Sound guided football/basketball game for blind people
Blind people have a heightened sense of recognizing and responding to sounds. If we provide a sound guided environment informing them of their whereabouts and where they are supposed to go, this will enable them to interact with others in a competitive atmosphere.
The invention of this game makes it possible for blind people to play a game of football/basketball without any outside help, but relying only on their keen sense of hearing and a conducive environment consisting of an:
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- Electronically mapped court (EMC)
- “Impact” sensitive goal boards
- Special sound-ball
- Special helmets
By utilizing the keen sense of hearing in blind people and creating a favorable sound-enriched environment, blind people will be aided to play a game of football/basketball.
This game is similar to a football/basketball game that can be played by blind people.
In order to make this game possible, a special environment must be created utilizing:
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- I. An electronically-mapped court (EMC)
- II. Two electronically sensitized “goal boards”
- III. “Special helmets” for players
- IV. A special “sound-ball”
There are two opposing teams each consisting of ten players and one coach with three to four players from each team on the court at any given time.
The object of this game is to move the “sound ball” across the court in a fashion similar to touch football.
To score points, the sound ball must be carried beyond the 75′-line before the ball carrier is allowed to throw it at the sensitized goal-board in a way similar to a game of basketball.
The Equipment and Gear Used in Sound-Guided Football/Basketball I. The Electronically Mapped Court (EMC):The court is a 100×50 ft. area with two raised “goal boards” at opposite ends of the court. There are also twenty sensor poles; five on each side of the court. Each pair of sensor poles (its match on the opposite side of the court) will create an electronic curtain/line that will be activated only when a player's “special helmet” or the “sound ball” crosses it.
The pattern in which these sensor poles are placed around the court will divide the court into horizontal and vertical zones.
As shown in
- A and A1 poles will create the horizontal boundary of X
- B and B1 poles will create the horizontal 25′/75′ line
- C and C1 poles will create the horizontal 50′ line (center line)
- D and D1 poles will create the horizontal 75′/25′ line
- E and E1 poles will create the horizontal boundary of X1
- F and F1 poles will create the vertical boundary of Y
- G and G1 poles will create the vertical left/right Quarter line
- H and H1 poles will create the vertical middle line
- I and I1 poles will create the vertical right/left quarter line
- J and J1 poles will create the vertical boundary of Y1
Crossing/Interrupting any of these electronic lines (e-lines) via helmet or sound ball will cause the activation/transmission of a certain message(s).
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- A. If a player's helmet interrupts the e-line, a message will be transmitted to that particular player's helmet informing him/her of their whereabouts.
- B. If the “sound ball” interrupts the e-line, the message will be transmitted to the overhead speaker system, alerting teammates, opponents, and audience of the ball or its carrier's position.
There are two “goal boards” (
The second feature of the goal board is to attract the players to it by the sound of a “pulsating horn” located in the center of the sensitized area.
The sound of this horn is different for each team and is in the form of a pulsating sound (
Helmets used in this game are similar to football helmets. However, in addition to protecting the player's head, they are also equipped with electronic components that will receive messages in order to notify players of their position on the court through the speakers inside their helmets.
Each helmet serves three functions:
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- 1. Protection
- 2. Emission of a sound (bell, ring, etc.) unique to each team in order to notify players of the whereabouts of their teammates and opponents. There is an on/off switch for this function (
FIG. 4 ). - 3. Each time a helmet crosses any of the e-lines, a voice message will be transmitted into that individual's helmet notifying the player of his/her whereabouts on the court/field.
The appearance and function of a sound ball:
A. The appearance
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- a. The sound ball looks like a football
- b. It is made of special materials that will not bounce or travel very far when it comes in contact with the floor.
B. Functions
The sound ball's special functions are possible through the usage of electronic components placed inside the “sound ball.” There are two separate functions related to the sound ball.
