Audio feedback for motor control training

Abstract

An audio feedback signal for a subject engaged in an exercise includes a reference note (of a musical scale) that provides a marker of the goal or target position of the exercise for the subject, and a sequence of real-time feedback notes that define progress towards the goal while the exercise is underway. By providing the reference note with the feedback note, the listener can instantly understand whether they have presently reached the goal. The progress is defined by having at least 3 distinct feedback notes mapped to respective sensed ranges of positions within the exercise, and this provides multiple opportunities for the exerciser to compare the feedback and reference notes, and provides cognitive feedback to the exerciser.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates, in general, to equipment for training of motor control using audio feedback and, in particular, relates to audio feedback for motor control training, and methods and apparatus for providing it.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]There are many situations where it is desirable for a subject to learn or relearn how to control muscles. For example, there are medical therapies and interventions, such as physiotherapy, as well as professional, athletic, and recreational training. In many instances, motor control exercises are needed to encourage subjects to achieve a goal that can be determined prior to commencing the exercise, and for which achievement of the goal is gradual such that, in real time, feedback can be provided to the subject to guide the subject throughout the exercise.[0003]Music has been shown to have a strong pain-reducing effect; it also has demonstrated therapeutic qualities associated with distraction and stress...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016]In preferred embodiments the sensed ranges partition the exercise range (i.e., the sensed ranges are mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive). As such, exactly one feedback note is played at a time throughout at least a phase of the exercise. For example, the partitioning may lead to substantially equal time for each feedback note for an expected execution of the exercise, may have equal divisions of the exercise range, or may lead to a shorter time for feedback notes during an expected difficult segment of the exercise, or one that requires greater attention from the subject. While it may be easiest to distinguish a single feedback note from a single reference note at a time, the sensed ranges do not have to be disjoint. For example, a small amount of overlap during which the previous note fades out while the next feedback note fades in provides for a blending of the notes and an overlap of the sensed ranges according to one of several possible schemes for transitions between feedback notes / ranges. Furthermore, while it may be preferred to provide feedback continuously, or substantially continuously, the sensed ranges do not have to collectively exhaust the exercise range, as another scheme for transition would be to have them fade in and out of silence. Such transition schemes may be preferable if it is desirable to avoid noise from rapid transitions between sensed ranges, for a particular application.

Problems solved by technology

People are not generally very good at retaining a pitch in their head and making comparisons between heard and remembered sounds.

Difficulty for a wide audience to discern the reference tone from the dynamic audio feedback is made all the more difficult because of the small differences in frequencies that are associated with small displacements in sway.

It may be very difficult for many users to discern small changes in frequencies hearing only one at a time.

Small frequency differences will be difficult to discern for many subjects.

Furthermore, it would not be helpful for Carnahan's stated purpose to provide a single comparative tone as this would complicate the signal unnecessarily, and not assist the listener in hearing the soundscape that is associated with desired and undesired strokes.

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