US20210001170A1 - Apparatus for natural torso and limbs tracking and feedback for electronic interaction - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for natural torso and limbs tracking and feedback for electronic interaction with fall safety support. The apparatus comprises a body harness worn on the body of a user, a support structure designed to bear the weight of the user in the event of a stumble, trip, or fall, and a plurality of tethers attached at one end to the harness and at the other end to the support structure. One or more sensors are integrated into the system to measure aspects of the user's movement and used as input to control a computer system. In the event of stumble, trip, or fall, all of, or a portion of, the user's body weight is borne by the tethers as a safety mechanism to prevent injury. The system is designed to be used with virtual reality systems wherein the user's vision is blocked or obscured by a virtual reality visor.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

• Application
  No.	Date Filed	Title
  Current	Herewith	APPARATUS FOR NATURAL TORSO
  application		AND LIMBS TRACKING AND
  		FEEDBACK FOR ELECTRONIC
  		INTERACTION
  		Is a continuation in-part-of:
  16/781,663	Feb. 4, 2020	BODY JOYSTICK FOR INTERACTING
  		WITH VIRTUAL REALITY OR MIXED
  		REALITY MACHINES OR SOFTWARE
  		APPLICATIONS
  		which is a continuation in-part-of:
  16/354,374	Mar. 15, 2019	VIRTUAL REALITY AND MIXED REALITY
  		ENHANCED ELLIPTICAL EXERCISE TRAINER
  		which is a continuation in-part-of:
  16/176,511	Oct. 31, 2018	VIRTUAL REALITY AND MIXED
  		REALITY ENHANCED EXERCISE
  		MACHINE
  		which is a continuation in-part-of:
  16/011,394	Jun. 18, 2018	SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A MIXED
  U.S. Pat. No.:	Issue Date:	OR VIRTUAL REALITY-ENHANCED
  10,155,133	Dec. 18, 2018	STATIONARY EXERCISE BICYCLE
  		which is a continuation in-part-of:
  15/853,746	Dec. 23, 2017	VARIABLE-RESISTANCE EXERCISE
  U.S. Pat. No.:	Issue Date:	MACHINE WITH WIRELESS
  10,265,578	Apr. 23, 2019	COMMUNICATION FOR SMART DEVICE
  		CONTROL AND INTERACTIVE
  		SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS
  		which is a continuation of:
  15/219,115	Jul. 25, 2016	VARIABLE-RESISTANCE EXERCISE
  U.S. Pat. No.:	Issue Date:	MACHINE WITH WIRELESS
  9,849,333	Dec. 26, 2017	COMMUNICATION FOR SMART DEVICE
  		CONTROL AND VIRTUAL REALITY
  		APPLICATIONS
  		which claims benefit of provisional:
  62/330,642	May 2, 2016	VARIABLE-RESISTANCE EXERCISE
  		MACHINE WITH WIRELESS
  		COMMUNICATION FOR SMART DEVICE
  		CONTROL AND VIRTUAL REALITY
  		APPLICATIONS
  		and is also a continuation in-part-of:
  15/193,112	Jun. 27, 2016	NATURAL BODY INTERACTION FOR
  		MIXED OR VIRTUAL REALITY
  		APPLICATIONS
  		which claims benefit of provisional:
  62/330,602	May 2, 2016	NATURAL BODY INTERACTION FOR
  		MIXED OR VIRTUAL REALITY
  		APPLICATIONS
  		and is also a continuation in-part-of:
  15/187,787	Jun. 21, 2016	MULTIPLE ELECTRONIC CONTROL
  U.S. Pat. No.:	Issue Date:	AND TRACKING DEVICES FOR MIXED-
  10/124,255	Nov. 13, 2018	REALITY INTERACTION
  		which is a continuation in-part-of:
  15/175,043	Jun. 7, 2016	APPARATUS FOR NATURAL TORSO
  U.S. Pat. No.:	Issue Date:	TRACKING AND FEEDBACK FOR
  9,766,696	Sep. 19, 2017	ELECTRONIC INTERACTION
  		which claims benefit of provisional:
  62/310,568	Mar. 18, 2016	APPARATUS FOR NATURAL TORSO
  		TRACKING AND FEEDBACK FOR
  		ELECTRONIC INTERACTION
  Current	Herewith	APPARATUS FOR NATURAL TORSO
  application		AND LIMBS TRACKING AND
  		FEEDBACK FOR ELECTRONIC
  		INTERACTION
  		Is a continuation in-part-of:
  16/781,663	Feb. 4, 2020	BODY JOYSTICK FOR INTERACTING
  		WITH VIRTUAL REALITY OR MIXED
  		REALITY MACHINES OR SOFTWARE
  		APPLICATIONS
  		which is a continuation in-part-of:
  16/354,374	Mar. 15, 2019	VIRTUAL REALITY AND MIXED
  		REALITY ENHANCED ELLIPTICAL
  		EXERCISE TRAINER
  		Which is a continuation in-part-of:
  16/176,511	Oct. 31, 2018	VIRTUAL REALITY AND MIXED REALITY
  		ENHANCED EXERCISE MACHINE
  		which is a continuation in-part-of:
  16/011,394	Jun. 18, 2018	SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A MIXED
  U.S. Pat. No.:	Issue Date:	OR VIRTUAL REALITY-ENHANCED
  10,155,133	Dec. 18, 2018	STATIONARY EXERCISE BICYCLE
  		which is a continuation in-part-of:
  15/853,746	Dec. 23, 2017	VARIABLE-RESISTANCE EXERCISE
  U.S. Pat. No.:	Issue Date:	MACHINE WITH WIRELESS
  10,265,578	Apr. 23, 2019	COMMUNICATION FOR SMART DEVICE
  		CONTROL AND INTERACTIVE
  		SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS
  		which is a continuation of:
  15/219,115	Jul. 25, 2016	VARIABLE-RESISTANCE EXERCISE
  U.S. Pat. No.:	Issue Date:	MACHINE WITH WIRELESS
  9,849,333	Dec. 26, 2017	COMMUNICATION FOR SMART DEVICE
  		CONTROL AND VIRTUAL
  		REALITY APPLICATIONS
  		which is a continuation in-part-of:
  15/193,112	Jun. 27, 2016	NATURAL BODY INTERACTION FOR
  		MIXED OR VIRTUAL REALITY
  		APPLICATIONS
  		which is a continuation in-part-of:
  15/187,787	Jun. 21, 2016	MULTIPLE ELECTRONIC CONTROL
  U.S. Pat. No.:	Issue Date:	AND TRACKING DEVICES FOR MIXED-
  10/124,255	Nov. 13. 2018	REALITY INTERACTION
  		which is a continuation in-part-of:
  14/846,966	Sep. 7, 2015	MULTIPLE ELECTRONIC CONTROL
  U.S. Pat. No.:	Issue Date:	DEVICES
  10,080,958	Sep. 25, 2018
  		which is a continuation in-part of:
  14/012,879	Aug. 28, 2013	MOBILE AND ADAPTABLE FITNESS
  		SYSTEM
  		which claims benefit of provisional:
  61/696,068	Aug. 31, 2012	MOBILE AND ADAPTABLE FITNESS
  		SYSTEM
  the entire specification of each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONField of the Art
• The disclosure relates to the field of computer interaction, and more particularly to the field of input and output methods for interaction within software applications.
Discussion of the State of the Art
• Computer and electronic device input methods have traditionally centered around the use of keyboards and pointer devices for many years. However, with the rapidly-expanding virtual reality industry, new interaction methods are being explored including a variety of controllers for gaming, wands, and motion-based input devices including gloves and camera-based hand tracking. However, these devices all focus on interacting with a user's hands, and ignore other parts of the body that could be used to improve interaction and immersion, while also expanding the possibilities for data collection.
• What is needed, is a means to track the position, orientation, and movement of a user's whole body, to enable the use of their torso and limbs as a new input method. What is further needed, is a means to utilize a user's torso and limbs for two-way interaction, applying physical feedback to the user to facilitate a “whole body immersion” that is not possible through traditional control arrangements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• Accordingly, the inventor has conceived and reduced to practice, an apparatus for natural torso and limbs tracking and feedback for electronic interaction with fall safety support. The apparatus comprises a body harness worn on the body of a user, a support structure designed to bear the weight of the user in the event of a stumble, trip, or fall, and a plurality of tethers attached at one end to the harness and at the other end to the support structure. One or more sensors are integrated into the system to measure aspects of the user's movement and used as input to control a computer system. In the event of stumble, trip, or fall, all of, or a portion of, the user's body weight is borne by the tethers as a safety mechanism to prevent injury. While the system may be used to interact with any computing device, it is particularly designed to be used with virtual reality systems wherein the user's vision is blocked or obscured by a virtual reality helmet, visor, or goggles. The apparatus may further be integrated with exercise equipment such as a treadmill, stationary bike, an elliptical or a rowing machine. Wherein, force sensors under the treadmill belt measure pressure. The apparatus may then be used for virtual environments, training regiments, or telehealth.
• According to a preferred embodiment, an apparatus for natural torso and limbs tracking and feedback for electronic interaction with fall protection is disclosed, comprising: a body harness comprising a plurality of attachment fixtures for tethers configured to be worn on the body of a person; a support structure comprising a plurality of attachment fixtures for tethers; a plurality of sensors configured to detect a movement of the body harness and transmit the data regarding the detected movement to a computing device; and a plurality of tethers, each tether comprising a line with a first end being affixed to an attachment fixture on the support structure at a location distal from the body of a human user and/or with a second end being affixed to an attachment fixture proximal to the body of a human user, the plurality of tethers being configured to support all or, or a portion of, the body weight of the person in the body harness from the support structure if a portion of the person's torso and limbs falls below a threshold height.
• According to an aspect of an embodiment, the second end of each tether may be attached to higher or lower attachment fixtures on the support structure to adjust for height variance of different persons.
• According to an aspect of an embodiment, the attachment fixtures on the support structure are adjustable to adjust for height variance of different persons.
• According to an aspect of an embodiment, one or more of the plurality of sensors are strain sensors incorporated into the attachment fixtures of the body harness.
• According to an aspect of an embodiment, one or more of the plurality of sensors are strain sensors incorporated into the attachment fixtures of the support structure.
• According to an aspect of an embodiment, one or more of the plurality of sensors are strain sensors incorporated into the tethers.
• According to an aspect of an embodiment, one or more of the sensors are current sensors which detect a current load in an electric motor around the shaft of which is wound one of the tethers.
