Sensor Exercise Mat Feedback for Accurate Body Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users often struggle to perform exercise routines correctly due to a lack of direct instructional feedback, especially in group settings or individual sessions, leading to incorrect motions and potential injuries.
Innovation Solution
An exercise system with integrated sensors and displays on a mat that provide visual and tactile feedback, guiding users to correct body positions through embedded displays and actuators that adjust to match desired poses, and optionally using projection devices for additional guidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an exercise mat with integrated sensors and displays is used, then users receive real-time feedback for proper exercise form, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The exercise mat incorporates sensors that detect user position and displays that provide real-time visual feedback on exercise form. The system continuously monitors body part locations compared to target positions and provides corrective feedback, enabling users to maintain proper form without instructor supervision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing system that bridges the sensors and displays. This intermediary layer processes sensor data, determines exercise form accuracy, and controls display outputs, thereby managing system complexity through modular architecture while maintaining reliable feedback functionality.
2Loss of information
If multiple sensors and displays are integrated into the exercise mat, then instructional feedback is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The exercise mat uses multi-functional components that serve multiple purposes. For example, the sensor array not only detects body position but also maps contact pressure distribution. The display system provides both visual guidance and performance feedback. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of separate components needed, simplifying manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The mat is divided into discrete sensor zones and display segments that can be manufactured independently and then assembled. This segmentation allows for modular production, where each zone can be tested and calibrated separately before integration into the complete exercise mat system.
3Reliability
If the exercise mat provides continuous visual feedback through displays, then exercise form accuracy is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The display system operates periodically rather than continuously, activating only when sensor data indicates form correction is needed. The system monitors user position continuously but provides visual feedback selectively based on detected deviations from target positions, reducing unnecessary energy consumption while maintaining form accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The exercise mat system autonomously determines when feedback is required based on sensor input, eliminating the need for continuous instructor supervision. The system self-regulates its feedback provision based on actual user performance needs, optimizing energy usage while maintaining reliable form correction.
Data Source
AI summary
An exercise system may include an exercise mat; sensors integrated into the exercise mat, each of the sensors configured to sense when a force is applied to a respective portion of the exercise mat; and displays coupled to the exercise mat and configured to display indications corresponding to desired locations for body parts of a user in accordance with an exercise routine. On one or more of the displays, indications corresponding to desired locations of a user's body part may be displayed in accordance with a form of one of stored exercise routines; and one or more of the sensors may sense an application of force to the exercise mat. One or more of the displays may display at least one marker identifying a direction from a location of the sensed application of force to a display location of the at least one of the indications.