Simulated recreational, training and exercise system

Abstract

Controlled resistance to movement of body parts of a person is provided based on the person's body position and related to an activity depicted in a visual image provided to the person. The resistance is controlled by a sensor input and a visual input provided to a microprocessor and a software program based on the sensing of the position of at least one part of the person's body.

Description

RELATED CASES[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part patent application of provisional patent application 61 / 350,347 filed Jun. 1, 2010. The benefit of the filing date of provisional patent application 61 / 350,347 is claimed.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates to apparatuses and methods for providing simulated activities using visible images such as for conditioning exercises or recreational activities or body part repositioning exercises or training. The training may be for activities in unusual environmental conditions such as in space or under water. More particularly, the invention relates to the application of forces in simulated activities using visible images.[0003]It is known from U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,954,621; 5,976,063 and 5,980,435 to Joutras et al to provide resistance to motion of body parts independent of the velocity of motion with a correlation to sensory stimulation such as visual and / or audio and / or temperature and / or pressure type sensations...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The invention provides a novel exercise and training device that uses virtual reality techniques to provide recreational exercise and training. The device can be tailored for specific purposes such as strengthening muscles or preventing injury. It can also be used for rehabilitation and to develop physical skills. The device includes an exoskeleton that provides resistance to movement and non-tactile and tactile stimuli to help the person associate the physical activity with the stimuli. The resistance to movement and the non-tactile stimulation are synchronized under at least part control of a program recorded in a microprocessor representing the one aspect of the activity. The device can be used for open kinetic chain exercise or closed kinetic chain exercise and can be adjusted for different body parts and activities."

Problems solved by technology

While this prior art apparatus and method works well, it is limited functionally in that the resistance to movement of the user is determined by the position of the body parts with respect to each other with no variation and cannot be changed by other forces such as programs related to stimuli such as visual / audio stimuli, or by another person such as an opponent in a game of tennis or by the user in response to changes in the stimuli.

However, the prior art mechanisms are not subject to external control nor is there a range of motion desired for some applications.

Moreover, there is a lack of precision and easy feedback.

The prior art apparatuses and methods of this type lack adequate repeatable coordination between the user's actions and the images.

Because of this lack of adequate repeatable coordination, they are not easily adapted for training.

For example they cannot be adapted for different levels of skills.

It is also known to provide exercise and training for weightlessness such as occurs under water or in space but the methods and apparatuses for such exercises and training are on the one hand extremely expensive and complicated or not coordinated with visual images for effectiveness.

However, the games do not provide realistic responses to the uses movement such as resistance to movement or other stimuli.

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