• According to an aspect of an embodiment, one or more of the sensors is an accelerometer attached to the body harness.
• According to an aspect of an embodiment, one or more of the sensors is a gyroscope attached to the body harness.
• According to an aspect of an embodiment, one or more of the sensors is a magnetometer attached to the body harness.
• According to an aspect of an embodiment, the system further comprises exercise equipment to which the support structure is attached.
• According to an aspect of an embodiment, the exercise equipment is a treadmill comprising a base and a belt.
• According to an aspect of an embodiment, the exercise equipment is a stationary bike.
• According to an aspect of an embodiment, the exercise equipment is an elliptical machine.
• According to an aspect of an embodiment, a force sensor in or under the treadmill, stationary bike, or elliptical machine base measures downward pressure.
• According to an aspect of an embodiment, the force sensor in or under the treadmill, stationary bike, or elliptical machine base is used to detect a gait or paddling pattern of the person.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
• The accompanying drawings illustrate several embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention according to the embodiments. It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the particular embodiments illustrated in the drawings are merely exemplary, and are not to be considered as limiting of the scope of the invention or the claims herein in any way.
• FIG. 1 is a diagram of an exemplary hardware arrangement of an apparatus for natural torso tracking and feedback for electronic interaction according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating the use of multiple tethers and a movable torso and limbs harness.
• FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a variety of alternate tether arrangements.
• FIG. 3 is a diagram of an additional exemplary hardware arrangement of an apparatus for natural torso tracking and feedback for electronic interaction according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating the use of angle sensors to detect angled movement of tethers.
• FIG. 4 is a diagram of an additional exemplary hardware arrangement of an apparatus for full body tracking and feedback for electronic interaction according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 5 is an exemplary human/machine interface and support system for using body movements to interface with computers while engaging in exercise.
• FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a plurality of exemplary embodiments of captured data points by a computing device and their uses according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 7 is a diagram of an exemplary measurement and security device attached to a user.
• FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary hardware architecture of a computing device used in an embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary logical architecture for a client device, according to an embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an exemplary architectural arrangement of clients, servers, and external services, according to an embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 11 is another block diagram illustrating an exemplary hardware architecture of a computing device used in various embodiments of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• The inventor has conceived, and reduced to practice, an apparatus for natural torso and limbs tracking and feedback for electronic interaction with fall safety support. The apparatus comprises a body harness worn on the body of a user, a support structure designed to bear the weight of the user in the event of a stumble, trip, or fall, and a plurality of tethers attached at one end to the harness and at the other end to the support structure. One or more sensors are integrated into the system to measure aspects of the user's torso and limbs movement and used as input to control a computer system. In the event of stumble, trip, or fall, all of, or a portion of, the user's body weight is borne by the tethers as a safety mechanism to prevent injury. While the system may be used to interact with any computing device, it is particularly designed to be used with virtual reality systems wherein the user's vision is blocked or obscured by a virtual reality helmet, visor, or goggles.
• One or more different inventions may be described in the present application. Further, for one or more of the inventions described herein, numerous alternative embodiments may be described; it should be appreciated that these are presented for illustrative purposes only and are not limiting of the inventions contained herein or the claims presented herein in any way. One or more of the inventions may be widely applicable to numerous embodiments, as may be readily apparent from the disclosure. In general, embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice one or more of the inventions, and it should be appreciated that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural, logical, software, electrical and other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the particular inventions. Accordingly, one skilled in the art will recognize that one or more of the inventions may be practiced with various modifications and alterations. Particular features of one or more of the inventions described herein may be described with reference to one or more particular embodiments or figures that form a part of the present disclosure, and in which are shown, by way of illustration, specific embodiments of one or more of the inventions. It should be appreciated, however, that such features are not limited to usage in the one or more particular embodiments or figures with reference to which they are described. The present disclosure is neither a literal description of all embodiments of one or more of the inventions nor a listing of features of one or more of the inventions that must be present in all embodiments.
• Headings of sections provided in this patent application and the title of this patent application are for convenience only, and are not to be taken as limiting the disclosure in any way.
• Devices that are in communication with each other need not be in continuous communication with each other, unless expressly specified otherwise. In addition, devices that are in communication with each other may communicate directly or indirectly through one or more communication means or intermediaries, logical or physical.
• A description of an embodiment with several components in communication with each other does not imply that all such components are required. To the contrary, a variety of optional components may be described to illustrate a wide variety of possible embodiments of one or more of the inventions and in order to more fully illustrate one or more aspects of the inventions. Similarly, although process steps, method steps, algorithms or the like may be described in a sequential order, such processes, methods and algorithms may generally be configured to work in alternate orders, unless specifically stated to the contrary. In other words, any sequence or order of steps that may be described in this patent application does not, in and of itself, indicate a requirement that the steps be performed in that order. The steps of described processes may be performed in any order practical. Further, some steps may be performed simultaneously despite being described or implied as occurring non-simultaneously (e.g., because one step is described after the other step). Moreover, the illustration of a process by its depiction in a drawing does not imply that the illustrated process is exclusive of other variations and modifications thereto, does not imply that the illustrated process or any of its steps are necessary to one or more of the invention(s), and does not imply that the illustrated process is preferred. Also, steps are generally described once per embodiment, but this does not mean they must occur once, or that they may only occur once each time a process, method, or algorithm is carried out or executed. Some steps may be omitted in some embodiments or some occurrences, or some steps may be executed more than once in a given embodiment or occurrence.
• When a single device or article is described herein, it will be readily apparent that more than one device or article may be used in place of a single device or article. Similarly, where more than one device or article is described herein, it will be readily apparent that a single device or article may be used in place of the more than one device or article.
• The functionality or the features of a device may be alternatively embodied by one or more other devices that are not explicitly described as having such functionality or features. Thus, other embodiments of one or more of the inventions need not include the device itself.
• Techniques and mechanisms described or referenced herein will sometimes be described in singular form for clarity. However, it should be appreciated that particular embodiments may include multiple iterations of a technique or multiple instantiations of a mechanism unless noted otherwise. Process descriptions or blocks in figures should be understood as representing modules, segments, or portions of code which include one or more executable instructions for implementing specific logical functions or steps in the process. Alternate implementations are included within the scope of embodiments of the present invention in which, for example, functions may be executed out of order from that shown or discussed, including substantially concurrently or in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved, as would be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art.
Definitions
• “Body harness,” as used herein, means a belt, strap, harness, vest, jacket, or other device wearable on the hips, torso and limbs, shoulders, or arms of a person and capable of bearing all of, or a portion of, the weight of the person, and to which one or more tethers or tether attachment fixtures (e.g., motorized or non-motorized pulleys, rollers, hooks, loops, etc.) may be attached.
