Patent Application
20120289378
Sedentary lifestyles have become increasingly prevalent in office and home environments due to the widespread use of computers and other electronic devices. In many workplaces, office employees are seated at their desks in front of their computers for a large part of the workday. Such prolonged sitting, combined with long work hours, leaves little time in a work day for regular exercise. Health risks associated with sedentary lifestyles include weight gain, muscle loss, poor cardiovascular health, and higher risks of obesity. However, these risks can be counteracted with light, regular physical activity. Furthermore, even light exercise, when undertaken regularly, can have additional positive health effects, including promoting blood circulation, and stabilizing hormone levels.
Certain devices suited for exercise in the office or at a work desk exist in the art. However, these devices have a number of drawbacks, including being too bulky or too distracting from workplace tasks. Furthermore, as with many exercise devices, use diminishes over time due to factors such as inconvenience or disinterest. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a fitness apparatus that is not only easy to use but also capable of monitoring and/or promoting exercise in an office environment.
These and other needs are met by an exercise apparatus that comprises one or more sliding units for facilitating and sensing a movement applied thereto by the user, characterized in that at least one of the sliding units comprises a body member and a surface adapted for sliding movement in at least one direction; a sensor adapted for sensing and generating data representative of one or more characteristics of the movement; and a transmitter adapted for receiving the data from the sensor and transmitting the data to a computing device.
The exercise apparatus may comprise a first sliding unit and a second sliding unit, wherein the first sliding unit is adapted for a left foot and the second sliding unit is adapted for a right foot. The sensor may be an accelerometer, and according to an embodiment of the invention, the accelerometer is a three-axis accelerometer. The transmitter may be a wireless transmitter.
According to various embodiments of the invention, the exercise apparatus may further comprise a display, a speaker, and/or an indicator adapted to provide feedback to the user.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the body member further comprises a platform adapted to removably receive a shoe. The platform may have a front end adapted to receive a sole and a back end adapted to receive a flat heel. According to other embodiments of the invention, the platform has a front end adapted to receive a sole and a back end adapted to accommodate an elevated heel. The platform may comprise a set of gripping members capable of providing traction against the shoe.
The needs described above are also met by a method of promoting exercise by a user that comprises recording the movement of one or more sliding units moved by the user comprising the steps of sensing a movement of at least one of the sliding units; generating activity data representative of the characteristics of the movement of the sliding unit; and transmitting the data to a computing device. The method may comprise providing feedback to the user based at least in part on the transmitted data, and according to an embodiment of the invention, the feedback is in the form of an audible indicator.
The method may further comprise providing an activity analysis, which may be based on one or more physical characteristics of the user, including, for example, body weight. The method may further comprise sending the activity data to a social networking server.
The needs described above are further met by a system for promoting exercise that comprises one or more sliding units for facilitating and sensing movement applied thereto by the user. The sliding units may each comprise a body member and a surface adapted for sliding movement in at least one direction; a sensor adapted for sensing movement and generating activity data representative of one or more characteristics of the movement of the sliding unit; a transmitter adapted for receiving and sending the activity data; a processor adapted to execute a tracking module to receive the activity data from the transmitter; and a memory in communication with the processor adapted to store the activity data.
The processor may be adapted for approximating caloric expenditure based at least in part on the activity data. According to an embodiment of the invention, caloric expenditure is approximated based at least in part on a user's basal metabolic rate.
Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
As described above, various embodiments of the present invention are directed to an apparatus for promoting exercise by a user comprising one or more sliding units for facilitating and sensing movement applied thereto by the user. According to various embodiments, the sliding unit generally includes at least a body member, a sensor, and a transmitter.
As described above, in one embodiment, the sensor is an accelerometer. In other embodiments, the sensor may be a pendulum or an optical detection device, such as an infrared sensor. Furthermore, more than one sensor may be utilized in order to detect two-dimensional or three-dimensional movement. Various embodiments of these sensors and their respective capabilities are described herein.
As shown in
Situated within the platform 110, between the front section 112 and the back section 114, is an electronic component 130. As shown in
As shown in
In various embodiments, one or more wheels or rollers may be integrated in the sliding surface for facilitating movement. In one example embodiment, rollers are provided in recesses in the sliding surface with their axles behind the sliding surface so that the sliding units appear similar to the illustrated units but the primary movement on a floor is by way of a rolling action.
As further shown in
In various embodiments, the sliding surface 120 also has a transverse axis defining a generally flat central portion and curved edges 132 defining an edge radius, as can be seen in
As further illustrated in
In the present embodiment, the gripping members 116 are elevated slightly from the top surface 110 to ensure adequate contact with the sole 20 and the heel 30. In this way, the user's foot is positioned so that when it applies force on the platform 110 in certain directions through the sole 20 or the heel 30, it imparts a corresponding movement on the sliding unit 100. A longitudinal curvature of the sliding surface 120 in the range of between about 8″ to about 20″ facilitates ankle movement and lowers ankle stress while at the same maintaining the user's foot on the sliding unit 100. Due to the curvature of the sliding surface 120, application of an appropriate force against the front section 112, for example, through the toe 40 of the user's shoe, will cause the front section 122 to come in contact with the floor 50, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
The user moves each foot laterally, first outward and then inward, back to the initial side-to-side position. The movement can be repeated in this fashion. In this movement pattern, as well as the movement patterns shown in
In other embodiments, the sliding units 100 and 200 can be adapted for facilitating various other types of movements.
