Wake Surfer Pose Estimation With Real-Time Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wake surfing is a difficult activity to learn and master due to the lack of constructive feedback and review of past performance, which hinders improvement.

Innovation Solution

A wake surf monitoring system that includes an image system to capture the area behind a marine vessel, determine surfer pose data, compare it to ideal pose information, and generate pose feedback to improve the surfing experience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If wake surfing instruction is provided without feedback mechanisms, then the basic activity can proceed, but the learning efficiency and skill improvement are hindered due to lack of constructive feedback

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelearning efficiencyVSAvoidfeedback information

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system captures images of the wake surfer using image sensors, processes these images to generate pose feedback information about the surfer's technique, and provides this feedback to the operator. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables continuous improvement of wake surfing skills by comparing actual pose against ideal pose patterns stored in a database.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If real-time image processing and feedback generation is implemented, then skill improvement is enabled, but the system complexity and computational requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveskill acquisition rateVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Ideal pose information and technique patterns are pre-computed and stored in a database before the wake surfing activity. This allows the real-time system to simply compare captured images against pre-established standards rather than performing complex analysis during the activity, reducing computational burden while maintaining high learning efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If pose feedback is provided for every captured image, then comprehensive guidance is achieved, but the information processing load and feedback generation time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveguidance comprehensivenessVSAvoidfeedback generation time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system determines pose feedback based on a subset of captured images rather than processing every single image. This selective approach provides sufficient guidance for skill improvement while avoiding the excessive processing time and computational load that would result from analyzing every captured frame.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS12561836B1System and methods for surfer pose estimation

Publication Date: 2026.02.24 BRUNSWICK CORP

AI summary

A wake surf monitoring system includes an image system configured to image an area behind a marine vessel that includes at least one image sensor and a control system configured to receive image data from the image system containing at least one image of the area behind the marine vessel. The control system is further configured to identify a wake surfer in the at least one image and determine surfer pose data of the wake surfer, compare the surfer pose data to ideal pose information to identify a pose difference, and generate pose feedback based on the pose difference. The system may also include at least one display controllable by the control system to display the pose feedback to a user.