• “Support structure,” as used herein, means a frame, rail, post, or other rigid structure configured to capable of bearing the weight of a user, and to which one or more tethers or tether attachment fixtures (e.g., motorized or non-motorized pulleys, rollers, hooks, loops, etc.) may be attached. The support structure may be a fixed structure (i.e., one permanently attached to a floor, wall, ceiling, or other surface), a transportable structure (i.e., built as a movable frame), or may be part of an exercise machine (e.g., handrails, guardrails, or dedicated support pieces attached to or integrated with the exercise machine).
Detailed Description of Exemplary Embodiments
• FIG. 1 is a diagram of an exemplary hardware arrangement100 for natural torso tracking and feedback for electronic interaction according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating the use of multiple tethers110a-nand a movable torso and limbs harness120.
• According to the embodiment, a plurality of tethers110a-nmay be affixed or integrally-formed as part of a handle orrailing130, such as handlebars found on exercise equipment such as a treadmill, elliptical trainer, stair-climbing machine, or the like. In alternate arrangements, specifically-designed equipment with integral tethers110a-nmay be used, but it may be appreciated that a modular design with tethers110a-nthat may be affixed and removed freely may be desirable for facilitating use with a variety of fitness equipment or structural elements of a building, according to a user's particular use case or circumstance. Tethers110a-nmay then be affixed or integrally-formed to a torso and limbs harness120, as illustrated in the form of a belt, that may be worn by a user such that movement of their body affects tethers110a-nand applies stress to them in a variety of manners. It should be appreciated that while a belt design for a torso and limbs harness120 is shown for clarity, a variety of physical arrangements may be used such as including (but not limited to) a vest, a series of harness-like straps similar to climbing or rappelling equipment, a backpack, straps designed to be worn on a user's body underneath or in place of clothing (for example, for use in medical settings for collecting precise data) or a plurality of specially-formed clips or attachment points that may be readily affixed to a user's clothing. Additionally, a torso and limbs harness120 may be constructed with movable parts, for example having aninner belt121 that permits a user some degree of motion within theharness120 without restricting their movement. Movement of inner belt121 (or other movable portions) may be measured in a variety of ways, such as using accelerometers, gyroscopes, or optical sensors, and this data may be used as interaction with software applications in addition to data collected from tethers110a-nas described below.
• As a user moves, their body naturally shifts position and orientation. These shifts may be detected and measured via tethers110a-n, for example by detecting patterns of tension or strain on tethers110a-nto indicate body orientation, or by measuring small changes in strain on tethers110a-nto determine more precise movements such as body posture while a user is speaking, or specific characteristics of a user's stride or gait. Additionally, through varying the quantity and arrangement of tethers110a-n, more precise or specialized forms of movement may be detected and measured (such as, for example, using a specific arrangement of multiple tethers connected to a particular area of a user's body to detect extremely small movements for medical diagnosis or fitness coaching). This data may be used as interaction with software applications, such as for virtual reality applications as input for a user to control a character in a game. In such an arrangement, when a user moves, this movement may be translated to an in-game character or avatar to convey a more natural sense of interaction and presence. For example, in a multiplayer roleplaying game, this may be used to facilitate nonverbal communication and recognition between players, as their distinct mannerisms and gestures may be conveyed in the game through detection of natural torso and limbs position and movement. In fitness or health applications, this data may be used to track and monitor a user's posture or ergonomic qualities, or to assist in coaching them for specific fitness activities such as holding a pose for yoga, stretching, or proper running form during use with a treadmill. In medical applications, this data may be used to assist in diagnosing injuries or deficiencies that may require attention, such as by detecting anomalies in movement or physiological adaptations to an unrecognized injury (such as when a user subconsciously shifts their weight off an injured foot or knee, without consciously realizing an issue is present).
• Through various arrangements of tethers110a-nand tether sensors (as described below, referring toFIGS. 2-3), it may be possible to enable a variety of immersive ways for a user to interact with software applications, as well as to receive haptic feedback from applications. For example, by detecting rotation, tension, stress, or angle of tethers a user may interact with applications such as virtual reality games or simulations, by using natural body movements and positioning such as leaning, jumping, crouching, kneeling, turning, or shifting their weight in various directions to trigger actions within a software application configured to accept torso and limbs tracking input. By applying haptic feedback of varying form and intensity (as is described in greater detail below, referring toFIG. 2), applications may provide physical indication to a user of software events, such as applying tension to resist movement, pulling or tugging on a tether to move or “jerk” a user in a direction, or varying feedback to multiple tethers such as tugging and releasing in varying order or sequence to simulate more complex effects such as (for example, in a gaming use case) explosions, riding in a vehicle, or walking through foliage.
• It should be appreciated that while reference is made to virtual reality applications, a wide variety of use cases may be possible according to the embodiment. For example, torso and limbs tracking may be used for fitness and health applications, to monitor a user's posture or gait while walking, without the use of additional virtual reality equipment or software.
• FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a variety of alternate tether arrangements. According to various use cases and hardware arrangements, tethers110a-nmay utilize a variety of purpose-driven designs as illustrated. For example, a “stretchable”tether210 may be used to measure strain during a user's movement, as thetether210 is stretched or compressed (for example, using piezoelectric materials and measuring electrical changes). Such an arrangement may be suitable for precise measurements, but may lack the mechanical strength or durability for gross movement detection or prolonged use. An alternate construction may utilize anon-deforming tether220 such as a steel cable or similar non-stretching material. Instead of measuring strain on thetether220, instead tether220 may be permitted a degree of movement within an enclosure222 (for example, an attachment point on a torso and limbs harness120 or handlebar130), and the position ormovement221 of thetether220 may be measured such as via optical sensors. In a third exemplary arrangement, atether230 may be wound about an axle orpulley231, and may be let out when force is applied during a user's movement. Rotation of thepulley231 may be measured, or alternately a tension device such as a coil spring may be utilized (not shown) and the tension or strain on that device may be measured astether230 is extended or retracted. In this manner, it may be appreciated that a variety of mechanical means may be used to facilitate tethers and attachments for use in detecting and measuring natural torso and limbs position and movement, and it should be appreciated that a variety of additional or alternate hardware arrangements may be utilized according to the embodiments disclosed herein.
• Additionally, through the use of various hardware construction it becomes possible to utilize both “passive” tethers that merely measure movement or strain, as well as “active” tethers that may apply resistance or movement to provide haptic feedback to a user. For example, in an arrangement utilizing a coiled spring orpulley231, the spring orpulley231 may be wound to retract a tether and direct or impede a user's movement as desired. In this manner, various new forms of feedback-based interaction become possible, and in virtual reality use cases user engagement and immersion are increased through more natural physical feedback during their interaction.
• By applying various forms and intensities of feedback using various tether arrangements, a variety of feedback types may be used to provide haptic output to a user in response to software events. For example, tension on a tether may be used to simulate restrained movement such as wading through water or dense foliage, walking up an inclined surface, magnetic or gravitational forces, or other forms of physical resistance or impedance that may be simulated through directional or non-directional tension. Tugging, retracting, or pulling on a tether may be used to simulate sudden forces such as recoil from gunfire, explosions, being grabbed or struck by a software entity such as an object or character, deploying a parachute, bungee jumping, sliding or falling, or other momentary forces or events that may be conveyed with a tugging or pulling sensation. By utilizing various patterns of haptic feedback, more complex events may be communicated to a user, such as riding on horseback or in a vehicle, standing on the deck of a ship at sea, turbulence in an aircraft, weather, or other virtual events that may be represented using haptic feedback. In this manner, virtual environments and events may be made more immersive and tangible for a user, both by enabling a user to interact using natural body movements and positioning, as well as by providing haptic feedback in a manner that feels natural and expected to the user. For example, if a user is controlling a character in a gaming application through a first-person viewpoint, it would seem natural that when their character is struck there would be a physical sensation corresponding to the event; however, this is not possible with traditional interaction devices, detracting from any sense of immersion or realism for the user. By providing this physical sensation alongside the virtual event, the experience becomes more engaging and users are encouraged to interact more naturally as their actions results in natural and believable feedback, meeting their subconscious expectations and avoiding excessive “immersion-breaking” moments, which in turn reduces the likelihood of users adopting unusual behaviors or unhealthy posture as a result of adapting to limited interaction schema.
