Abstract: An equipment fitting system that measures swings by a user of different pieces of equipment with inertial sensors, and analyzes sensor data to recommend which piece of equipment is optimal for the user from among those tested. Illustrative applications include fitting of baseball bats and golf clubs. Swing metrics calculated from sensor data may include an acceleration metric, a speed metric, and a momentum metric; these metrics may be combined into a metrics score for each piece of equipment. Other factors may be included in an overall score, such as the user's subjective score for each piece of equipment, and ratings from experts or other consumers. Users may assign the relative importance for the different factors to calculate an overall equipment score.

Abstract: A motion sensing device with both inertial sensors and optical elements that integrates into a piece of sports equipment. Equipment with the device installed may look and feel like the original equipment. For example, for a baseball bat, a sensor package with a housing containing inertial sensors, cameras, and lights may be integrated into a knob that can be swapped with a standard bat knob; an additional sensor package may be integrated into a replacement bat cap. Sensor data and images from cameras in the device may be transmitted to a processor that calculates the equipment trajectory. External cameras may also capture images of lights in the device, which may flash or change in a pattern that is synchronized with the sensor data, and these images may also be used in trajectory calculations. Equipment with the motion sensing device may be used for virtual reality or for real sport activities.

Abstract: An equipment fitting system that measures swings by a user of different pieces of equipment with inertial sensors, and analyzes sensor data to recommend which piece of equipment is optimal for the user from among those tested. Illustrative applications include fitting of baseball bats and golf clubs. Swing metrics calculated from sensor data may include an acceleration metric, a speed metric, and a momentum metric; these metrics may be combined into a metrics score for each piece of equipment. Other factors may be included in an overall score, such as the user's subjective score for each piece of equipment, and ratings from experts or other consumers. Users may assign the relative importance for the different factors to calculate an overall equipment score.

Abstract: A system that detects when a user starts an action, such as a golf stroke or tennis stroke, and provides feedback to indicate the desired timing of one or more phases of the action. For example, timing feedback signals may be sent to indicate when each phase should ideally finish as a training aid to guide the user towards improving performance of the action. Equipment used by the user may be equipped with an inertial motion sensor that captures data throughout the action; data may be transmitted to a processor, such as a mobile device or a server, for analysis, and feedback signals (such as audio tones) may be sent to the user throughout the action based on this analysis. The user may initiate an action at any time, without needing a prompt from the system to begin the action, since the system may dynamically detect when an action begins.

Abstract: A system that captures and analyzes motion data for equipment and that automatically captures the usage context in which the motion occurs. Context items in the environment may have attached beacons that broadcast their identities; a motion capture element on the equipment receives and analyzes these broadcast messages to determine which context items are nearby. Beacons may be grouped into categories such as “user”, “location”, “coach”, and “equipment”; the motion capture element determines the nearest beacon in each category, and these nearest beacons are used as the context for each motion. For example, in a baseball application players and coaches may wear pendants or similar accessories with personal beacons, and other beacons may be installed into bats, bases, batting cages, bullpens, or other locations. The context for a swing may include the player who made the swing, the bat used, a coach that was present, and where the swing occurred.

Abstract: A sensor event detection system including a motion capture element and another sensor. The sensor captures values associated with an orientation, position, velocity and acceleration and recognizes an event within the data to determine event data. Uses other values associated with a temperature, humidity, wind and elevation, i.e., environmental and physiological sensors and correlates the data or event data with the other values to determine a type of event or true event or a false positive event, or a type of equipment the motion capture element is coupled with, or a type of activity indicated by the data or event data and transmits the data or event data associated with the event.

Abstract: A system that captures and analyzes motion data for equipment and that automatically captures the usage context in which the motion occurs. Context items in the environment may have attached beacons that broadcast their identities; a motion capture element on the equipment receives and analyzes these broadcast messages to determine which context items are nearby. Beacons may be grouped into categories such as “user”, “location”, “coach”, and “equipment”; the motion capture element determines the nearest beacon in each category, and these nearest beacons are used as the context for each motion. For example, in a baseball application players and coaches may wear pendants or similar accessories with personal beacons, and other beacons may be installed into bats, bases, batting cages, bullpens, or other locations. The context for a swing may include the player who made the swing, the bat used, a coach that was present, and where the swing occurred.

Abstract: Enables a fitting system for sporting equipment using an application that executes on a mobile phone for example to prompt and accept motion inputs from a given motion capture sensor to measure a user's size, range of motion, speed and then utilizes that same sensor to capture motion data from a piece of equipment, for example to further optimize the fit of, or suggest purchase of a particular piece of sporting equipment. Utilizes correlation or other data mining of motion data for size, range of motion, speed of other users to maximize the fit of a piece of equipment for the user based on other user's performance with particular equipment. For example, this enables a user of a similar size, range of motion and speed to data mine for the best performance equipment, e.g., longest drive, lowest putt scores, highest winning percentage, etc., associated with other users having similar characteristics.

Abstract: A system that mirrors motion of a physical object by displaying a virtual object moving in a virtual environment. The mirroring display may be used for example for feedback, coaching, or for playing virtual games. Motion of the physical object is measured by motion sensors that may for example include an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a magnetometer. Sensor data is transmitted to a computer that calculates the position and orientation of the physical object and generates a corresponding position and orientation of the virtual object. The computer may correct or adjust the calculations using sensor data redundancies. The virtual environment may include constraints on the position, orientation, or motion of the virtual object. These constraints may be used to compensate for accumulating errors in position and orientation. The system may for example use proportional error feedback to adjust position and orientation based on sensor redundancies and virtual environment constraints.

