Patent Grant
8342901
None
This invention relates to hoops, particularly “hula-hoops”, and to electronic instruments, light synthesizers, computer based synthesizers, and LED displays.
Hoops have been around for a very long time. Electronic instruments appeared in the last century. The combination of hoop and electronic instrument has never yet been successfully realized, as evidenced by the lack of their development, use or availability.
The Oxford dictionary gives the main definition of “hoop”, to be “A circular band or ring of metal, wood or other stiff material.” Also, definition 3 “A circle of wood or iron (orig. a barrel-hoop), which is trundled along as a plaything by children.” The dictionary goes on to give examples from the 1700's and 1800's of twirling and trundling hoops. There was no mention of the word “hula” as yet associated with the hoop, but according to my web research, “The word hula became associated with the toy in the early 1800s when British sailors visited the Hawaiian Islands and noted the similarity between “hooping” and hula dancing”. Although the “hula-hoop” was tremendously popular in the fifties, the name does impose some limitations on its use and contributes to its current lack of popularity. To “hula” is to dance the Hawaiian dance or imitate it in some way with a side-to-side motion of the hips. This form of movement is only a fraction of the potential of a hoop. Most people think only of a hoop being rotated around the waist when a “hula-hoop” is mentioned. To many adults, this is not an inspiring activity.
The hoop has been promoted and designed as a toy or piece of exercise equipment. This somewhat limits the use of the hoop to playgrounds or gyms. The hoop has nowhere in recent times been designed primarily as an instrument. Here is a quote from Anderson, Apr. 27, 2004 Ser. No: 10/832,508 “Hoop toys that are rolled or spun about the body, waist, neck, or arms are well known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,079,728 represents the archetype of a hoop toy that may be spun about the body. Variations of this archetype have emerged since, such as: musical hoop toys, lighted hoop toys, segmented hoop toys, decorative cloth covered hoop toys, water filled hoop toys, and water emitting hoop toys.” The emphasis is on toy. The size of earlier hula-hoops is basically too small for the majority of adults to learn on and use freely. Perhaps the size was kept small so that the hoops could be transported more easily, perhaps to limit production costs, perhaps because that size seemed to work for the target audience, which was children. An adult needs a certain weight and size for a hoop to perform many of its movements with ease. This was not provided for in the prior art. I have seen sizes up to just over three feet in diameter, but this is nowhere near big enough for most adults, especially if they are beginners or large of body.
Previous lighted hula hoops relied on electric bulbs or single colored low output LEDs. For example, Williams, U.S. Pat. No. 4,006,556, discloses placing a series of light bulbs inside the hoop. See also, Chao, U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,264. According to Vaisnys et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,443 Sep. 8, 1992 “Although the idea of adding lights to a hula hoop theoretically could increase interest in this type of toy, it is significant to note that the user can only somewhat see the lights in use. Typically, the user keeps his or her eyes facing forward when playing with a hula hoop. In this position, the lights proposed by Williams can only be seen at the periphery of the user's vision. As a result, to the present inventors' knowledge, the lighted hula hoop has not been commercially accepted.” (My underlining.) The lights they were talking about were obviously very dim. The imagined movements of the hoop seem to be limited to the hula dance movements. Vaisnys goes on to propose a musical hoop and describe placing speakers inside the hoop. The problem with this is that the movements of the hoop distort the sounds, and the quality of the tiny speakers you would need in order not to overweight the hoop and not to draw too much power, would render the sounds and music of low quality.
Although the quality of light and sound described in the prior art may have been suitable for some purposes, it was not enough to fuel much interest in that kind of application for the hoop. In my searches I have not been able to find anyone building, manufacturing or using these kinds of hoops. The colors and trails that they produce and the quality and variety of sounds have not seemed to inspire people in their use.
My patent pending filed Feb. 1, 2005 60/648,907 describes a flashing lighted interactive hoop. Since that time, through the feedback of many professional hoop performers and other users, the invention has evolved in the direction stated in the patent pending. The flashing lighted displays have become more refined, brighter, more varied and interesting. The hoop has become more interactive, with the refinement of the control systems, the taping of the hoop, the inclusion of audio interpretation of the signals and so forth.
The construction of the hoops in much of the prior art gives attention to the ease of assembly, but not to the integrity of the hoop in its assembled form. I find little attempt to reduce the noise of the internal components while the hoop is in use. I know that I had to find ways to reduce the rattle and movement of the wires, batteries, lights, boards, switches, and other internal components. There is no discussion of increasing the visual display by appropriate taping, voltage adjustment, mixing colors, having different colors on different circuits, using LEDs with multiple colors and so forth. The sound generation systems seem to be limited to onboard speakers or low quality outputs. There is little development of the idea of interactivity or responsiveness on the part of the hoop. I cant find where the prior art has attempted to give coherence to the visual and auditory outputs or to create a synergy between them. The placement of the batteries is important to the spinning of the hoop, particularly when it is thrown in the air, as is done by rhythmic gymnasts and hoop performers. If the hoop is imbalanced it wobbles and this reduces its use as both an instrument (because it is then giving “noise” rather than response, rather like a screeching microphone when you get too close to it).