• Haptic feedback may be provided to notify a user of non-gaming events, such as for desktop notifications for email or application updates, or to provide feedback on their posture for use in fitness or health coaching. For example, a user may be encouraged to maintain a particular stance, pose, or posture while working or for a set length of time (for example, for a yoga exercise application), and if their posture deviates from an acceptable range, feedback is provided to remind them to adjust their posture. This may be used in sports, fitness, health, or ergonomic applications that need not utilize other aspects of virtual reality and may operate as traditional software applications on nonspecialized computing hardware. For example, a user at their desk may use an ergonomic training application that monitors their body posture throughout the work day and provides haptic reminders to correct poor posture as it is detected, helping the user to maintain a healthy working posture to reduce fatigue or injuries due to poor posture (for example, repetitive-stress injuries that may be linked to poor posture while working at a computer).
• FIG. 3 is a diagram of an additional exemplary hardware arrangement300 for natural torso tracking and feedback for electronic interaction according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating the use ofangle sensors312,321a-nto detect angled movement of atether320. According to one exemplary arrangement, atether310 may be affixed to or passed through a rotating joint such as aball bearing311 or similar, to permit free angular movement. During movement, the angular movement ordeflection312 of a protruding bar, rod, or tether segment313 may be measured (for example, using optical, magnetic, or other sensors) to determine the corresponding angle oftether310. In this manner, precise angle measurements may be collected without impeding range of motion or introducing unnecessary mechanical complexity. Other embodiments include measuring the twisting angle by analyzing the tension differences from four belt pressure sensors located on the torso and limbs harness120.
• In an alternate hardware arrangement, the use of angle sensors321a-nenables tracking of a vertical angle of atether320, to detect and optionally measure vertical movement or orientation of a user's torso and limbs. Whentether320 contacts a sensor321a-n, this may be registered and used to detect a general vertical movement (that is, whether the tether is angled up or down). For more precise measurements, the specific hardware construction of a sensor321a-nmay be varied, for example using a pressure-sensing switch to detect how much force is applied and use this measurement to determine the corresponding angle (as may be possible given atether320 of known construction). It should be appreciated that various combinations of hardware may be used to provide a desired method or degree of angle detection or measurement, for example using aconductive tether320 and a capacitive sensor321a-nto detect contact, or using a mechanical or rubber-dome switch (as are commonly used in keyboard construction) to detect physical contact without aconductive tether320.
• The use of angle detection or measurement may expand interaction possibilities to encompass more detailed and natural movements of a user's body. For example, if a user crouches, then all tethers110a-nmay detect a downward angle simultaneously. Additionally, data precision or availability may be enhanced by combining input from multiple available sensors when possible (including cameras for example, utilizing adaptive software to collect data from any sensors that it detects, without requiring specific sensor types for operation), for example by combining data from tethers110a-nand hardware sensors such as an accelerometer or gyroscope, enabling multiple methods of achieving similar or varied types or precision levels of position or movement detection. Similarly, when a user jumps then all tethers may detect an upward angle simultaneously. However, if a user leans in one direction, it may be appreciated that not all tethers110a-nwill detect the same angle. For example, tethers110a-nin the direction the user is leaning may detect a downward angle, while those on the opposite side would detect an upward angle (due to the orientation of the user's torso and limbs and thus a worn torso and limbs harness120). In this manner, more precise torso and limbs interaction may be facilitated through improved detection and recognition of orientation and movement. Additionally, it may be appreciated that sensors321a-nmay be utilized for other angle measurements, such as to detect horizontal angle. For example, if a user is wearing a non-rotating torso and limbs harness120, when they twist their body a similar stress may be applied to all attached tethers110a-n. Without angle detection the precise nature of this movement will be vague, but with horizontal angle detection it becomes possible to recognize that all tethers110a-nare being strained in a similar direction (for example, in a clockwise pattern when viewed from above, as a user might view tethers110a-nduring use), and therefore interpret the interaction as a twisting motion (rather than, for example, a user squatting or kneeling, which might apply a similar stress to the tethers110a-nbut would have different angle measurements).
• FIG. 4 is a diagram of an additional exemplary hardware arrangement of an apparatus for full body tracking and feedback for electronic interaction according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. According to the embodiment, a frame orstructure420 surrounds or is directly attached to atreadmill device400 and has attachment points421a-nat varying heights for the previously disclosed torso and limbs harness410 or other wearable devices. The attachment points421a-nmay be implemented as hooks, loops, or other connectors that allow the for accommodation of varying heights of users. Thetreadmill device400 comprising a curved form where thelowest point430 of thetreadmill belt440 is behind the user and the highest point in front of theuser431. As the user steps forward, towards the upwards curvature of thebelt431, the user's foot strikes the belt, and gravity forces the belt back down towards the user returning to equilibrium.
• Additionally, a non-poweredelectric motor450 is mounted internal to thetreadmill400 and thetreadmill belt440 is connected to themotor450 drive shaft. Pressure sensors460a-nmounted under thebelt440 provide a computer system the users weight in which the computer uses to vary the electrical resistance of themotor450 such that the physical resistance and upwards curvature431 of thebelt450 gives the user an experience of simulated forward motion indistinguishable from actual forward motion. The amount of electrical resistance between the leads of themotor450 may be adjusted to vary the resistance provided to the belt by the motor. Initially, the resistance between the leads of the electric motor can be set to keep thebelt440 from moving too easily but allows the user to start moving the belt under the same friction and force as would naturally be required walking off of thetreadmill400. Furthermore, the calculated electrical resistance used by the computer system may be used as a zeroing point, or baseline, so that the back-electromotive force created by the users motion on thebelt440 can be used as a varying voltage input to a computer system. In some embodiments, a powered electric motor can be used to the same effect.
• The pressure sensors460a-nmay further be used to capture to position of the feet on thebelt440 by calculating the transverse and sagittal axis force vectors relative to each sensor460a-nagainst the user's total weight. In the same fashion, shifting of the user's body may also be obtained. The pressure sensors460a-ncapture vertical motion as the user walks, runs, bobs, jumps, or squats by considering the displacement and velocity measured on individual pressure sensors460a-nrather than relative to the others. Combining these measurements, the characteristics of a user's gait (e.g., step frequency, step impact, weight distribution, etc.) may also be obtained for use in computer applications.
• According to this embodiment, the torso and limbs harness410 has sensors470a-nproximal to the user connected to tethers480a-nand may comprise flex sensors, strain gauges, or other force sensors. Additional embedded components within the torso and limbs harness410 comprise input sensors such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, motion, touch, smart health devices, MEMS (micro-electromechanical system) devices, and location sensors. Thesensors471 may also be output sensors such as vibration motors, fans, actuators, piezoelectric discs, and other output devices designed to stimulate or alert the user.
