Force measurement system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9526451-B1
Application number	US-201514921571-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 23, 2015
Priority date	Jan 11, 2012
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

A force measurement system includes an instrumented treadmill with one or more displaceable components having one or more respective surfaces for receiving one or more respective limbs of the subject, and at least one force transducer. The force measurement system further includes a data processing device configured to receive one or more load signals from the at least one force transducer, to convert the one or more load signals into one or more output load components, and to determine one or more gait parameters for the subject from the one or more output load components; and a sensory output device configured to receive at least one sensory output signal from the data processing device, and to generate at least one of a visual indicator, an audible indicator, and a tactile indicator that is based upon the at least one sensory output signal and provides biofeedback to the subject.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A force measurement system comprising, in combination:
an instrumented treadmill configured to receive a subject, the instrumented treadmill including:
one or more displaceable components, the one or more displaceable components having one or more respective surfaces for receiving one or more respective limbs of the subject; and
at least one force transducer, the at least one force transducer configured to sense one or more measured quantities and output one or more load signals that are representative of one or more loads being applied to the one or more respective surfaces of the one or more displaceable components by the subject;

a data processing device operatively coupled to the at least one force transducer of the instrumented treadmill, the data processing device configured to receive the one or more load signals that are representative of the one or more loads being applied to the one or more respective surfaces of the one or more displaceable components by the subject, to convert the one or more load signals into one or more output load components, and to determine one or more gait parameters for the subject from the one or more output load components, the data processing device further configured to compare the one or more gait parameters determined for the subject to one or more respective predetermined values or to compare a first of the one or more gait parameters for the subject to a second of the one or more gait parameters for the subject, the data processing device additionally configured to determine how closely the one or more gait parameters determined for the subject conform to the one or more respective predetermined values or to determine how closely the first of the one or more gait parameters for the subject conforms to the second of the one or more gait parameters for the subject, the data processing device further configured to generate a sensory output signal based upon the conformity of the one or more gait parameters of the subject to the one or more respective predetermined values or to generate a sensory output signal based upon the conformity of the first of the one or more gait parameters of the subject to the second of the one or more gait parameters of the subject; and
a sensory output device operatively coupled to the data processing device, the sensory output device configured to receive the sensory output signal from the data processing device, to generate at least one of a visual indicator, an audible indicator, and a tactile indicator that is based upon the sensory output signal, and to output the at least one of the visual indicator, the audible indicator, and the tactile indicator to the subject in order to provide real-time sensory stimuli biofeedback to the subject as to conformity of the one or more gait parameters of the subject to the one or more respective predetermined values or biofeedback as to conformity of the first of the one or more gait parameters of the subject to the second of the one or more gait parameters of the subject, thereby enabling the subject to receive real-time biofeedback regarding his or her performance while he or she exercises on the instrumented treadmill so that the subject is able to make improvements to his or her gait based upon the real-time biofeedback received.

2. The force measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more gait parameters determined for the subject comprise at least one of: (i) a step length of the subject, (ii) a maximum sway range of a center of pressure of the subject, (iii) a maximum sway range of the center of gravity of the subject, (iv) a time duration of a single leg stance of the subject, and (v) a time duration of a single leg swing of the subject.

3. The force measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the data processing device is configured to compare the one or more gait parameters determined for the subject to one or more respective predetermined values in order to determine gait deviations from a normal standard, the data processing device additionally being configured to determine how closely the one or more gait parameters determined for the subject conform to the one or more respective predetermined values, and to generate the sensory output signal based upon the conformity of the one or more gait parameters of the subject to the one or more respective predetermined values so as to provide biofeedback indicative of the gait deviations from the normal standard.

4. The force measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the data processing device is configured to compare a first of the one or more gait parameters for the subject to a second of the one or more gait parameters for the subject in order to determine asymmetry between a right leg and a left leg of the subject, the data processing device additionally being configured to determine how closely the first of the one or more gait parameters for the subject conforms to the second of the one or more gait parameters for the subject, and to generate the sensory output signal based upon the conformity of the first of the one or more gait parameters of the subject to the second of the one or more gait parameters of the subject so as to provide biofeedback indicative of the asymmetry between a right leg and a left leg of the subject.

5. The force measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second of the one or more gait parameters determined for the subject comprise at least one of: (i) first and second time durations for respective right and left leg stance phases of the subject, (ii) first and second time durations for respective right and left leg swing phases of the subject, (iii) first and second step lengths for the respective right and left legs of the subject; and (iv) first and second ground reaction forces for the respective right and left legs of the subject.

6. The force measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the sensory output device comprises a visual display device having an output screen, and wherein the visual display device is configured to generate the visual indicator that provides biofeedback to the subject as to conformity of the one or more gait parameters of the subject to the one or more respective predetermined values or biofeedback as to conformity of the first of the one or more gait parameters of the subject to the second of the one or more gait parameters of the subject.

7. The force measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the sensory output device comprises a light emitting device, and wherein the light emitting device is configured to generate the visual indicator that provides biofeedback to the subject as to conformity of the one or more gait parameters of the subject to the one or more respective predetermined values or biofeedback as to conformity of the first of the one or more gait parameters of the subject to the second of the one or more gait parameters of the subject.

8. The force measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the sensory output device comprises an audio headset configured to be worn on a head of the subject or a speaker disposed on, or proximate to the instrumented treadmill, and wherein the audio headset or speaker is configured to generate the audible indicator that provides biofeedback to the subject as to conformity of the one or more gait parameters of the subject to the one or more respective predetermined values or biofeedback as to conformity of the first of the one or more gait parameters of the subject to the second of the one or more gait parameters of the subject.

9. The force measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the sensory output device comprises a vibratory device configured to be worn by the subject, and where

Assignees

• Bertec Corp

Inventors

• Berme Necip

Classifications

• A63B2220/805

  Optical or opto-electronic sensors · CPC title

• A63B24/0087

  Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load · CPC title

• A63B2220/802

  Ultra-sound sensors · CPC title

• A61B5/4023

  Evaluating sense of balance · CPC title

• G01G19/50

  having additional measuring devices, e.g. for height · CPC title