Potrzuski, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,076 Aug. 23, 1977 discloses an electrical signal mechanism actuated in response to rotation about any of three axes. This did not apply directly to a hula-hoop, but I include it here as an example of prior art in the field of electronic displays. Moliinaroli U.S. Pat. No. 6,265,984 Jul. 24, 2001, discloses a light emitting diode display device, which is a pre-programmed device and method for forming and displaying images. Mueller, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,150,774 Nov. 21, 2000 discloses a multicolored LED lighting method and apparatus. In fact Color Kinetics have a number of patents on microprocessor controlled LEDs. None of these specifically relate to hoops, and certainly not to hoops as instruments. They do show advances in the technology for controlling LEDs and color in general.
I don't think that anyone has really looked at the pathway that each point on a hoop follows. The closest reference I find is from Maleyko, U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,666 Apr. 10, 1990. A lighted hoop. I quote “The tube 12 is translucent and contains a multiplicity of light sources 20 spaced circumferentially around the tube which will cause the tube to glow with a desired degree of brightness. The term “translucent”, as used herein, means that the wall of the tube transmits the light with a degree ranging from transparency to opacity. Preferably, the tube has a translucency which diffuses the light around the tube. When the lighted hoop is manipulated as depicted in
Maleyko mentions “a multiplicity of light rings emanating in orbital paths from a gyrating focal point.” To my knowledge, no one has analyzed this further. They have thus not explored the patterns of lights, colors and trails that a hoop can generate. There is also no mention of the mixing of colors possible by including many lights sources close together. Also no mention of the effects of taping the hoop is various ways, or of having LEDs that flash and can be programmed or affected by the motions of the user. Maleyko does talk about different colored LEDs. Even if there was more than one color of LED in the hoop, the colors were spaced apart and could not interact or mix colors.
Vaisnys et al., Sep. 8, 1992. He does talk about the variations in speed of the point on a hoop:
“Sound generation which varies with the rate of rotation of the hoop is obtained as follows. During each rotation, plug 13 passes through a zone of minimum acceleration in the region of the user's body and a zone of maximum acceleration at the extreme position from the user's body. Switch 20 is selected so that it is closed in the zone of maximum acceleration and is open in the zone of minimum acceleration. The output of this switch is used to generate an input for the sound adjusting pin of the sound generation chip. For example, the closing of the switch can be used to charge or discharge a capacitor, and the voltage across the capacitor can be applied to the sound adjusting pin. Alternatively, a digital counter, either internal to the sound generation chip or as a separate chip, can be used to produce a signal which varies monotonically with the rate of opening or closing of switch 20.”
There is an acknowledgement there that there is a zone of minimum and maximum acceleration, and the use of that as an on/off switch, but that is as far as it goes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,340 to Farrow discloses a hula hoop having a sound system that generates music and a lighting system. The Farrow patent discloses that the lighting system may include a plurality of light bulbs and a plurality of pressure switches that are positioned in an interior portion of the hula hoop so to make contact with the person using the hula hoop.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,443 to Vaisnys, et al. discloses that the hoop may receive FM broadcasts . . . . It should be appreciated that the controller 80 may be a single-chip microcontroller, which may or may not include the audio generator 88. The audio generator 88 may be any type of integrated circuit or device capable of generating music sequences. For example, the audio generator 88 may be provided in the form of an AM or FM receiver that receives broadcast music.”
There is no mention of the hoop itself being the instrument, broadcasting the signal to a receiver.
The problem with all these inventions, as far as a hoop synthesizer is concerned is that to the best of my knowledge they don't work as instruments . . . . They are described as toys, or exercise equipment, and so they are. Toys are great and the world is made better by their development, but the hoop does not have to be just a toy.
The synthesizer hoop generates a great deal of light. In a dark room you can read by it! In the last several months I have attended events where hundreds of people, and on one occasion more than a thousand people were all able to see the hoop at one time. This is in contrast to the statement above where Vaisnys et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,443 Sep. 8, 1992 says “Although the idea of adding lights to a hula hoop theoretically could increase interest in this type of toy, it is significant to note that the user can only somewhat see the lights in use. Typically, the user keeps his or her eyes facing forward when playing with a hula hoop. In this position, the lights proposed by Williams can only be seen at the periphery of the user's vision”. Looking at the illustrations of
In order for the hoop to truly function as a light and sound instrument, it needs to respond in real time to all the movements the hoop is making. The sensitivity of the response needs to be adjustable, as does the program that interprets a given signal to produce a certain response. Some sensors now have the size, sensitivity and low cost necessary to make this viable. In order to extrapolate the position of all the lights sources at any given time, the pathway of the hoop needs to be understood in three dimensions.
The spiral path of any one point in a hoop is determined by the girth of the axis the hoop is spinning around. The greater the difference in relative size between the diameter of the hoop and the diameter of the axis, the more revolutions it takes for the hoop to complete its spiral path. See
As the hoop is made to circulate various parts of the body—the waist, the hips, the thighs, the knees, the chest, the arms, the neck and the hands, the patterns change with the speed, momentum and change of directions that the hoop makes. The signals coming from the sensor at any one moment allows the extrapolation of the shape of the spiral that the sensor is moving along. The hoop thus “knows” what part of the body it is moving around and in what sort of shape and the display is modified accordingly. As an example, one program to interpret the signals coming from the sensors has the color of the lights and the pitch of the sounds change, based on the position on the body. It appears quite magical.