• Thetorso harness410 may be fastened by a plurality of tethers480a-n. In one embodiment, elastic tethers480a-nmay be designed for a specific range of motion bound by maximum and minimum elasticity regarding all three planes of motion. The elasticity limits may be designed for physical safety (i.e., stumble, trip, or fall protection) while wearing a VR headset or by individuals suffering from diminished motor control such as physical rehabilitation, recent surgeries, or age-related decline. The range of motion may also be limited by sensors470a-nconnected to the proximal (or distal) ends such as strain sensors with a limited sheer strength or axis sensors with multi-planar limits. It should be appreciated that the designed elasticity of the tethers480a-nmay be a balance of both safety and physical limitations.
• In this embodiment, the height of the tethers and belt may be adjusted by placing a loop on the distal end of each tether on one of a series of hooks. Other means of adjusting the height of the tethers and belt may be used, for example, telescoping poles, sliding hooks, or pulleys attached at a relatively high point from which the belt may be lowered by adjusting the length of the tether (either manually or via motors).
• According to an additional embodiment, fixed length straps may be used or a combination of fixed and elastic tethers, or straps or belts connected to actuators or motors operated by a computer which controls the travel distance of each tether480a-naccordingly.
• Combination fixed and elastic tethers may use either separate non-elastic tethers or integrated non-elastic tether components to place a hard limit on the stretch length of each tether, which can provide additional load bearing capabilities to catch a user during a fall. Any number of embodiments may be imagined by those skilled in the art.
• Affixed to the front of the treadmill is a motionsensing input device490. In this embodiment, the motion sensing input device comprises RGB cameras, infrared projectors and detectors that map depth, and a microphone array, along with artificial intelligence software to allow the device to perform real-time gesture recognition, skeletal detection, and fine and gross motor movement detection. In other embodiments, the motion sensing device may be simpler in operation, such as an ultrasonic distance sensor. Simpler versions of the motionsensing input device490 can be used to determine the user's body position front to back on the treadmill, whereas more complicated motionsensing input devices490 can be used to identify different parts of the body and their relative positions and directions (e.g., arms, legs, torso and limbs, head, etc.), as well as being combined with other sensors to confirm such actions as jumping and twisting motions. Another example is a sensor device that inserts into a user's shoe that can supplement additional details for gait analysis and a balance profile.
• Thetreadmill400 comprising the self-propelled and variable-resistive belt440, motion sensing input device470, pressure sensors460a-n, tethers480a-n, and various torso and limbs harness embodiments described inFIGS. 1-4 provide the detailed tracking of both fine and gross motor skills covering the entire body. It should be appreciated that the dimensionality of input and body tracking and accuracy thereof provided by these embodiments allow for a broader range of control schemes and implementations than is available in the art. Besides the obvious implications for the VR/AR and gaming industry, this platform may assist in telehealth applications (i.e., remote health assessments and treatment) allowing doctors to diagnose and treat a range of ailments related to range of motion, physical therapy, balance, routine check-ups, geriatric care, and may be further extended by integrating heart rate monitors, blood-pressure monitors, electrocardiograms, and other smart wearable technology. Telehealth applications may be of particular use in sparsely populated areas or in other situations where in-person healthcare is limited, such as quarantines or where the patient is non-mobile.
• FIG. 5 is an exemplary human/machine interface and support system for using body movements to interface with embedded or external computers while engaging in exercise. In this embodiment, anexercise machine510 is placed inside aframe520 which contains components for sensing the movement of an individual, providing haptic feedback, and providing support in case of a fall. In this embodiment, theexercise machine510 is depicted as a stationary bicycle, although any type of exercise machine510 (e.g., treadmill, elliptical machine, stair-stepper, rowing machine, weight-lifting machines, etc.) may be used. Theexercise machine510 may contain or be in communication with an embedded or external computer that communicates with other components of the system, although in some embodiments, theexercise machine510 is not communicatively coupled with other components. In some embodiments, noexercise machine510 at all is used, and the individual may freely engage in exercise or other physical movement such as running in place, jumping, dancing, lifting barbells or free weights, etc.
• Theframe520 comprises abase support521a, atop support521b, and one or morevertical supports522a,b. Mounted to anadjustable point521c,522c,don one or more of thesupports521b,522a,bare one or more pulleys orrouting devices525a,b,c, which guide one ormore tethers524a,b,c,dat a height above the waist level of the individual during exercise. Thetethers524a,b,c,dare attached at one end to a belt, harness, vest, orother device526 attachable to the body of the individual, and fitted with input and/oroutput sensors527a,b,c, and at the other end to sensors/actuators523a,b. In this embodiment, the sensors/actuators523a,bare electric motors fitted with rotary encoders and thetethers524a,bare wound around a drum on the shaft of the motors.Sensors527a,bare strain sensors or other types of force sensors, andsensors527ccomprise an accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer. In this way, body movements of the individual may be sensed and recorded as rotational movements of the drum, triple-axis acceleration, velocity, and position from the accelerometer, angular velocity from the gyroscope, and triple-axis orientation from the magnetometer. For example, the linear distance of movement may be calculated from the number of rotations and the circumference of the drum and further calculated and compared with the data from thesensor527c. Linear speed may be calculated as the linear distance over time. The position of the individual may be calculated from speed and distance. The rotational movement, linear distance, linear speed, or other calculations may be used to control the computing device or the output from a computing device such as a game, virtual reality environment, etc. Further, the motors of the sensors/actuators523a,bmay also act as actuators, and varying voltages and currents may be applied to the motors to provide haptic feedback to the individual, such as resistance to movement, jerking, or vibration. This haptic feedback may be provided in response to interactions with the computer, such as to indicate game events, interactions with the virtual reality environment, etc. In one aspect, thebelt526,tethers524a,b,c,d, and sensors/actuators523a,b,may be used to support the individual in case of a slip or fall. Such support may be provided passively (e.g., a fixed resistance provided by the motors), actively (e.g., by sensing an acceleration and applying a resistance to the tethers), or by mechanical means (e.g., seatbelt-type mechanical locking mechanism that locks the tether upon a sudden pull).
• Other embodiments may use additional vertical orhorizontal supports521a,b,522a,b, tethers524a,b,c,d, and sensors/actuators523a,b. For example, some embodiments may havevertical supports522a,band associated equipment at the front and back, and at the left and right sides of the individual.Sensors527cmay be swapped out for output sensors such as vibrating motors, buzzers, Peltier cells, and other devices which provide stimulus to the user. Many other configurations are possible.
• FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a plurality of exemplary embodiments of captured data points by a computing device and their uses according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. According to this embodiment, pressure sensors under the treadmill belt may capture a user's gait610 by plotting the relative force between pressure sensors over time. Multiple datasets can be combined to improve the accuracy of the gait parameter calculations. For example, according to one embodiment, the first step of calculating the values of gait parameters is defining each gait cycle. One gait cycle can be defined as the period between successive maximum values on the front-right load sensor, indicating two successive ground contacts from the right foot. One gait cycle could also be defined as the period between successive ground contacts of the same foot using the camera body tracking data. Two sources of data for the same parameter provides for a more accurate analysis. The load sensor data could be integrated with the camera body tracking data to ensure that a gait cycle is not missed if the user fails to make contact with the front-right load sensor.
• Accelerometers, gyroscopes, and/or magnetometers in the torso and limbs harness621 may be used to determine the harness's position by taking the second time derivative from the accelerometer readings. Twisting by the user in theharness621 may be measured and displayed622,623 by taking readings from the gyroscope and magnetometer, rotary encoders, or a combination of sensors given that linear velocity is equivalent to angular velocity multiplied by position. The amount of twist may be displayed by a gradient bar representing the typical limits of human contortion at the hips, or by any other metric desired by the user. In this example, the user has twisted to the left624 approximately one-quarter of the typical limit. Also, in this example, the user is forward and left fromcenter625. In other embodiments, thecamera490 may be used in conjunction with markers on the torso and limbs harness to track movement (e.g., small colored balls could be attached to the harness and tracked by the camera490).
