Force measurement system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11857331-B1
Application number	US-202318092414-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 2, 2023
Priority date	Jan 19, 2013
Publication date	Jan 2, 2024
Grant date	Jan 2, 2024

Abstract

A force measurement system is disclosed herein. The force measurement system includes at least one user input device, a force measurement assembly configured to receive a subject, at least one visual display device, and one or more data processing devices operatively coupled to the user input device, the force measurement assembly, and the visual display device. The one or more data processing devices being programmed to receive the one or more input signals from the user input device based upon one or more selections by the user, the one or more selections including a scene movement setting and a force measurement assembly movement setting; display the one or more scenes on the output screen of the at least one visual display based upon the scene movement setting selected by the user; and control the force measurement assembly based upon the force measurement assembly movement setting selected by the user.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A force measurement system, comprising:
at least one user input device, the at least one user input device configured to output one or more input signals based upon one or more selections by a user performing a testing or training routine on a subject;
a force measurement assembly configured to receive the subject, the force measurement assembly including:
a top surface configured to receive at least one portion of a body of the subject; and
at least one force transducer, the at least one force transducer configured to output one or more output signals that are representative of forces and/or moments being applied to the top surface of the force measurement assembly by the subject;

at least one visual display device having an output screen, the at least one visual display device configured to display one or more scenes on the output screen so that the one or more scenes are visible to the subject; and
one or more data processing devices operatively coupled to the at least one user input device, the force measurement assembly, and the at least one visual display device, the one or more data processing devices being programmed to:
receive the one or more input signals from the at least one user input device based upon the one or more selections by the user, a first one of the one or more selections by the user being a first movement setting for the one or more scenes on the output screen of the at least one visual display, and a second one of the one or more selections by the user being a second movement setting for the force measurement assembly;
display the one or more scenes on the output screen of the at least one visual display based upon the first movement setting selected by the user;
control the force measurement assembly based upon the second movement setting selected by the user;
receive, from the force measurement assembly, the one or more output signals that are representative of the forces and/or moments being applied to the top surface of the force measurement assembly by the subject; and
convert the one or more output signals into output force and/or moment data.

2. The force measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the first movement setting for the one or more scenes selected by the user is selected from the group consisting of: (i) static, with no scene movement, (ii) plate-referenced, where a movement of the one or more scenes mimics a movement of the force measurement assembly, (iii) sway-referenced, where a movement of the one or more scenes is based on a sway of the subject, (iv) roll rotation, where a movement of the one or more scenes is a predetermined angular displacement in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, and (v) random, where a movement of the one or more scenes is random.

3. The force measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the second movement setting for the force measurement assembly selected by the user is selected from the group consisting of: (i) none, with no force measurement assembly movement, (ii) rotation, where the force measurement assembly is rotated, (iii) translation, where the force measurement assembly is translated, and (iv) random, where there is a random selection among the none, rotation, and translation settings.

4. The force measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more selections by the user further comprise a direction setting for controlling a direction of force measurement assembly movement, the direction setting being selected from the group consisting of: (i) forward, where the force measurement assembly is displaced in a forward direction, (ii) backward, where the force measurement assembly is displaced in a backward direction, and (iii) random, where there is a random selection between the forward and backward directions.

5. The force measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more selections by the user further comprise a first movement level for controlling an amplitude of force measurement assembly movement, the first movement level being selected from the group consisting of: (i) a first level, where the amplitude of the force measurement assembly movement is the smallest, (ii) a second level, where the amplitude of the force measurement assembly movement is at a medium level, (iii) a third level, where the amplitude of the force measurement assembly movement is the highest, and (iv) random, where there is a random selection among the first level, second level, and third level.

6. The force measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more selections by the user further comprise a first movement speed for controlling a speed of force measurement assembly movement, the first movement speed being selected from the group consisting of: (i) a slow speed, where the speed of the force measurement assembly is the smallest, (ii) a medium speed, where the speed of the force measurement assembly is at a medium level, and (iii) a high speed, where the speed of the force measurement assembly is the highest.

7. The force measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more selections by the user further comprise a second movement level for controlling an amplitude of scene movement, the second movement level being selected from the group consisting of: (i) a first level, where the amplitude of the scene movement is the smallest, (ii) a second level, where the amplitude of the scene movement is at a medium level, (iii) a third level, where the amplitude of the scene movement is the highest, and (iv) random, where there is a random selection among the first level, the second level, and the third level.

8. The force measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more selections by the user further comprise a second movement speed for controlling a speed of scene movement, the second movement speed being selected from the group consisting of: (i) a slow speed, where the speed of the one or more scenes is the smallest, (ii) a medium speed, where the speed of the one or more scenes is at a medium level, and (iii) a high speed, where the speed of the one or more scenes is the highest.

9. The force measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more selections by the user further comprise a delay start time setting, where the delay start time is a time delay between a start of a trial and a start of movement of the force measurement assembly and/or the one or more scenes, and the delay start time allows for data to be collected from the force measurement assembly prior to the movement of the force measurement assembly and/or the one or more scenes.

10. The force measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more selections by the user further comprise a hold time setting, where the hold time is a time delay between an end of movement of the force measurement assembly and/or the one or more scenes and an end of a trial, and the force measurement assembly and/or the one or more scenes is configured to return to a home position after the hold time period has elapsed.

11. The force measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more scenes displayed on the output screen of the at least one visual display device comprise at least one of: (i) a rock wall, (ii) a checkered room, (iii) an airport, (iv) a fountain, and (v) a blank field.

12. The force measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the force measurement assembly is in a form of a force plate or a balance plate.

13. The force measurement system according to claim 1 , further comprising a base assembly having a stationary portion and a displaceable portion, the force measurement assemb

Assignees

• Bertec Corp

Inventors

• Berme Necip
• Gokoglu Aysun

Classifications

• A61B5/4023 Primary

  Evaluating sense of balance · CPC title

• A61B5/1038 Primary

  Measuring plantar pressure during gait · CPC title

• A63B22/02

  with movable endless bands {, e.g. treadmills (other training appliances for running on the spot A63B69/0028)} · CPC title

• A63B2220/833

  Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement · CPC title

• A61B5/112

  Gait analysis · CPC title