Abstract: A sensor event detection system including a motion capture element and another sensor. The sensor captures values associated with an orientation, position, velocity and acceleration and recognizes an event within the data to determine event data. Uses other values associated with a temperature, humidity, wind and elevation, i.e., environmental and physiological sensors and correlates the data or event data with the other values to determine a type of event or true event or a false positive event, or a type of equipment the motion capture element is coupled with, or a type of activity indicated by the data or event data and transmits the data or event data associated with the event.

Abstract: A system that analyzes motion of a putter and provides feedback to the golfer as a training aid to guide the golfer towards making better putting strokes. The putter may be equipped with an inertial motion sensor that captures data throughout a stroke; data may be transmitted to a processor, such as a mobile device or a server, for analysis, and feedback signals may be sent to the golfer throughout the stroke based on this analysis. For example, audio tones (generated for example by a mobile phone) may change depending on whether the putting stroke has the desired characteristics. The system may support different operating modes that provide feedback on different putting features. Illustrative modes may for example provide feedback on the putter orientation at address, on the timing of the backstroke, and on the changes in putter face orientation through the stroke.

Abstract: Enables a fitting system for sporting equipment using an application that executes on a mobile phone for example to prompt and accept motion inputs from a given motion capture sensor to measure a user's size, range of motion, speed and then utilizes that same sensor to capture motion data from a piece of equipment, for example to further optimize the fit of, or suggest purchase of a particular piece of sporting equipment. Utilizes correlation or other data mining of motion data for size, range of motion, speed of other users to maximize the fit of a piece of equipment for the user based on other user's performance with particular equipment. For example, this enables a user of a similar size, range of motion and speed to data mine for the best performance equipment, e.g., longest drive, lowest putt scores, highest winning percentage, etc., associated with other users having similar characteristics.

Abstract: A system that captures and analyzes motion data for equipment and that automatically captures the usage context in which the motion occurs. Context items in the environment may have attached beacons that broadcast their identities; a motion capture element on the equipment receives and analyzes these broadcast messages to determine which context items are nearby. Beacons may be grouped into categories such as “user”, “location”, “coach”, and “equipment”; the motion capture element determines the nearest beacon in each category, and these nearest beacons are used as the context for each motion. For example, in a baseball application players and coaches may wear pendants or similar accessories with personal beacons, and other beacons may be installed into bats, bases, batting cages, bullpens, or other locations. The context for a swing may include the player who made the swing, the bat used, a coach that was present, and where the swing occurred.

Abstract: A system that measures a swing of a bat with one or more sensors and analyzes sensor data to create swing quality metrics. Metrics may include for example rotational acceleration, on-plane efficiency, and body-bat connection. Rotational acceleration measures the centripetal acceleration of the bat along the bat's longitudinal axis at a point early in the rotational part of the swing; it is an indicator of the swing's power. On-plane efficiency measures how much of the bat's angular velocity occurs around the swing plane, the plane spanned by the bat and the bat's sweet spot velocity at impact. Body-bat connection measures the angle between the bat and the body tilt axis, which is estimated from the trajectory of the hand position on the bat through the swing; an ideal bat-body connection is near 90 degrees. These three swing quality metrics provide a simple and useful characterization of the swing mechanics.

Abstract: A sensor event detection system including a motion capture element and another sensor. The sensor captures values associated with an orientation, position, velocity and acceleration and recognizes an event within the data to determine event data. Uses other values associated with a temperature, humidity, wind and elevation, i.e., environmental and physiological sensors and correlates the data or event data with the other values to determine a type of event or true event or a false positive event, or a type of equipment the motion capture element is coupled with, or a type of activity indicated by the data or event data and transmits the data or event data associated with the event.

Abstract: An equipment fitting system that measures swings by a user of different pieces of equipment with inertial sensors, and analyzes sensor data to recommend which piece of equipment is optimal for the user from among those tested. Illustrative applications include fitting of baseball bats and golf clubs. Swing metrics calculated from sensor data may include an acceleration metric, a speed metric, and a momentum metric; these metrics may be combined into a metrics score for each piece of equipment. Other factors may be included in an overall score, such as the user's subjective score for each piece of equipment, and ratings from experts or other consumers. Users may assign the relative importance for the different factors to calculate an overall equipment score.

Abstract: A system that measures a swing of equipment (such as a bat or golf club) with inertial sensors, and analyzes sensor data to create a rotational profile. Swing analysis may use a two-lever model, with a body lever from the center of rotation to the hands, and an equipment lever from the hands to the sweet spot of the equipment. The rotational profile may include graphs of rates of change of the angle of the body lever and of the relative angle between the body lever and the equipment lever, and a graph of the centripetal acceleration of the equipment. These three graphs may provide insight into players' relative performance. The timing and sequencing of swing stages may be analyzed by partitioning the swing into four phases: load, accelerate, peak, and transfer. Swing metrics may be calculated from the centripetal acceleration curve and the equipment/body rotation rate curves.

Abstract: An equipment fitting system that measures swings by a user of different pieces of equipment with inertial sensors, and analyzes sensor data to recommend which piece of equipment is optimal for the user from among those tested. Illustrative applications include fitting of baseball bats and golf clubs. Swing metrics calculated from sensor data may include an acceleration metric, a speed metric, and a momentum metric; these metrics may be combined into a metrics score for each piece of equipment. Other factors may be included in an overall score, such as the user's subjective score for each piece of equipment, and ratings from experts or other consumers. Users may assign the relative importance for the different factors to calculate an overall equipment score.