The balance of a hoop is important if it is to be an instrument that responds coherently with the movements of the user. The placement of the batteries is important to the spinning of the hoop, particularly when it is thrown in the air, as is done by rhythmic gymnasts and hoop performers. By placing the batteries and internal components so that the weight is balanced all the way around the hoop, the performance of the hoop is improved. It spins truer and doesn't wobble, and is easier to keep moving steadily on certain paths. When you want a steady smooth sound transition or color trail, you need a steady input. If you lower the sensitivity enough to disguise a wobble, then you render the hoop less responsive.
The present hoop construction allows the hoops to be used for rolling along the ground, for dancing with, for holding between two people, for martial arts practice, for all varieties of play and exercise, for meditation and for performance. One can spin a hoop that has extreme variations of weight and size and texture etc. Hoops that are 13 inches in diameter can be spun around the arms, and are used in exercise routines. The American Indians use hoops that are approximately a couple feet in diameter. They measure the height of a person and use that as the circumference of the hoop. This allows the use of several hoops spinning in different ways at the same time on different parts of the body. I have made extremely large hoops (over six feet in diameter) and they are useful to train beginners who have large girths. Within reason (the flexibility of the hoop material, the weight of the hoop, the strength of the user) . . . the larger the diameter of the hoop relative to the waist or hips or chest or thighs of the performer, the easier it is to spin the hoop and learn some basic skills. One must also consider that the hoop spins faster the smaller its diameter (relative to the size of the hub or body). Many tricks are easier to do with a smaller hoop. For its use as an instrument that can be played with the whole body (the torso and limbs and head) as well as in the space surrounding the body (moving the hoop with the hands or feet or spinning it in the air) a smaller, lighter hoop is preferable. If it gets too light it doesn't have the momentum necessary to make it follow a steady path back up the body, if it is too heavy, the inertia causes it to be sluggish in changing directions and it can be difficult to do hand movements with. So a balance of these factors is necessary to give the feel and performance that is best suited to the person. The smallest hoops that will spin around any point of the average body, and respond fast, would be around 35″ diameter, though smaller hoops of 13 to 22″ are good for juggling and rotating around arms and hands while using other hoops. The largest ones that I normally make are around 54″ diameter, and two people can be inside this hoop when it spins.
The hoops I currently prefer as instruments that have the greatest range of motion, responsiveness and potential of expression are around 39 to 42″ diameter, with 40.5 being the peak for most people. This hoop is too large to carry through some security equipment at airports or to fit into ones luggage. That is one of the reasons I make the hoop with a connector, so one can pull it apart and tape (and/or screw) it together.
Having the hoop be easily recharged obviously makes the instrument easier to use.
The original “hula-hoops” of the 50s were made of polypropylene and high density polyethylene, and these plastics still work for the tubing, though many more varieties of plastics can be used, especially low density polyethylene or MDPE or PEX etc and the wall thickness can now be controlled to provide the right combination of flexibility, weight translucency or opacity, strength, and ‘feel’. Most of the tubing nowadays is black or orange or colored in some way, and for the lighted hoops it obviously works better to stay with a natural, “white” or clear tubing.
Both the inside and outside of the hoop is taped. The tape on the outside serves to increase traction between the body of the user and the hoop itself. The better the connection between the hoop and the user, the more directly one can play the instrument with the whole body. Where the tape would interfere with the lights, sandpapering the outside of the tubing on its inner curve serves the purpose of increasing traction and grip. The tape on the outside also serves to break up the trails coming from the lights and create more detailed patterns of color and light. This gives the display more resolution. The taping of the hoop adds variety and depth to the trails produced, helping to provide displays that are interesting, beautiful and responsive to the movements of the performer or user. The clear tape on the inside serves to hold the components together and thus to prevent damage to them. It also acts to dampen the extraneous sound from inside the hoop. The sounds the user wants from the hoop are not the wires and LEDs banging around. A further function of this tape is to add depth to the display.
This taping alone, even with simple one color LEDs or EL wire in the hoop, allows the performer to generate a multitude of patterns, by varying speed, direction, and rotation of the hoop. Already, without the addition of any further electronics or computer control, we have an instrument that can reflect the mood and intention of the performer, giving them feedback, and informing them directly as to the quality of their movements, and displaying that interaction to an audience or other hoopsters. The addition of circuits and switches and sensors and wireless, then adds depth and intricacy to this. The further addition of the audio feedback either to the performer alone through wireless headphones with onboard samplers or to an audience through a synthesizer and speakers, then gives even more scope to this instrument as both an entertainment and artistic device. The control of the lights is not done from an outside source. The performer, user or “hoopster” is the one controlling the display of light, color and sound, thus keeping the synergistic effect of the movement, rhythm and tone and color and patterns of light all being synchronized through the movement of the hoop.
The shape of the hoop itself confers an advantage. It is an instrument which can be played by the whole body. Most musical instruments have been played with the breath or fingers, but now with wireless technology we have the capacity to translate different kinds of input signals, and generate the signals for creating whatever sounds we like electronically. Other shapes have disadvantages in group situations where one does not want any sharp, threatening or pointed objects. Also the hoop shape is ideal for spinning, rolling, twirling, throwing and catching like a ball, juggling, rotating around the body and limbs and so forth. The shape of the hoop makes it ideal for bodies of all sizes and shapes and ages:
Having the hoop respond to movement, either through mechanical arrangements and switches such as the ball bearing and the contact switch and pressure sensors and MEMS and accelerometers and so forth, makes the hoop come alive and generate real interest and possibilities as an instrument, and not just as an amusing rotating Christmas tree thing . . . . It thus holds interest for a longer time and can act as both an entertainment device and one that provides learning opportunities through its feedback.
