Treadmill Speed Control Using Image Sensors for Balance Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treadmills require manual speed adjustment, which can be dangerous and inconvenient, especially for users who struggle to maintain a constant pace, and lack automatic safety features to prevent falls.
Innovation Solution
A speed control system using image sensors to capture user images, calculate distance and velocity, and adjust the belt speed automatically, with emergency stop functionality to prevent falls.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual speed adjustment is used, then device complexity is reduced, but user safety deteriorates due to inability to respond to user balance issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical speed adjustment with an automated optical sensing system. Image sensors capture user position, and a controller automatically adjusts belt speed based on detected user balance, eliminating the need for manual intervention while improving safety response capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The treadmill system monitors its own operational safety through image sensors that continuously track user position. The controller autonomously adjusts speed or triggers emergency stop based on detected balance issues, enabling the system to self-regulate for user safety without external input.
2Ease of operation
If automatic speed control is implemented, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional sensors and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The image sensing system serves multiple functions: it monitors user position for speed control, detects balance issues for safety, and can trigger emergency stops. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by providing comprehensive automation and safety monitoring through a single integrated system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously captures images of user position, processes this visual feedback to determine balance status, and automatically adjusts belt speed or triggers emergency stop. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables automatic speed control that responds dynamically to user needs without manual input.
3Measurement precision
If image sensors are used for automatic control, then measurement precision of user position is improved, but device complexity increases due to image processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical position sensing mechanisms with optical image sensors. The image processing algorithm extracts user position and balance information from captured images, providing high measurement precision while avoiding the mechanical complexity of traditional position sensors.
Data Source
AI summary
A speed control system and method for controlling the speed of an endless belt loop of a treadmill. The speed control system comprises a plurality of image sensors, each image sensor configured to take an image of a user of the treadmill; and a controller configured to control the speed of the endless belt loop by (a) receiving the images of the user taken by the image sensors, (b) rectifying the images based on a calibration of the image sensors, (c) comparing the images to form a disparity map, (d) determining a distance of a user of the treadmill relative to the treadmill using the disparity map, and (e) calculating velocity or acceleration of the treadmill based on the determined distance of the user.