In the illustrated embodiment of
The sensor 140 is adapted to detect motion of the sliding unit 100 and generate activity data 145 indicative of one or more characteristics of this motion. For example, the sensor 140 may be an accelerometer capable of detecting motion along two axes so that the resulting activity data 145 has at least two components such as, for example, the two-dimensional position relative to the plane of a floor. In various embodiments, the sensor 140 may be capable of detecting motion along three axes so that the resulting activity data 145 has at least three components such as for, example, the tilt angle of the sliding unit in addition to the two-dimensional position relative to the floor. For example, the sensor in one embodiment is a three-axis accelerometer capable of generating a signal showing intensity and duration of a detected motion. According to another embodiment, the sensor 140 may be comprised of multiple sensors configured to indicate the position, velocity, and/or direction of the sliding unit 100 at one or more points along the movement path. In other embodiments, the sensor may be a laser device.
The transmitter 150 is capable of establishing a communication session with a computing device 500. In addition, the transmitter 150 of the present embodiment may perform functions of both a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter 150 may include, for example, a universal serial bus (USB) port for communications over a cable, a Bluetooth wireless interface for communicating with other Bluetooth devices, or a wireless network interface (WiFi) card for wireless communications. In particular, the transmitter 150 in the present embodiment is adapted to access and send the activity data 145 from the sensor 140 to the computing device 500.
The computing device 500 in the present embodiment comprises a processor 510, a memory 520, a display 530, a communication interface 540, and a user input interface 550. In various embodiments, the computing device 500 can be any workstation, desktop computer, laptop or notebook computer, server, handheld computer, mobile telephone or other portable telecommunication device, media playing device, gaming system, mobile computing device, or any other type and/or form of computing, telecommunications or media device capable of performing the operations described herein and can be located in any proximate or remote location including the user's desk, in or on the sliding unit 100 itself, or at a location centralized for a collection of users such as coworkers. The processor 510 in the present embodiment is configured to communicate with memory 520, display 530, communication interface 540, and user input interface 550.
Memory 520 may include a random access memory (RAM) or another type of dynamic or static storage device that may store information and instructions for execution by processing logic, a read-only memory (ROM) device or another type of static storage device, a persistent memory such as flash memory, and/or some other type of magnetic or optical recording medium and its corresponding drive, e.g., a hard disk drive (HDD), for storing information and/or instructions.
In the present embodiment, memory 520 further comprises an operating system 522 and a tracking module 524. Memory 520 may include other components (not shown) that aid in receiving, transmitting, and/or processing data. Moreover, other configurations of components in memory 520 are possible. In one embodiment, the memory 520 may record an interval of time since the last use of the exercise apparatus, even if the power supply is turned off, and the operating system is configured to provide an indicator or alarm that it is time for the user to exercise again. Such an indicator or alarm maybe provided on the display 530 and/or speaker on the sliding unit 100 and/or on a user's separate computer.
In the present embodiment, operating system 522 provides a software platform for carrying out various applications associated with the activity data 145. For example, operating system 522 may be any version of Microsoft Windows, Unix, Linux, Mac OS, any embedded operating system, any real-time operating system, any open source operating system, any proprietary operating system, any operating systems for mobile computing devices, or any other operating system capable of running on the computing device and performing the operations described herein. The operating system 522 in various embodiments may be configured to interact with an application program interface (API).
Tracking module 524 processes activity data 145 received from the electronic component 130 to perform a variety of functions. For example, tracking module 524 may be configured to store a log of activity data 145 generated by the sensor 140 in a data table (not shown). Tracking module 524 may access this log of activity data 145 to generate charts showing activity history. In addition, tracking module 524 may manipulate the activity data 145 to provide additional types of information, such as number of movements, calories burned, and progress toward various pre-set goals.
In various embodiments, the sliding unit of the present invention can be used with calorie tracking applications known in the art (e.g., Fitbit Tracker and associated analysis software, distributed by Fitbit, Inc. of San Francisco, Calif.). For example, as shown in
There are various approaches in the art for estimating caloric expenditure based on physical activity. Several of these approaches are detailed in Staudenmayer, J., Prober, D., Crouter, S., Bassett, D., Freedson, P., “An artificial neural network to estimate physical activity energy expenditure and identify physical activity type from an accelerometer,” J Appl Physiol, 107: 1300-1307 (2009) and van Hees, V. T. and Ekelund, U., “Novel daily energy expenditure estimation by using objective activity type classification: where do we go from here?” J Appl Physiol 107: 639-640 (2009), the entireties of which are herein incorporated by reference). These calorie tracking applications use tools, such as logs, analytics, and social networks, to generate and share fitness and health-related data.