• Gross motor movements630 may be captured by a motion sensing device coupled with data from the sensors on the proximal and/or distal ends of the tethers and data from input sensors in the harness itself. A computer system may use the combination of data to position the user in a virtual environment, display the user's range of motion to a telehealth professional, or monitor the user's form during an exercise routine activating a vibrating motor if the user needs to correct their form.
• Other positional data may be obtained and displayed via the plurality of sensors such as the harness'sposition641 relative to the resting or calibratedbaseline position642. Data from theY-Z harness position640 can detectjumps643 orsquats644 by formulating thresholds of position and may further be verified or supplemented by thegross motor movements630 data and X-Ypositional data620. In this example, the tilt of the harness is measured and displayed645 as the user squats meanwhile theharness position641 crosses thesquat threshold644 indicating the user has in fact performed a squat.
• FIG. 7 is a diagram of an exemplary measurement and security device attached to a user. According to this embodiment, ameasurement device700 depicted here is one of two worn on abelt701a,bwhere one is on the left side of the user's body and the other is on the right side of the user's body. Two D-rings702a,bprotrude out ofholes703a,bin the device'scover704 and are used to affix the harness to a supporting structure surrounding a piece of exercise equipment. The D-rings702a,bare secured to one end of aload cell705a,b, where a load cell measures strain between two ends. This end is free-standing where theopposite end706a,bis securely fastened to thedevice700.
• The load cell is provided a small electrical current and when a force is applied to the D-ring side705a,ba voltage relating to the amount of strain can be measured. Because there are two of thesedevices700 providing a total of four measurement points, differential loads on the four measurement points can be used to determine whether and how much a user twists and turns his or her torso. Measurements can also be used to tighten or loosen tethers to provide feedback or prevent a user from falling.
• Additional features include a computing device707 (the back side of a circuit board being shown here) which can send the voltage measurements over wired or wireless communication protocols (such as USB, WiFi, Bluetooth, and others.). Thecomputing device707 may also comprise an accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, other sensing device, or a combination thereof. Aport708 may also be added to allow for wired communication, power charging capabilities, audio output, or other electronic uses.
• Referring now toFIG. 8, there is shown a block diagram depicting anexemplary computing device10 suitable for implementing at least a portion of the features or functionalities disclosed herein.Computing device10 may be, for example, any one of the computing machines listed in the previous paragraph, or indeed any other electronic device capable of executing software- or hardware-based instructions according to one or more programs stored in memory.Computing device10 may be configured to communicate with a plurality of other computing devices, such as clients or servers, over communications networks such as a wide area network a metropolitan area network, a local area network, a wireless network, the Internet, or any other network, using known protocols for such communication, whether wireless or wired.
• In one embodiment,computing device10 includes one or more central processing units (CPU)12, one ormore interfaces15, and one or more busses14 (such as a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus). When acting under the control of appropriate software or firmware,CPU12 may be responsible for implementing specific functions associated with the functions of a specifically configured computing device or machine. For example, in at least one embodiment, acomputing device10 may be configured or designed to function as a serversystem utilizing CPU12,local memory11 and/orremote memory16, and interface(s)15. In at least one embodiment,CPU12 may be caused to perform one or more of the different types of functions and/or operations under the control of software modules or components, which for example, may include an operating system and any appropriate applications software, drivers, and the like.
• CPU12 may include one ormore processors13 such as, for example, a processor from one of the Intel, ARM, Qualcomm, and AMD families of microprocessors. In some embodiments,processors13 may include specially designed hardware such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), electrically erasable programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and so forth, for controlling operations ofcomputing device10. In a specific embodiment, a local memory11 (such as non-volatile random access memory (RAM) and/or read-only memory (ROM), including for example one or more levels of cached memory) may also form part ofCPU12. However, there are many different ways in which memory may be coupled tosystem10.Memory11 may be used for a variety of purposes such as, for example, caching and/or storing data, programming instructions, and the like. It should be further appreciated thatCPU12 may be one of a variety of system-on-a-chip (SOC) type hardware that may include additional hardware such as memory or graphics processing chips, such as a Qualcomm SNAPDRAGON™ or Samsung EXYNOS™ CPU as are becoming increasingly common in the art, such as for use in mobile devices or integrated devices.
• As used herein, the term “processor” is not limited merely to those integrated circuits referred to in the art as a processor, a mobile processor, or a microprocessor, but broadly refers to a microcontroller, a microcomputer, a programmable logic controller, an application-specific integrated circuit, and any other programmable circuit.
• In one embodiment, interfaces15 are provided as network interface cards (NICs). Generally, NICs control the sending and receiving of data packets over a computer network; other types ofinterfaces15 may for example support other peripherals used withcomputing device10. Among the interfaces that may be provided are Ethernet interfaces, frame relay interfaces, cable interfaces, DSL interfaces, token ring interfaces, graphics interfaces, and the like. In addition, various types of interfaces may be provided such as, for example, universal serial bus (USB), Serial, Ethernet, FIREWIRE™, THUNDERBOLT™, PCI, parallel, radio frequency (RF), BLUETOOTH™, near-field communications (e.g., using near-field magnetics), 802.11 (WiFi), frame relay, TCP/IP, ISDN, fast Ethernet interfaces, Gigabit Ethernet interfaces, Serial ATA (SATA) or external SATA (ESATA) interfaces, high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), digital visual interface (DVI), analog or digital audio interfaces, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) interfaces, high-speed serial interface (HSSI) interfaces, Point of Sale (POS) interfaces, fiber data distributed interfaces (FDDIs), and the like. Generally,such interfaces15 may include physical ports appropriate for communication with appropriate media. In some cases, they may also include an independent processor (such as a dedicated audio or video processor, as is common in the art for high-fidelity AN hardware interfaces) and, in some instances, volatile and/or non-volatile memory (e.g., RAM).
• Although the system shown inFIG. 8 illustrates one specific architecture for acomputing device10 for implementing one or more of the inventions described herein, it is by no means the only device architecture on which at least a portion of the features and techniques described herein may be implemented. For example, architectures having one or any number ofprocessors13 may be used, andsuch processors13 may be present in a single device or distributed among any number of devices. In one embodiment, asingle processor13 handles communications as well as routing computations, while in other embodiments a separate dedicated communications processor may be provided. In various embodiments, different types of features or functionalities may be implemented in a system according to the invention that includes a client device (such as a tablet device or smartphone running client software) and server systems (such as a server system described in more detail below).
• Regardless of network device configuration, the system of the present invention may employ one or more memories or memory modules (such as, for example,remote memory block16 and local memory11) configured to store data, program instructions for the general-purpose network operations, or other information relating to the functionality of the embodiments described herein (or any combinations of the above). Program instructions may control execution of or comprise an operating system and/or one or more applications, for example.Memory16 ormemories11,16 may also be configured to store data structures, configuration data, encryption data, historical system operations information, or any other specific or generic non-program information described herein.