Another advantage is in being able to use a variety of light sources, from simple single color LEDs to multiple colors, to LEDs with onboard ICs and their own programmed mixing of colors, to EL wire of either one color or multiple colors in different strands, and having those EL wires either just be able to turn on and off, or have them animated through sequencers that can run their own patterns and/or respond more directly to the movements of the hoopster. Another advantage is in having the capacity to use UV LEDs along with the other LEDs, or on their own, to illuminate the black light sensitive clothing of the performer. This transfers the light patterns onto the clothing or paint on the performer's body and as the hoop spirals in and out from the body, produces interesting and repeatable effects and patterns.
The synthesizer hoop is in some embodiments equipped with a receiver as well as a transmitter. This allows signals from other hoop instruments or equipment to be routed through a central hub to the hoop itself. This is not a primary function of the instrument. The main function of the synthesizer hoop instrument is for the user to generate the lights and also the sounds that they dance or hoop to. It is not the primary intention to turn the hoop into a passive display system, that for example, pulses with the beat of the ambient music. It can be done, but then the hoop is no longer functioning so much as an interactive instrument. The design of the hoop encourages the user to generate the displays of color, light and sound through the movements of their own body.
Many other shapes and styles of portable synthesizer instruments can be imagined, but this invention consists only of a hoop shaped instrument that can be spun around the whole body and all of the limbs, and moved in various ways in the space around the body. The hoop shape encourages the most interactivity and movement, while being safe in crowded places and relatively unbreakable. Many systems for tying sound and visual display together have been created in the previous hundred years, from keyboards that made different colors to video synthesizers and computer animated systems . . . the combination of sound and imagery or pattern is a constantly fascinating one. The hoop is an ideal instrument for the movement-based synthesis of sound and color.
Just as many keyboards can be set to play by themselves, so can the displays be generated automatically, but that is a minor function of the synthesizer instrument. Its intention is to provide real-time audio-visual responsiveness. What you DO is what you get. And then what you get affects what you do. That is the instrument part of it. The aim is to have the instrument be coherent, where the sounds and colors are coordinated perfectly with the movements of the user. This gives a different feel to the instrument. There is more interest and excitement in viewing the performance. It feels alive to the user. Having switches that respond to acceleration, motion, impact and so forth, adds a lot more variety to the lighting effects and synchronizes the range, speed and type of movement of the hoop with the light colors and patterns. This adds a lot more to the performance and invites the performer to exercise for longer periods. The way the colors vary with the speed and actions of the performer gives much more information about the movements of the hoop to both performer and audience. This information can be used by the performer as a direct reflection of their movement and intentions, rather like a biofeedback device, and allows for a rapid gain in proficiency with the hoop, so this really does function as an instructive device.
Indeed, the hoop can be used (indoors) to great effect in the daytime, which has not been the case with previous lighted hoops. The sound function can operate on its own and so even in bright sunlight the user can get real time feedback from the hoop or perform with it as an audio instrument. The taping of the hoop includes tape that reflects bright lights in dazzling ways when the hoop is spun. This adds to the appeal when the hoop is being used in situations where there is too much ambient light for the internal lights of the hoop instrument to have much effect.
In Maleyko U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,666 1990, the lighted hoop is described as having 20 sections. This would make the hoop unwieldy to a performer, and my hoop has only one or two joins, which are seamless. Maleyko states that his LEDs are separated by retainers make of foamed plastic plugs. My invention requires no retainers as the LEDs are attached to a firm but bendable wire that extend all the way around the inside of the tube and forms part of the lighting circuit. In some embodiments of the synthesizer hoop, white foam sheets (
Maleyko also states that the LEDs may be of different colors, but has no provision for LEDs that have ICs on each one with three different colors on each so that patterns and trails and rainbows are produced. Also new here are the mechanisms for varying the display and making it more interactive—these mechanisms including switches that are controlled by acceleration in different dimensions, by movement, impact, momentum etc. The intensity of the light thus varies, as do the colors and sequences of color, the trails and rainbows etc, and the hoopster (hoop performer) is given much more information as to the speed, rhythms and pathways that the hoop is traveling on.
By installing UV LEDs in the hoop, controlled by a separate switch, the white, and day-glo colors of the performer's clothes are highlighted and interest is generated that way. These UV LEDs in the hoop provide dramatic effects in performance with day-glow clothing or props. Note that the UV LEDs require small windows to be made in the walls of the tubing to allow the UV light to escape. Otherwise the walls of the tube absorb a significant proportion of that light.
Maleyko describes the hoop as having multiple sections that can be assembled, which is convenient for packaging. The design of this hoop, however, allows the overall diameter to vary from less than 2 feet to over six feet. The hoop slides apart and the ends slide past each other to make it convenient to take on planes or send by mail.
The spiral pathway is modified by the diameter of the axis that the hoop is turning around, and this creates predictable differences in pattern depending on what part of the body is being used as the focal point. No one seems to have worked with this behavior of a hoop before. The hoop is repeatedly referred to as a toy, and though my invention does not preclude its use as a toy, it indicates use as an instrument, that can express the mood, intention and artistic creativity of the user. This is accomplished by taking into account the differences in the pathways of the hoop based on its position on the body. A hoop revolving around a waist has a different display and makes a different set of sounds than one revolving around the neck or knees or wrist and so on.
