communication module that measures strain data at high sample rates, transmitting data in real-time for accurate force curve analysis, including impulse and peak force detection, with a user-friendly interface and feedback mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If instrumented treadmills and force plates are used for unilateral force assessment, then measurement accuracy is improved, but device cost and portability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical measurement systems (instrumented treadmills, force plates) with a portable strain gauge system that uses resistive strain sensing technology. The strain gauge measures deformation in a simple tensile testing apparatus, eliminating the need for expensive mechanical infrastructure while maintaining measurement capability for unilateral force assessment.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a simple, inexpensive tensile testing apparatus with a portable strain gauge instead of expensive, complex instrumented treadmills or force plates. The system is designed to be affordable and portable, allowing deployment in various settings without requiring specialized laboratory equipment or high initial investment.
2Measurement precision
If traditional force plates are used for isometric mid-thigh pull assessment, then force measurement capability is improved, but portability and ease of operation worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces heavy, fixed mechanical force plates with a portable strain gauge system that measures force through material deformation. The tensile testing apparatus can be easily moved and deployed, eliminating the need for permanent installation while maintaining accurate force measurement capability for isometric exercises.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed to be self-contained and portable, allowing users to perform force measurements independently without requiring specialized laboratory facilities or expert operation. The portable design enables anyone to conduct isometric mid-thigh pull assessments in various locations.
3Measurement precision
If high sample rate data collection is implemented, then impulse force curve analysis accuracy is improved, but data processing complexity and computational burden worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary filtering and processing of the strain gauge signal to remove noise and artifacts before the actual force measurement analysis. By preparing the data in advance through filtering techniques, the system maintains high sample rate accuracy while reducing the computational burden during subsequent impulse force curve analysis.
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
The system provides accurate and portable unilateral force measurement, reducing overhead and enabling precise analysis of impulse force curves, aiding in injury prevention and performance monitoring with minimal computational and financial burden.
Implementation Method 1
a load cell having a resistive circuit supported by a conductive material such that the resistive circuit varies its resistance in proportion to an amount of force applied to the conductive material
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for evaluating the performance of an athlete using a strain gauge is described. In some embodiments, the measurement system comprises a strain gauge and a central processing device. The strain gauge can include a power source, an inertial measurement unit (“IMU”) comprising a load cell, a microcontroller, and a wireless communication module. The strain gauge can be configured to output strain data at a rate of at least 1 kHz and the central processing device can be configured to receive the strain data transmitted from the wireless communication module.