• Because such information and program instructions may be employed to implement one or more systems or methods described herein, at least some network device embodiments may include nontransitory machine-readable storage media, which, for example, may be configured or designed to store program instructions, state information, and the like for performing various operations described herein. Examples of such nontransitory machine- readable storage media include, but are not limited to, magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tape; optical media such as CD-ROM disks; magneto-optical media such as optical disks, and hardware devices that are specially configured to store and perform program instructions, such as read-only memory devices (ROM), flash memory (as is common in mobile devices and integrated systems), solid state drives (SSD) and “hybrid SSD” storage drives that may combine physical components of solid state and hard disk drives in a single hardware device (as are becoming increasingly common in the art with regard to personal computers), memristor memory, random access memory (RAM), and the like. It should be appreciated that such storage means may be integral and non-removable (such as RAM hardware modules that may be soldered onto a motherboard or otherwise integrated into an electronic device), or they may be removable such as swappable flash memory modules (such as “thumb drives” or other removable media designed for rapidly exchanging physical storage devices), “hot-swappable” hard disk drives or solid state drives, removable optical storage discs, or other such removable media, and that such integral and removable storage media may be utilized interchangeably. Examples of program instructions include both object code, such as may be produced by a compiler, machine code, such as may be produced by an assembler or a linker, byte code, such as may be generated by for example a JAVA™ compiler and may be executed using a Java virtual machine or equivalent, or files containing higher level code that may be executed by the computer using an interpreter (for example, scripts written in Python, Perl, Ruby, Groovy, or any other scripting language).
• In some embodiments, systems according to the present invention may be implemented on a standalone computing system. Referring now toFIG. 9, there is shown a block diagram depicting a typical exemplary architecture of one or more embodiments or components thereof on a standalone computing system.Computing device20 includesprocessors21 that may run software that carry out one or more functions or applications of embodiments of the invention, such as for example aclient application24.Processors21 may carry out computing instructions under control of anoperating system22 such as, for example, a version of Microsoft's WINDOWS™ operating system, Apple's Mac OS/X or iOS operating systems, some variety of the Linux operating system, Google's ANDROID™operating system, household gaming devices such as Microsoft XBOX™, Sony PLAYSTATION™, or virtual reality hardware devices such as Oculus Mk Pm, HTC VIVE™, Samsung GEAR VR™, or the like. In many cases, one or more sharedservices23 may be operable insystem20, and may be useful for providing common services toclient applications24.Services23 may for example be WINDOWS™ services, user-space common services in a Linux environment, or any other type of common service architecture used withoperating system21.Input devices28 may be of any type suitable for receiving user input, including for example a keyboard, touchscreen, microphone (for example, for voice input), mouse, touchpad, trackball, or any combination thereof.Output devices27 may be of any type suitable for providing output to one or more users, whether remote or local tosystem20, and may include for example one or more screens for visual output, speakers, printers, or any combination thereof.Memory25 may be random-access memory having any structure and architecture known in the art, for use byprocessors21, for example to run software.Storage devices26 may be any magnetic, optical, mechanical, memristor, or electrical storage device for storage of data in digital form (such as those described above, referring toFIG. 8). Examples ofstorage devices26 include flash memory, magnetic hard drive, CD-ROM, and/or the like.
• In some embodiments, systems of the present invention may be implemented on a distributed computing network, such as one having any number of clients and/or servers. Referring now toFIG. 10, there is shown a block diagram depicting anexemplary architecture30 for implementing at least a portion of a system according to an embodiment of the invention on a distributed computing network. According to the embodiment, any number ofclients33 may be provided. Eachclient33 may run software for implementing client-side portions of the present invention; clients may comprise asystem20 such as that illustrated inFIG. 9. In addition, any number ofservers32 may be provided for handling requests received from one ormore clients33.Clients33 andservers32 may communicate with one another via one or moreelectronic networks31, which may be in various embodiments any of the Internet, a wide area network, a mobile telephony network (such as CDMA or GSM cellular networks), a wireless network (such as WiFi, Wimax, LTE, and so forth), or a local area network (or indeed any network topology known in the art; the invention does not prefer any one network topology over any other).Networks31 may be implemented using any known network protocols, including for example wired and/or wireless protocols.
• In addition, in some embodiments,servers32 may callexternal services37 when needed to obtain additional information, or to refer to additional data concerning a particular call. Communications withexternal services37 may take place, for example, via one ormore networks31. In various embodiments,external services37 may comprise web-enabled services or functionality related to or installed on the hardware device itself. For example, in an embodiment whereclient applications24 are implemented on a smartphone or other electronic device,client applications24 may obtain information stored in aserver system32 in the cloud or on anexternal service37 deployed on one or more of a particular enterprise's or user's premises.
• In some embodiments of the invention,clients33 or servers32 (or both) may make use of one or more specialized services or appliances that may be deployed locally or remotely across one ormore networks31. For example, one ormore databases34 may be used or referred to by one or more embodiments of the invention. It should be understood by one having ordinary skill in the art thatdatabases34 may be arranged in a wide variety of architectures and using a wide variety of data access and manipulation means. For example, in various embodiments one ormore databases34 may comprise a relational database system using a structured query language (SQL), while others may comprise an alternative data storage technology such as those referred to in the art as “NoSQL” (for example, Hadoop Cassandra, Google BigTable, and so forth). In some embodiments, variant database architectures such as column-oriented databases, in-memory databases, clustered databases, distributed databases, or even flat file data repositories may be used according to the invention. It will be appreciated by one having ordinary skill in the art that any combination of known or future database technologies may be used as appropriate, unless a specific database technology or a specific arrangement of components is specified for a particular embodiment herein. Moreover, it should be appreciated that the term “database” as used herein may refer to a physical database machine, a cluster of machines acting as a single database system, or a logical database within an overall database management system. Unless a specific meaning is specified for a given use of the term “database”, it should be construed to mean any of these senses of the word, all of which are understood as a plain meaning of the term “database” by those having ordinary skill in the art.
• Similarly, most embodiments of the invention may make use of one ormore security systems36 andconfiguration systems35. Security and configuration management are common information technology (IT) and web functions, and some amount of each are generally associated with any IT or web systems. It should be understood by one having ordinary skill in the art that any configuration or security subsystems known in the art now or in the future may be used in conjunction with embodiments of the invention without limitation, unless aspecific security36 orconfiguration system35 or approach is specifically required by the description of any specific embodiment.
• FIG. 11 shows an exemplary overview of acomputer system40 as may be used in any of the various locations throughout the system. It is exemplary of any computer that may execute code to process data. Various modifications and changes may be made tocomputer system40 without departing from the broader scope of the system and method disclosed herein. Central processor unit (CPU)41 is connected tobus42, to which bus is also connectedmemory43,nonvolatile memory44,display47, input/output (I/O)unit48, and network interface card (NIC)53. I/O unit48 may, typically, be connected to peripherals such as akeyboard49, pointingdevice50,hard disk52, real-time clock51, acamera57, and other peripheral devices.NIC53 connects to network54, which may be the Internet or a local network, which local network may or may not have connections to the Internet. The system may be connected to other computing devices through the network via arouter55, wirelesslocal area network56, or any other network connection. Also shown as part ofsystem40 ispower supply unit45 connected, in this example, to a main alternating current (AC)supply46. Not shown are batteries that could be present, and many other devices and modifications that are well known but are not applicable to the specific novel functions of the current system and method disclosed herein. It should be appreciated that some or all components illustrated may be combined, such as in various integrated applications, for example Qualcomm or Samsung system-on-a-chip (SOC) devices, or whenever it may be appropriate to combine multiple capabilities or functions into a single hardware device (for instance, in mobile devices such as smartphones, video game consoles, in-vehicle computer systems such as navigation or multimedia systems in automobiles, or other integrated hardware devices).
• In various embodiments, functionality for implementing systems or methods of the present invention may be distributed among any number of client and/or server components. For example, various software modules may be implemented for performing various functions in connection with the present invention, and such modules may be variously implemented to run on server and/or client components.
• The skilled person will be aware of a range of possible modifications of the various embodiments described above. Accordingly, the present invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims (16)