Having switches that respond to acceleration, motion, impact and so forth, adds a lot more variety to the lighting effects and synchronizes the range, speed and type of movement of the hoop with the light colors and patterns and with the sounds generated. This adds to the performance and invites the performer to exercise for longer periods. The way the colors vary with the speed and actions of the performer gives much more information about the movements of the hoop to both performer and audience. This information can be used by the performer as a direct reflection of their movement and intentions, rather like a biofeedback device, and allows for a rapid gain in proficiency with the hoop, so this really does function as an instructive device.
To develop a mastery of any instrument takes familiarity, practice, and purpose. It is not much different with the Synthesizer Hoop. As the user's skills with the instrument increase, a wider range and more pleasing displays are generated. There is an integration of sound, color and movement. This acts to further encourage practice and play. Thus exercise is promoted. The user can't master the full range of this instrument while sitting on a couch. Dexterity, flexibility, fitness, range of motion, sensitivity, and rhythm are all developed in discovering the possibilities of the instrument. Because the lights, colors, trails, tones and rhythms are all being synchronously generated through the movement of the user (performer, hoopster, player, practitioner) there is the potential for a coherent synergy to occur that some might call art. A sense of wonder is often present. One of the differences between the synthesizer hoop and some more conventional instruments such as the violin or flute is that the hoop instrument doesn't take as long to learn. You can have fun with it and generate great patterns and sounds from the get go, Your range might be limited at the start, but you can still have fun instantly. The hoop instrument is also geared toward improvisation. The Synthesizer hoops can express different moods, communicate a variety of feelings, and inform the user. The synthesizer hoop can function as an audio-visual mirror, reflecting interesting aspects of the user's current attitude and state. In other words it can be instructive. Entertainment, instruction, exercise, play, creativity, expression, dance, and bliss. Guaranteed! Well, be that as it may, I am just trying to make the point that this interactive synthesizer hoop instrument is not just a hula-hoop. It is a whole lot more.
The object of the invention is to provide a means by which the exploration of personal movement is encouraged through the generation of synchronous and synergistic light and sound patterns. It makes the hoop more fun and deepens its range, opening it up as a communication device, a light synthesizer and a musical instrument.
I have invented a hoop that takes the “hula-hoop” to a new level, transforming it from a child's toy to an instrument that can be used by people of all ages and sizes and skill levels, for exercise, play, entertainment, education, communication and art. It is a light and sound synthesizer that is played through rhythmic movement, creating patterns of lights and sequences of sounds that synchronize with the movements of the body and create a synergy of sensation and perception in the viewer and performer.
A preferred embodiment of the outside of the invention is shown in
A rechargeable battery 60A (
A connector 42 (
Three AA batteries give enough power for most purposes. In this case the connector 42 is filled with a weight 84 to balance the other batteries 60A around the hoop. The weight 84 is held in place with glue 80. If the hoop needs to be made lighter, one of the batteries can be placed in the connector (
An electromechanical sensor 176 (
An electronic sensor (
The wires and LEDs are wrapped (
In a preferred embodiment of this interactive hoop instrument, (
Operation of Invention—Preferred Embodiment
The hoop instrument is turned on with a sliding switch 38 (
Physically, the manner of using the interactive hoop instrument is similar to the use of any type of hoop, including the popularized “hula-hoop”. The hoop instrument is used both by children and adults, and must withstand the rigors of performance. The hoop can be spun, rotated around any of the limbs, rolled on the ground, thrown in the air, and so on. The hoop can be spun around the ankles, the calves, the knees, the thighs, hips, waist, chest, neck, shoulders, head and face, arms, wrists, hands or fingers—i.e. the whole body can be used to interact with the hoop. The hoop is heavy and large enough to be used by adults of all sizes and shapes. Many of the motions that can be imparted to the hoop are done with the limbs, without the hoop spinning around the body. The hoop can be turned or moved in many ways by the hands in front of the body (or to the side or at the back). The ends can be taken apart (FIGS. 3A,3B), and joined with other hoops. In this configuration it can be used like a jump-rope. Large (4 feet and larger) diameter hoops can be spun around the torso of two people who are inside the hoop at the same time. Much of this is possible with an unlighted hoop that is large and heavy enough and taped properly. But the lights give a reflection of the movements of the hoop. Thus with this lighted hoop instrument it is easier to see what effect one is having on the movement of the hoop at any instant. The feedback from the hoop is visual as well as kinesthetic. And with the sound function turned on the feedback is auditory as well.
Video of a hoop at night with only one LED lit reveals the pathways that any point on the hoop follows. This is important to know when you are trying to work out how to program, affect or improve the visual display of a hoop, or interpret the data that a sensor is accumulating as to its motion. A spiral path is shown in
This spiral (
This spiral is not the only pathway of a light source fixed in a hoop. The hoop can be turned around its own axis (
By varying the speed and direction of rotation, the acceleration and deceleration of the movement, patterns of light and color can be created even without the use of mechanical, electromechanical, or electronic sensors and switches. The addition of these sensors and switches (
The hoop can be moved through space in many ways, and this adds variety to the colors and trails produced. The hoop can make a ball (
Take the simple case of spinning the hoop around the arm in a vertical plane (
There can be any number of LEDs in the hoop. Between 1 and 40 is practical in this preferred embodiment of the hoop instrument. Since each LED can actually have three LEDs of different color in it, (
In the preferred embodiment of this interactive hoop instrument, the hoop has to be made well enough so that it performs smoothly at any speed. It must enhance the creativity, skills and display of the performer. It must not break or malfunction. It must be bright enough for thousands of people to see in a stadium or on a stage. It must have sufficient variety in display to be interesting over a period of time. It has to have sufficient control and sensitivity of its feedback systems to be truly interactive and expressive as an instrument. It has to have a range of physical and performance characteristics, so that bodies of different sizes and shapes, and users of different abilities can all enjoy it and make it perform well. This is similar in the field of sports to the different shapes, lengths, and flexibilities of skis. Thus my preferred embodiment of this interactive hoop instrument includes a range of properties, not limited to one specific size or weight or control system. In the previous year I have made over a hundred lighted hoops for performers and dancers and people who want them for exercise or entertainment or development. Each of these hoops has been crafted individually and except for 2 of them that were specifically ordered identical (for a Hollywood film), they were all different.
