Exercise Performance Monitoring Glove
The exercise performance monitoring glove consists of a pair of flexible gloves that have embedded pressure sensor arrays to measure hand pressure applied to them during physical activities such as exercise. Each glove sends its pressure data in a real-time format using an embedded wireless RF transmitter to the opposite glove. The gloves then compare the pressures and provide feedback through a user selectable choice of either audio, visual or vibratory methods. Audio feedback is provided to earbuds using typical connection means such as Bluetooth connection to a smartphone or remote device having an exercise performance monitoring app. Visual feedback is provided in several possible modes such as text, color, and graphics using an embedded wraparound flexible display screen. Vibratory feedback is provided using embedded vibration devices inside the gloves. Once a specific feedback mode is selected using the performance monitoring app, the user will know whether the gloves are in a balanced or unbalanced state. Using this real-time feedback allows the user to make corrections in the hand grip forces to achieve a balanced state. The gloves can be used in a wide variety of situations such as exercise, sports, and for medical rehabilitation where body balance is important.
U.S. Pat. No. 10,420,387 “Exercise Performance Monitoring Apparatus” issued to Zambriski et al. on Sep. 24, 2019
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTNot Applicable
THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENTNot Applicable
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEMNot Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR A JOINT INVENTORNot Applicable
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to the field of wearable exercise performance monitoring equipment and more particularly to wearable gloves that have embedded sensors to monitor performance during exercise, sports, and for medical rehabilitation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThere currently are a few gloves sold today that have embedded pressure sensors for measuring the pressure distribution. However, the products on the market today seem to only be dedicated to a specific sport. For example, a product called the SensoGlove is a leather golf glove that has four sensors and a mounted computer that provides audio and visual feedback on the grip pressure during a golf swing. A more sophisticated glove for use by engineers having sixty-five pressure sensors called the TactileGlove allows for computer display of the pressure distribution. Unlike the SensoGlove, the TactileGlove can be used for various activities such as manufacturing engineering studies of workers and to help design of tools for workers. However, it is not intended to be used for sports fitness performance monitoring as it is not only very expensive given the large number of pressure sensors, but also requires the use of a computer to display the pressure data.
U.S. Pat. No. 10,420,387 issued to Zambriski et al discloses a combination of gloves and shoes with embedded sensors that provide visual color based feedback directly on the gloves using LED displays mounted on the gloves only.
Clearly, there is a need for a performance monitoring glove that is affordable and can be used for exercise, sports, and for medical rehabilitation. The glove to be disclosed here will also include a wireless rechargeable battery and will be able to display the results in multiple modes including vibration, audio and visual methods.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is a primary object of the present invention to provide a glove that has an array of wired pressure sensors to measure pressure at discrete points on the fingers and palm.
It is secondary object of the present invention to provide a glove that provides a means of wireless recharging of the gloves.
It is a third object of the present invention to provide a glove that has a single main control module for processing pressure data, performing wireless (Bluetooth) communications with the opposite hand glove and smartphone as well as control of secondary devices to provide real-time performance monitoring feedback to the user.
It is a fourth object of the present invention to provide a glove that has embedded vibration pads to provide performance feedback using vibrations sent into the hand.
It is a fifth object of the present invention to provide a glove that has an embedded flexible LED/OLED display screen to provide performance feedback using visual methods.
It is a final object of the present invention to provide a glove that provides auditory performance feedback using earbuds.
Referring now to the drawings and in particular
A wireless (Qi style) charger pad 75 is located at the wrist end of the glove and allows for Qi wireless recharging of the main control module 90 when the glove is placed over a wireless Qi charger accessory such as are used for smartphones. Wiring 77 connects the wireless Qi charger pad 75 to main control module 90.
A flexible LED/OLED display 70 wraps completely around the glove so it can be visible at any angle. Although the display is shown at the wrist end of the glove in the preferred embodiment, it may be embedded at other areas of the glove. This display provides a secondary method of providing performance feedback via visual means such as emojis, graphics or text.
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If the user selects the graphical feedback mode then pressure data is received through the wireless comms module 24 and sent for conversion to graphical feedback using both the graphics display module 91 and memory 22. The graphical feedback output (such as video, pictures, images or text) is then sent to the LED/OLED flexible display screen 70 via wiring 80. If the user selects the vibrational feedback mode then pressure data is received through the wireless comms module 24 and sent for conversion to vibrational feedback using the vibration signal control module 93. The vibrational feedback output (such as pulses of varying intensity and frequency) is then sent to the vibration pads 95 via wiring 97. Finally, if the user selects the audio feedback mode then pressure data is received through the wireless comms module 24 and sent for conversion to audio feedback using the audio control module 99. The audio feedback output (such as musical tones or human voice delivered information) is then sent to a smartphone having the glove pressure monitoring application 110 using the wireless communications module 24 and antenna 25. The smartphone pressure monitoring application 110 then controls the audio feedback output to the user via earbuds.