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for natural torso and limbs tracking and feedback for electronic interaction with fall protection, comprising:

a body harness comprising a plurality of attachment fixtures for tethers configured to be worn on the body of a person;

a support structure comprising a plurality of attachment fixtures for tethers;

a plurality of sensors configured to detect a movement of the body harness and transmit the data regarding the detected movement to a computing device; and

a plurality of tethers, each tether comprising a line with a first end being affixed to an attachment fixture on the support structure at a location distal from the body of a human user and/or with a second end being affixed to an attachment fixture proximal to the body of a human user, the plurality of tethers being configured to support all or, or a portion of, the body weight of the person in the body harness from the support structure if a portion of the person's torso and limbs falls below a threshold height.

2. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the second end of each tether may be attached to higher or lower attachment fixtures on the support structure to adjust for height variance of different persons.

3. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the attachment fixtures on the support structure are adjustable to adjust for height variance of different persons.

4. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of sensors are strain sensors incorporated into the attachment fixtures of the body harness.

5. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of sensors are strain sensors incorporated into the attachment fixtures of the support structure.

6. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of sensors are strain sensors incorporated into the tethers.

7. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein one or more of the sensors are current sensors which detect a current load in an electric motor around the shaft of which is wound one of the tethers.

8. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein one or more of the sensors is an accelerometer attached to the body harness.

9. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein one or more of the sensors is a gyroscope attached to the body harness.

10. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein one or more of the sensors is a magnetometer attached to the body harness.

11. The apparatus ofclaim 1, further comprising exercise equipment to which the support structure is attached.

12. The apparatus ofclaim 11, wherein the exercise equipment is a treadmill comprising a base and a belt.

13. The apparatus ofclaim 11, wherein the exercise equipment is a stationary bike.

14. The apparatus ofclaim 11, wherein the exercise equipment is an elliptical machine.

15. The apparatus ofclaims 12,13, and14, wherein a force sensor in or under the treadmill, stationary bike, or an elliptical machine base measures downward pressure.

16. The apparatus ofclaim 15, wherein the force sensor in or under the treadmill, stationary bike, or an elliptical machine base is used to detect a gait or paddling pattern of the person.

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