The tubing for the hoop instrument is selected for its physical properties as well as its translucency. The hoop can be made from polyethylene, but the LDPE (low density polyethylene) creates a sluggish movement at times, and the HDPE makes things bounce a bit too much and is hard on the body. The polyethylene has a certain opaque quality that makes the tubing light up in an interesting way, without the small focus of light that a clear tube produces. The LDPE tubing is ideal for smaller hoops of 33 cm (13 inches) to 56 cm (22 inches) which are used specifically to spin around the arms, hands or legs, or as juggling hoops. The LDPE tubing is also good for smaller children's hoops of 76 cm (30 inch) to 91 cm (36 inch) diameter where flexibility of the tubing is a bonus in terms of prevention of injury from constant rotation on the body or impact with a spinning hoop. Small hoops from, 0.559 meters (22 inches) to 0.99 meters (39 inches) in diameter are also well made from smaller diameter polypropylene tubing). The outside diameter (OD) of the tubing is 1.905 cm (¾ inch). The wall thickness 31 (
The preferred embodiment of this hoop instrument is made from polypropylene tubing. These mid-sized hoops (
The polypropylene tubing is more translucent than the polyethylene material. In order to take advantage of that, the lights are wrapped (
If more stiffness is desired, a wall thickness of 0.3175 cm (⅛ inch) is used (
The wires and LEDs inside the hoop rattle around, make a noise, and weaken the internal connections unless they are held in some way. In the preferred embodiment of this instrument, the clear tape also functions as a sound reduction system (
The preferred embodiment of the hoop has a charging port 64 (
Taping the Hoop Instrument.
It might seem counter-intuitive to tape a lighted hoop, but in practice taping opens up many possibilities for varying the display of trails and colors and shades. The primary function of tape on a hoop is for traction. The inside edge 180 (
The preferred embodiment of this interactive hoop instrument has one or more electronic sensors 100 (
This signal coming from the sensor controls the individual colors of the LEDs, in ways that depend on the program selected. The program selected can be through buttons 108 (
The preferred embodiment of the interactive hoop has sound capabilities. (
For the sound capability of the interactive hoop, the simplest embodiment uses existing music files in MP3 or .WAV format. The computer modulates qualities and sequence order of those files based on the input signal from the sensor in the hoop. The volume is modulated depending on the rhythm of the hoop. Panning between speakers is varied based on tilt (Y-AXIS) 182A (
The performance version of the hoop extends these sound capabilities. The input signal going to the computer is interpolated into midi information or otherwise processed. Distinct sounds and combinations of sounds are produced. These sounds, chords and rhythms are aligned to movements along the X,Y,Z axes (
The sound capabilities of this lighted interactive hoop allow it to give feedback even under bright lights. The visual display will be dim or unseen, but the sensors will still send their signals to be processed as described above.
“Modifications and alternative embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description. This description is to be construed as illustrative only, and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the best mode of carrying out the invention. The details of the structure and method may be varied substantially without departing from the spirit of the invention, and the exclusive use of all modifications which come within the scope of the appended claims is reserved.”
Advantages—Preferred Embodiment
The synchronization of body movements with the colors, trails and patterns of the lights, allows a whole new form of expression and experience. With the addition of sounds generated from the same signals, a coherence of sound, sight and feeling is produced. This increases the interest in viewing the performance. It allows for very detailed and obvious feedback to the user about their quality of movement. It rewards increased skill with more range and control over the audio and visual displays. The hoop becomes interactive in that every movement made by the user is associated with audio and visual perceptions. These perceptions affect the quality and range of the user's movements, which in turn result in more coherent, pleasing, informative or interesting displays and sounds. The synergistic action of the sounds and visual imagery produced deepens the kinesthetic sensation. The hoop becomes an instrument. An instrument that combines the characteristics of a ball, video game, and piece of exercise equipment, with a musical instrument and a light show all in one!
The instrument is designed so that it gives results and satisfaction at any skill level. Anyone can get some sort of light display and make sounds. In order to control the lights and sounds, and make more interesting displays and connections between sounds, lights and movements, the user needs to become more proficient in the skills of using a hoop. Certain displays and sounds require certain moves and these become easier, smoother and faster as the user's skill level improves. Music can be generated or controlled effectively as the user becomes more skilled. There is thus a natural encouragement to advance through practice and play. It is not all a matter of tricks to learn. There is a certain feel and quality of movement which transfers through the hoop instrument and is developed over time. Flexibility, endurance, strength, speed, proprioceptive awareness, coordination—these are all encouraged naturally through the use of the hoop instrument. In group situations, for some coherent sound to emerge, and for the individual hoops to synchronize or harmonize with each other, there has to be a degree of communication and involvement similar to that experienced when improvising with drums or other musical instruments. As using the hoop instrument is not a sedentary activity, and the whole body is being used, this may have an affect on the fitness and well being of the individual.