In addition, in various other embodiments not illustrated herein, tracking module 524 may also generate charts showing movement patterns of the sliding units. These charts can be compared to suggested movement patterns to provide a user with feedback regarding accuracy of movement. The charts may indicate intensity and speed of movement using, for example, variations in colors or line grade.
In other embodiments, tracking module 524 may be configured to provide the user with interactive physical therapy functions. For example, in the case of a user with a physical condition requiring recuperative activity, tracking module 524 may contain or access a physical therapy plan incorporating the predetermined movements of the sliding unit based on the user's particular condition. Tracking module 524 may communicate with the electronic component 130 in order to instruct the user on the steps recommended by the physical therapy plan (i.e., through feedback mechanisms on the electronic component 130 described above). Tracking module 524 may also receive data from the electronic component 130 in order to track the user's progress in relation to the physical therapy plan. In addition, using this data, tracking module may provide certain analyses or even transmit information regarding the user's progress to a physical therapist or other health professional.
In one embodiment, the sensor 524 is configured to limit the range of motion for the sliding unit for physical therapy patients. For example, patients rehabilitating from knee surgery may be required to flex the knee joint but also limit the range of motion of the knee through a certain angular interval measured from front to back. Similarly, hip surgery patients may be required the move the hip from side to side through a prescribed angular interval. The tracking module 524 tracks the movement of the sliding units and can provide an alarm when the sliding units exceed the prescribed angular ranges. According to one embodiment, the sensor 140 is configured to activate an alarm on the sliding unit when the prescribed angular range is exceeded without transmitting the activity data to a separate tracking module 524.
In various embodiments, memory 520 may further comprise a social networking component (not shown). For example, the social networking component may be configured to access a network for communicating with other users. In various embodiments, the activity data 145 may be sent to a social networking server. As shown in
Another feature in various embodiments is incorporation with insurance provider programs. For example, certain insurance providers have incentive programs (e.g., Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue PointsSM) that allow participants to track health and wellness activities and provide rewards for reaching certain activity levels. In this way, tracking module 524 in certain embodiments can be configured to process and send activity data 145 to a given insurance provider network for incentive tracking.
Display 530 may be a device such as a monitor that outputs information from the processor 510 to the user. Communication interface 540 may include any transceiver-like mechanism that enables computing device 500 to communicate with the transmitter 150 in the electronic component 130. Communication interface 540 may include a transmitter that may perform functions of both a transmitter and a receiver. Communication interface 540 may include, for example, a universal serial bus (USB) port for communications over a cable, a Bluetooth® wireless interface for communicating with other Bluetooth® devices, an ANT+ interface or a wireless network interface (WiFi) card for wireless communications.
User input interface 550 may include one or more devices that permit a user to input information into processor 510, such as a keyboard, keypad, a mouse, a pen, a microphone, a remote control, a touch-screen display, one or more biometric mechanisms, or the like. In various embodiments, one user input interface device may be a heart-monitoring component that is capable of generating and transmitting data indicative of one or more characteristics of a user's heart beat patterns. In these embodiments, memory 520 may further comprise an application configured to access this data to provide customized feedback to the user.
The threshold force in various embodiments may be determined based at least in part on average user weight. For instance, the springs 180 may be calibrated to compress substantially in response to the weight of a user but also to resist compression when the user is operating the sliding unit 100 while seated. When the user enters a standing position, the springs 180 will substantially or fully compress, causing the non-slip surface 190 to extend past the sliding surface 120 and make contact with the ground surface. In the present embodiment, the non-slip surface 190 is jagged so that it creates traction on, for instance, a carpeted surface. However, in various other embodiments, the non-slip surface may be composed of rubber material to create traction on hard surfaces. This feature will therefore prevent the sliding units from sliding out from under the user if, for instance, the user moves from the seated to the standing position.
When attached to the sliding unit 100, each of the removable covers 300 and 400 forms a protective layer between the sliding surface 120 and delicate ground surfaces, such as a hardwood floor. In this way, the removable covers 300 and 400 reduce friction and noise between the sliding surface 120 and ground surface and protect against damage to the surface.
Various other embodiments of an exercise system incorporating the sliding units described herein may be used to facilitate and sense movements of a user. For example, the components of the sliding unit described above may be modified to accommodate a hand or a leg, as opposed to a foot. In addition, it is contemplated that the embodiments of the sliding unit may be modified to accommodate various exercise techniques and types of motions. Furthermore, as will also be appreciated by one of skill in the art, the general principles of the leg exercise apparatus described above may be incorporated into various other movement-sensing apparatuses. In addition, the computing device may be modified to accommodate various exercise tracking or physical therapy applications.
Many modifications and other embodiments of the present invention will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this invention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