First, the bell sound that will be activated at the beginning of each game will stay on throughout the game until it is turned off by a switch. There are three distinct sounds emitted from the sound ball.
To activate any of these three different ring sounds, there is a floating ball within the cavity in the middle of the “sound ball” that will freely move to different positions activating different rings. If the sound ball for instance is held in a vertical position by the player, depending on which of the two apexes either A or B is up, the floating ball will activate a different ring unique to team A or B. And if the sound ball is lying on its belly on the floor, the floating ball will activate the neutral ring sound which will in turn alert both teams the sound ball (
It all depends on the three positions of the sound ball either being held in a player's hands in a vertical position or lying on the floor. If the sound ball is on its belly (
The first player who touches the ball will have the ball in his/her possession. Depending on which of the two apexes of the sound ball is up, will activate the bell/ring unique to the team that is in possession of the ball. Each apex of the sound ball will be recognized by the player by touching the raised markers on each apex (
The second function is the electronic message that will be transmitted to the overhead speakers notifying players of the ball's whereabouts. For example, if the sound ball crosses the sensor poles located on the 25 ft. line, the overhead speaker will announce, “Ball at the 25 ft. line.”
Claims
1. I claim that I have invented and designed a game of basketball/touch football for blind people. In this game, blind people wearing a “special helmet” (FIG. 4) will be guided only by sounds to carry the “sound ball” (FIG. 5) throughout an “electronically mapped court” (FIG. 1) to score against an opposing team. To score points, the “sound ball” must be carried and thrown by a blind player to hit the “touch sensitive screen” covering the center of the back board (FIG. 3).
2. As it is claimed in claim # 1 above, I claim that I have invented and designed a “sound ball” that looks like a football and emits three different electronic sound/tones depending on its horizontal or vertical position(s) (FIG. 5). These three different tones enable the blind to locate the sound ball and its possession by either team.
3. As I claimed in claim # 2 my sound ball (FIG. 5) also contains a component in it that if it crosses any of the ten “e-lines/e curtains” (FIG. 1), it will trigger an automated response from the overhead speakers. For example, if the “sound ball” crosses the 25 ft. line, the overhead speakers will announce “ball at the 25 ft. line.”
4. As I claimed in claim # 1, I have invented and designed the “special helmets” (FIG. 4) that will help the blind people who are wearing them to receive signals/information via the special helmet's internal speakers. If any “special helmet” crosses any of the e-lines/e-curtains (FIG. 1), the information transmitted to the players via the helmet would say “you are at the right quarter line” (FIG. 1).
5. As I claimed in claim # 4, I claim that a “sound source” (FIG. 4) designed on the “special helmets” will generate an electronic sound/signal which will be different for each opposing team. This sound will be switched on at the beginning of each game and will be turned off at the end of each game. This signal will inform the blind people of his teammates and opponents positions on the “electronically-mapped court” (FIG. 1) at all times.
6. As I claimed in claim #1, I claim that I have invented and designed the sensitized boards (FIG. 3) that are composed of a 7 ft. by 7 ft. backboard, a “touch-sensitive screen” that is 5 ft. by 5 ft. covering the center of the backboard and a pulsating horn source located in the center of the board. (FIG. 3). The sound of the pulsating horn for each team is different. The blind players will recognize these “pulsating horns” and will advance towards the opposing team's sensitized board.
7. As I claimed in claim # 6, I claim that I have invented and designed the second feature of the “sensitized board” (FIG. 3) the 5 ft. by 5 ft. “touch-sensitive screen” covering the center of the 7 ft. by 7 ft. back board. When/if the “sound ball” hits any area of the touch sensitive screen (FIG. 3), it will set off a recording i.e. gooooooaaaal! informing the team they have scored.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 9, 2006
Publication Date: Oct 11, 2007
Inventor: Namat Lavasani Saidi (Los Angeles, CA)
Application Number: 11/432,023
International Classification: A63B 67/00 (20060101);