An alternative embodiment is shown in
The battery compartment (
Also used in this alternative embodiment of the hoop is a switch with slightly more complex behavior. FIGS. 10A,B,C. The ball bearing 86 is surrounded by a plurality of copper rods 98. These are bent over and held in place by two layers of tubing 92A,92B. As the hoop performs its moves, the ball bearing makes and breaks contact between the copper rods and the lights start and stop their sequences.
This alternative embodiment has no sound component, no electronic sensor, no rechargeable batteries or charger, and so is simpler and cheaper to manufacture. The careful use of tape, and the right placement of different types of LEDs, still allows for the possibility of much interactivity and creativity on the part of the user. Light colors, patterns and trails all vary with the type and quality of movements made by the user. The synergy between the trail patterns and the movements of the performer is still exciting, even with this simple embodiment. To some it has a more “organic” feel and so, with either rechargeable or regular batteries, is a viable alternative.
An additional embodiment is illustrated in
Another additional embodiment is shown where EL (Electro-luminescent) wire 112 (
Another additional embodiment involves the use of UV LEDs 34A (
Another additional embodiment of the lighted hoop (
M additional embodiment of this interactive hoop is illustrated in FIGS. 16A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H AND 17B,C,D,E,F. White pieces of foam sheet are cut and glued at regular intervals around the wires inside the hoop. This acts as a noise reduction system, preventing the wires and LEDs from clattering around against each other and the wall of the tubing. The foam pieces also act to reflect light out of the tube, and look like additional LEDs. A flexible ridged thin and slightly opaque plastic tube 118 (FIG. H) can also be used to contain the wires and LEDs and to change the appearance of the inside of the tube and of the light emitted. A clear tube is desirable from the point of view of the brightness of the light. Completely transparent tubing 30D (
Another type of sensor is shown in
An additional embodiment of the hoop is shown in
In a further embodiment of the interactive hoop (
When the hoop is not being used as a performance tool it can function as a light show by having its lights flash in time to the music. The music in this case would not be being produced by the hoop. Thus this is not a primary or even recommended use of this instrument. The whole idea of this hoop is to create an interaction of the visual, kinesthetic and auditory senses. This is achieved by the performer or user of the hoop generating the visual and auditory effects through the movement of his or her body, in an interactive fashion. Music created by another source, either from a live musician or recorded music or another hoop performer, could be routed through the computer and the wireless transmitter and received by the hoop, generating a pulsing of the lights in a particular color. The user of the hoop would then adjust other colors through his or her rhythm and movements, to combine them with the signal coming from another source.
The invention started out as an improvement in the construction, use and quality of a lighted hula-hoop. My idea was to have it become an instrument (in the style of a musical instrument and light synthesizer) that could be played with the whole body. This was an effort to generate an aspect of synaesthesia, where the senses translate from one to another, as in seeing colors when you hear music. Also where two or more sense inputs combine in the nervous system to produce some new perception, sensation or feeling. Examples of this include a well-produced movie, ballet or dance. Light shows or multimedia experiences also use this principle. The synergy of light and sound, especially when they are closely related to one another in some way, for example in rhythm, produces something new or something more interesting than the separate elements. This phenomenon is what drives TV, movies, shows, audio visual art, advertising and so on.
With the hoop, one has a perfect shape for an instrument to add another sense to the mix—the kinesthetic or proprioceptive sense (the sense of where the body is, and how it is moving or feeling). Even without the added lights or sounds, a person and a hoop can create an interesting display for an audience. For the person using the hoop, the experience can be fun, and can open up an exploration of movement. The hoop in itself has potent symbolism, with a long history of ceremonial, sacred and inspiring use in many cultures. We wear it as jewelry. It is basically a wheel. A curved stick. It produces immediate smiles and interest, perhaps even more so than a ball. You cannot so easily get inside a ball. In that sense the hoop is a slice of a ball—the essential slice for these purposes. It can be continuously moved with little effort. Its movements are pleasing, both to watch and feel. The qualities and range of its movements are endless. So with a well-made, well taped, right sized, aesthetically finished hoop, one already has a winner. The hula-hoop fad of the fifties capitalized on this for children.
When the lights are added there is a further immediate attraction. Turn on a Christmas tree, or provide any spectacular lighting display and some people will get a similar feeling. The hoop has the additional advantage, perhaps, in that the pathways the hoop is following are revealed with more clarity, the shapes of the lights are interesting. When the lights are made bright enough to really see well, and to leave trails of different colors, there is a further increase in the effect created, which can be augmented by having the lights controlled in terms of their pulsing, color mixing, brightness and so forth.
However, a whole new phenomenon occurs when the lights are in some way made to respond to the movements of the hoop. To the audience there is an immediate connection made between the movements of the performer and the display seen. This also works for the user of the hoop. The closer the correlation or coherence between the movement and the display, the better the effect. The first way of working with this is by arranging the lights in aesthetic ways so that they interact with each other as the hoop is moved. Colors mix together, trails are formed that are repeatable and can be seen to arise from certain moves. The taping of the hoop, both inside and out, allows this connection of movement and light to be better seen.