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Claims
1. A pair of exercise performance monitoring gloves for use in exercise performance monitoring, each glove comprising:
- a glove housing; said glove housing to be shaped to provide a means for removable attachment to a hand; said glove housing to provide a means for attachment of other components; said glove housing to be constructed of a lightweight material;
- a plurality of pressure sensing elements; said pressure sensing elements being embedded into said glove housing in a plurality of locations; said locations for attachment of said pressure sensing elements to include a plurality of embedded locations;
- a plurality of electrically conductive wire segments; said wire segments each being connected to said pressure sensing elements at one distal end; said wire segments being of sufficient length to connect to a main control module;
- a main control module; said main control module comprising: a housing; said housing being of sufficient size to contain a plurality of other electrical components; a digital processing chip; said chip having the ability to convert electrical voltage signals sent from said pressure sensing elements into digital pressure data; said chip having firmware; said firmware to provide the means of running performance monitoring algorithms to determine a state of overall pressure balance between said left and right glove; a memory chip; said memory chip to provide a means of storage of digital pressure data sent from said digital processing chip; a graphics processing chip; said chip to provide a means for providing pressure monitoring feedback to a flexible display screen; a wireless communications module; said module to provide a means for transmission of wireless pressure monitoring data between said gloves; said module to provide a means for communication with an external device; a vibration control chip; said chip to provide a means for transmission of pressure monitoring feedback to an embedded vibration device on said gloves; a battery; said battery having the capability to be recharged by an external charging device; an audio processing chip; said chip to provide a means for providing pressure performance monitoring feedback in the form of audible signals to be sent to said communications module; an antenna; said antenna to be mounted to said wireless communications module; said antenna to provide a means to send and receive wireless data between said gloves and an external device; a wiring terminal; said terminal to provide a means of electrical connection between said pressure sensing element wire segments and said digital processing chips; said terminal to be embedded into said housing;
- a flexible display screen; said flexible display screen to be made of a thin material; said flexible display screen to provide a means for displaying performance monitoring feedback in the form of text, graphical or video content; said flexible display screen to include a connection wire between said flexible display screen and said graphics processing chip;
- a plurality of vibration devices; said vibration devices to be embedded into said gloves; said vibration devices to provide a means of sending out vibrations to provide pressure monitoring feedback; and
- a recharging device; said recharging device to be embedded into said gloves; said recharging device to include a pair of connection wires between said recharging device and said rechargeable battery.
2. The exercise performance monitoring gloves of claim 1, wherein the method of exercise performance monitoring uses an external device having a monitoring application, said application having an algorithm; said algorithm to provide a means of selection from a plurality of performance monitoring feedback options; said performance monitoring feedback options to include audio feedback, graphical feedback, vibration feedback and an external device for monitoring of performance; said algorithm to store user preferences and exercise session data on said memory chip.
3. The exercise performance monitoring gloves of claim 1, wherein said communications module uses radio frequency (RF) energy as the method of communication.
4. The exercise performance monitoring gloves of claim 1, wherein a pair of enabled earbud devices are used to provide a means of providing audio performance monitoring feedback.
5. The exercise performance monitoring gloves of claim 1, wherein an enabled speaker device is used to provide a means of providing audio performance monitoring feedback.
6. The exercise performance monitoring gloves of claim 2, wherein an external device is used to provide a means for providing a performance monitoring feedback.
7. The exercise performance monitoring gloves of claim 1, wherein the methods of visual feedback modes may include a combination of graphics, videos, or textual information.
8. The exercise performance monitoring gloves of claim 1, wherein said battery recharging device uses wireless charging as the means for recharging said rechargeable battery.
9. The exercise performance monitoring gloves of claim 1, wherein said battery recharging device uses wired charging as the means for recharging said rechargeable battery.
10. The exercise performance monitoring gloves of claim 1, wherein the process of pressure performance monitoring further comprises:
- a first step where both left and right gloves measure the pressure within a predetermined time interval using output from said pressure sensing elements in both left and right gloves;
- a second step where the data captured in the first step is sent and processed by the main control module for both left and right gloves;
- a third step where a pressure balance state is determined in said main control module in each glove using an algorithm;
- a fourth step where pressure balance feedback is provided to the user using a combination of one or more of said feedback methods; and
- a fifth step where said pressure performance data is sent to said external device to provide a means of exercise performance monitoring during an exercise session.
11. The exercise performance monitoring gloves of claim 1, wherein said gloves are used to assist in patient rehabilitation.
12. The exercise performance monitoring gloves of claim 1, wherein said gloves are used to perform sports performance monitoring, as well as other physical activities.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 9, 2021
Publication Date: Sep 15, 2022
Inventors: Sharon Ann Zambriski (Cedar Park, TX), Nicholas Andrew Cooper (Cedar Park, TX), Max William Cooper (Cedar Park, TX), Andrew Burton Cooper (Cedar Park, TX)
Application Number: 17/197,010