Wearable IMU-Optical Joint Sensing for Injury Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Young athletes, particularly females aged 12-22, face a rising risk of non-contact ligament injuries due to improper joint angle rotation during dynamic sports movements, which current motion tracking systems fail to accurately monitor and correct, often impeding performance and requiring costly human trainers for individual attention.
Innovation Solution
A wearable device with an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and optical sensor measures joint angles and displacements, coupled with a microprocessor and tactile output, providing real-time feedback to correct improper motions and reduce the need for human trainers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple physical trainers are used to monitor all athletes, then measurement precision of joint movement is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses optical sensors to create optical copies of the athlete's joint movement, replacing the need for multiple human trainers to visually monitor each athlete. The sensors capture movement data that replicates what a trainer would observe, enabling automated analysis without requiring proportional human resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of human trainers physically observing and correcting athlete form with an automated optical sensing system. The sensors, processors, and feedback mechanisms substitute for human visual monitoring and manual correction, providing continuous objective measurement without human intervention.
2Measurement precision
If sensors are placed around the athlete's body to capture motion data, then measurement coverage is improved, but the systems impede the athlete's performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the measurement function from bulky sensor equipment and integrates it into a minimal sensor array that captures essential joint movement data. By taking out only the critical measurement capabilities needed for safety monitoring rather than comprehensive body tracking, the system reduces equipment burden while maintaining measurement precision for injury prevention.
3Device complexity
If a single physical trainer monitors multiple athletes, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision of individual athlete movements deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates optical copies of each athlete's movement through sensors, enabling one trainer to monitor multiple athletes with the same precision as if personally observing each individual. The sensor system replicates the visual monitoring capability for multiple athletes simultaneously, maintaining measurement precision without requiring proportional trainer resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the sensor system universal by deploying identical sensor arrays on multiple athletes, allowing a single trainer to receive standardized movement data from all athletes. This multi-functional setup enables one trainer to monitor many athletes with consistent precision, replacing the need for multiple specialized trainers.
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 enables precise monitoring and correction of joint movements, reducing the risk of non-contact injuries and increasing athlete compliance, while decreasing the cost and resource requirements for training programs.
Implementation Method 1
an inertial measurement unit (IMU) device configured to be located at a position below a joint, e.g. knee, of an athlete to measure an inertial displacement of a valgus angle of the joint
Implementation Method 2
an optical sensor configured to be traversing across the joint to measure an angle of the joint
Data Source
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AI summary
One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a physical training system for injury prevention and rehabilitation. The training system can include a wearable device in communication with an external device, which can be used to train at least the athlete wearing the wearable device. The wearable device can reduce the number of sensors needed to capture motion data required for the training. For example, the wearable device can include an inertial measurement unit (IMU) device located at a position relative to a joint of an athlete to measure an inertial displacement of the joint and an optical sensor to measure an angle of the joint. The wearable device can include a wireless transceiver to communicate a characteristic of motion of the joint (determined based on data from the IMU and the optical sensor) to an external device.