The next step that was made in the direction of achieving a direct coherence between light and movement was in providing mechanical and electro-mechanical switches that turned circuits on and off with the movement of the hoop, or affected the light output in some ways. These were somewhat limited however.
The best result so far in this invention of an interactive hoop instrument was with electronic sensors that can continuously measure the movement vectors of the hoop, and output signals that can be interpreted in various ways. The lights, whether individual LEDs or strips of EL wire, can all be individually controlled as to their on/off state, brightness, duration of flash, and combinations with other adjacent color sources to create a multitude of colors, and so forth. The continuation of this application of technology will result in a more and more responsive, coherent and adjustable instrument. Currently the 3-axis accelerometer works well for this job. It is small enough to fit easily on a small circuit board that can go inside the tubing of even the smallest of these hoops. The price of it has recently become reasonable.
The information streaming from this sensor can be sent via wireless to a receiver which can interpret the information in many ways. One of these ways is to convert it to a midi stream that can be used like any midi information to generate sound waves that have the characteristics of any of the instruments available in electronic music—giving the hoop the possibility of playing a multitude of rhythms and tones. At a simpler level, the information coming from the hoop can be made to modulate the volume, and pan and pitch of selectable pre-recorded pieces of music. The effect of having sound that is synchronized with the movement of the hoop is amazing. When you combine the sound and the color together with the movements of the hoop and the performer, you get a whole new level of experience. The exploration of this will take a while. My invention is limited to hoops, but similar systems can be developed with many other shaped instruments, and in many different ways. The essential part is to have the movement originate with the user, preferably as in a hoop with the whole body. Most musical instruments can be played sitting down or with very little movement. The hoop as an instrument, however, requires the use of the whole organism. This not only has ramifications for the world of exercise, entertainment, dance, and so on, but also for personal development in terms of kinesthetic awareness, movement, and expression. The aim of this invention is to provide a new tool for the artist to use. Hopefully it will find its way into schools, gymnasiums, the Olympic rhythmic gymnastics, homes, backyards and so forth. It could also be of use to therapists, occupational therapists, rehab centers, and so forth. Where else can you hear the sound of the feeling of your thighs? Or see, in multi-colors, the degree of tension and feeling in your neck? The hoop instrument can function as a biofeedback device. Choreographers might be interested, as the possibilities for group interaction are certainly there. Each individual with their hoop can be playing a different rhythm instrument or have a different musical voice, and the whole hoop orchestra can also be the dance performers in a simultaneous display. That should be interesting. The synchronization of color and shape I find most interesting when it is generated individually by each instrument and not controlled from an outside source, but that alternative is possible as well. Hopefully the instrument will become refined enough to allow for the expression of many more different feelings, tones, moods and intentions. It could be used in concerts, alone or with similar instruments or in combination with normal musical instruments or other electronic ones.
The hoop shape itself does not need much improvement. A circle is hard to improve on, though one could try multifaceted circular shapes, or polygons. The materials of the hoop tubing could certainly be improved, in terms of transparency, durability, flexibility, traction and so forth, so that the instrument becomes more controllable and responsive and can take even more of a beating. It can be made collapsible so that it can fit into a small bag for transportation, without reducing the integrity of the tubing and assembled hoop or adding to its weight. It could be made to be more flexible for applications such as a skipping rope, or to join it with other hoops to create new shapes. It could be made to be waterproof, and would then be safe on ice, snow, in swimming pools and at the beach and so forth. In its current condition it survives the beach quite well, and has even fallen into a swimming pool in California on one occasion, and a lake in England on another. On both occasions the hoop only spent a few seconds on the water and was resuscitated and is still working. But at the moment it would not like a longer dunking. The source of power can also be improved, as batteries develop. The speed of recharging will be improved, and a charger that runs on all voltages. In the long run I would like to see the hoop be self-powered, because all this circular and spiral movement could easily power a lighted and audio capable hoop. It will take some magnets and coil, but theoretically that is feasible. At the moment the efficiency and size of such an arrangement renders it difficult.
The main advance that I see in current construction is the use of more sensors so that the lag time between movement and display of light or sound is cut to almost zero, thus allowing the instrument to paint a clearer picture of the movement and internal state of the user. Along with that will be the development of more programs to interpret the data coming from the sensors, so that the user can select a wide range of display possibilities, similar to how a synthesizer allows a whole set of outputs from a single input, say a pressure of one finger on a keyboard. The “noise” level will be reduced so that a clearer and cleaner signal continues to emerge. Different sensors will be incorporated to transmit information from pressure, heat of the body in its various parts, skin conductance, and even the internal state of the body as to its magnetic and electric fields. The lights themselves will continue to get brighter and have more variety of color. The speakers could be made to be onboard so that the audio function becomes truly portable without loss of quality. At the moment it is hard to create sufficient clarity, quality and volume to add speakers in the hoop that sound good enough to qualify as beautiful artistic feedback. The design of the hoop as to its color and taping and general look will of course improve.
Accordingly the reader will see that, according to the invention, I have provided an interactive synthesizer hoop instrument.
None of these statements are meant to limit the use or extent of this interactive synthesizer hoop instrument. The above statements are made to illustrate examples of its use and improvement within the scope of the invention. Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents and not by the examples given.
This application claims the benefit of PPA Appl. No. 60/648,907, filed Feb. 1, 2005, by the present inventor.
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