Instructional Surface With Haptic and Optical Elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019299080-A1
Application number	US-201916385019-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 16, 2019
Priority date	Jan 27, 2016
Publication date	Oct 3, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

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.

First claim

1 . (canceled)

2 . A system comprising:
a surface; at least one sensor coupled to the surface, each of the at least one sensor configured to sense when a force is applied to a respective portion of the surface; at least one display at least partially embedded into the surface and configured to display at least one indication corresponding to a desired location for a body part of a user in accordance with a routine; at least one processor in communication with the at least one sensor and the at least one display; and memory storing the routine and instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:
display on the at least one display the at least one indication corresponding to the desired location for the body part of the user in accordance with the routine;
sense by the at least one sensor an application of force to the surface;
determine that a location of the sensed application of force is different from a display location of the at least one indication; and
in response to determining that the location is different, display on the at least one display at least one marker identifying a direction from the location of the sensed application of force to the display location of the at least one indication.

3 . The system according to claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:
sense by the at least one sensor a change in the location of the application of force to the surface; determine that the changed location corresponds to the display location of the at least one indication; and display on the at least one display an indication of a match between the changed location and the display location of the at least one indication.

4 . The system according to claim 2 , wherein the surface includes a mesh, and wherein the at least one display is secured to the mesh.

5 . The system according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one marker is in an inactive state when the location of the sensed application of force corresponds to the location of the at least one indication.

6 . The system according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one marker is transitioned to an active state when the location of the sensed application of force is different from the location of the at least one indication.

7 . The system according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one marker is highlighted when in an active state.

8 . The system of claim 2 , in which the system comprises a projector, and in which the at least one processor is configured to cause the projector to project a display indicating a positional adjustment of the user.

9 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the surface is a surface of at least one of: a ball, a club, a glove, a chair, or an exercise mat.

10 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the routine comprises at least one of: an exercise routine or a sporting routine.

11 . A system comprising:
a surface; at least one actuating mechanism coupled the surface, the at least one actuating mechanism actuatable to deform at least a portion of the surface corresponding to a desired location for a body part of a user in accordance with a routine; at least one processor in communication with at least one sensor and the at least one actuating mechanism; and memory storing the routine and instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to: actuate the at least one actuating mechanism to cause a deformation in the surface corresponding to the desired location for the body part of the user in accordance with the routine.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one actuating mechanism includes at least one of a bladder or actuator.

13 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising:
at least one pump in fluid communication with the at least one bladder, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to: activate the at least one pump to supply or withdraw fluid from the at least one bladder to cause the deformation corresponding to the desired location for the body part of the user.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one actuating mechanism comprises at least one of a solenoid, electric motor, hydraulic motor, or pneumatic motor.

15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one sensor is configured to sense when a force is applied to a respective portion of the surface.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:
sense by the at least one sensor an application of force to the surface; determine that a location of the sensed application of force is different from a location of the deformation; and actuate the at least one actuating mechanism to cause a deformation in the surface identifying a direction from the location of the sensed application of force to the location of the deformation corresponding to the desired location for the body part of the user.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:
sense by the at least one sensor a second application of force to the surface; determine a weight distribution of the user based at least in part on the sensed second application of force; and actuate the at least one actuating mechanism to cause a second deformation in the surface at a location corresponding to a location of the sensed second application of force, the second deformation applying an additional force to a body part of the user applying the sensed second application of force to the surface, an amount of additional force being based at least in part on the determined weight distribution.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the system to:
sense a change in the second application of force to the surface; determine a change to the weight distribution of the user based at least in part on the sensed change in the second application of force to the surface; and adjust an amount of additional force applied by the at least one actuating mechanism by an amount corresponding to the determined change to the weight distribution of the user.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein a rate at which the additional force is applied is based at least in part on a difference between the determined weight distribution of the user and a desired weight distribution of the user in accordance with a form of the routine.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the rate at which the additional force is applied is increased or decreased as the difference between the determined weight distribution of the user and the desired weight distribution of the user increases or decreases respectively.

21 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising at least one display at least partially disposed between the at least one actuating mechanism and the surface.

Assignees

• Cfph Llc

Inventors

• Merkel Stephen
• Poulos Jason

Classifications

• A63B21/4037

  Exercise mats for personal use, with or without hand-grips or foot-grips, e.g. for Yoga or supine floor exercises (mats for absorbing shocks A63B6/00) · CPC title

• A63B2220/52

  Weight, e.g. weight distribution · CPC title

• A63B2210/50

  Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport · CPC title

• A63B2209/10

  with adhesive type surfaces, i.e. hook and loop-type fastener · CPC title

• A61B5/7455

  characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation · CPC title