초록 ▼

A system and method for analyzing and improving the performance of an athletic motion such as a golf swing requires: instrumenting a user with inertial sensors and video cameras and monitoring a golf swing or such other athletic motion of interest; drawing upon and contributing to a vast library of

A system and method for analyzing and improving the performance of an athletic motion such as a golf swing requires: instrumenting a user with inertial sensors and video cameras and monitoring a golf swing or such other athletic motion of interest; drawing upon and contributing to a vast library of performance data for analysis of the test results; the analysis including scoring pre-defined parameters relating to component parts of the motion and combining the parameter scores to yield a single, kinetic index score for the motion; providing a real-time, information rich, graphic display of the results in multiple, synchronized formats including video, color coded and stepped frame animations from motion data, and data/time graphs; and based on the results prescribing a user-specific training regime with exercises selected from a library of standardized exercises using standardized tools and training aids.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. A method for analysis and improvement of a selected athletic motion of an individual, comprising: using a computer-based motion analysis system comprising a processing computer, inertial sensors, a video camera, and a computer-driven display screen; monitoring the execution of an athlet

I claim: 1. A method for analysis and improvement of a selected athletic motion of an individual, comprising: using a computer-based motion analysis system comprising a processing computer, inertial sensors, a video camera, and a computer-driven display screen; monitoring the execution of an athletic motion of an individual with multiple said inertial sensors mounted on and said camera directed at said individual; collecting sensor data from said sensors and video signal from said camera during the execution of said athletic motion; analyzing the sensor data by processing said sensor data into motion data representing pre-defined selected performance parameters of pre-defined selected components of the athletic motion; and reporting the results of the analyzing in a form comprising a computer generated display of multiple, selectable configurations, one of which includes in a composite, synchronized combination: a replay of said video signal of said body motion, a multi-color, three dimensional animation of said body motion with at least one color-coded body segment, said animation created from said motion data, and a time-based graph of multiple selected said performance parameters of said body motion. 2. The method for analysis and improvement of a selected athletic motion of claim 1, said inertial sensors incorporating wireless data transmitters, said computer-based motion analysis system incorporating a wireless data receiver. 3. The method for analysis and improvement of a selected athletic motion of claim 1, said athletic motion requiring manipulation of an associated tool, said individual comprising the individual and the associated tool in combination. 4. The method for analysis and improvement of a selected athletic motion of claim 1, said individual comprising a golfer with a golf club, said athletic motion being a golf swing motion. 5. The method for analysis and improvement of a selected athletic motion of claim 1, said animation being color coded by major body segments. 6. The method for analysis and improvement of a selected athletic motion of claim 1, further comprising: setting range of motion limits for selected said components of motion in advance of said monitoring, said animation incorporating a visually apparent three dimensional cage representing said motion limits and within which a said body segment is visible. 7. The method for analysis and improvement of a selected athletic motion of claim 6, further comprising: altering a selected color within said display upon the occurrence of a motion exceeding said motion limits. 8. The method for analysis and improvement of a selected athletic motion of claim 1, said analyzing further comprising comparing for selected parameters the motion data test value to a pre-defined benchmark value for the same parameter and determining a degree of deviation therefrom, said reporting further comprising said time-based graph displaying the test value and the benchmark value of selected parameters concurrently. 9. The method for analysis and improvement of a selected athletic motion of claim 8, said analyzing further comprising calculating from said test value and said benchmark value a score for each said selected parameter. 10. The method for analysis and improvement of a selected athletic motion of claim 1, said sensors being attached to body appliances that are worn by said individual, said sensors and said appliances having corresponding mating structural by which said sensors are uniformly and repeatably attachable to the same place with the same orientation on said appliances. 11. A method for analysis and improvement of a golf swing motion of an individual gripping a golf club, comprising: using a computer-based motion analysis system comprising a wireless receiver communication with a processing computer, wireless inertial sensors, a video camera, and a computer-driven display screen; monitoring the execution of a said golf swing motion with multiple said wireless inertial sensors mounted on and said video camera directed at said individual and said golf club; collecting sensor data from said sensors and video signal from said camera during the execution of said golf swing motion; analyzing the sensor data by processing said sensor data into motion data test values representing selected performance parameters of selected components of the athletic motion; comparing for selected parameters the motion data test value to a pre-defined benchmark value for the same parameter and determining a score for each said selected parameter; summing by a pre-defined formula the primary performance parameter scores into secondary parameter scores, summing by a pre-defined formula the secondary parameter scores into a body performance factor and a club performance factor, and summing by a pre-defined formula the body performance factor and the club performance factor into a single kinetic index score; processing said sensor data into a multi-color, three dimensional animation representing said golf swing motion; presenting on said computer-driven display screen in real time said video signal, said animation, and at least one of said test values; reporting the results of the analyzing in a form comprising a computer generated display of multiple, selectable configurations, one of which includes in a composite, synchronized combination a multi-color, three dimensional animation representing the motion of at least one color-coded body segment created from said motion data, and a time-based graph of multiple selected said performance parameters of said motion; entering a schedule of the frequency and length of the subject's available training times; prescribing a regime of training exercises selected from a pre-defined list of exercises where each exercise is associated with at least one said performance parameter and has a pre-defined priority level with respect to that parameter, the regime being based on the amount of said deviation from said benchmark values of respective said parameters, the exercises associated with those parameters, the priority levels of those exercises, and the frequency and length of the subject's available training times, each said exercise being associated with a pre-defined set of training tools. 12. The method for analysis and improvement of a selected athletic motion of claim 11, further comprising: setting range of motion limits for selected components of said motion in advance of said testing, said animation incorporating a visually apparent three dimensional cage representing said motion limits and within which said body segments are visible. 13. The method for analysis and improvement of a selected athletic motion of claim 11, further comprising: altering a selected color within said display upon the occurrence of a motion exceeding said motion limits. 14. The method of claim 11, further comprising: repeating the recited steps. 15. A method for analysis and improvement of a selected athletic motion of a subject, comprising: using a computer-based motion analysis system comprising a processing computer, inertial sensors incorporating wireless data transmitters, a wireless data receiver, a video camera, and a computer-driven display screen; setting range of motion limits for selected components of said athletic motion; monitoring the execution of a said athletic motion with multiple said inertial sensors mounted on said individual for motion data and said camera directed at said individual for video signal; generating and displaying concurrently to a viewer in real time, numerical motion data from said sensor data, an animation of said athletic motion from said sensor data and said video signal from said camera, wherein said motion data, said animation and said video signal visually present the same subject matter, in the same field of view, executing the same motion; recording said sensor data and said video signal; processing said sensor data into motion data representing pre-defined selected performance parameters of pre-defined selected components of the athletic motion; and providing feedback to said individual in a form comprising a computer generated display of multiple, selectable configurations, one of which includes in a composite, synchronized combination, said animation and a time-based graph of at least one said performance parameter of said motion, said animation comprising a multi-color, three dimensional animation, color coded by major body segments and presenting the motion of at least one color-coded body segment created from said motion data. 16. The method for analysis and improvement of a selected athletic motion of claim 15, said time-based graph comprising multiple selected said performance parameters of said motion. 17. The method for analysis and improvement of a selected athletic motion of claim 15, comprising generating a first audio feedback signal upon the occurrence of a motion conducted within said range of motion limits, and a different audio feedback signal upon the occurrence of a motion exceeding said range of motion limits. 18. The method for analysis and improvement of a selected athletic motion of claim 15; further comprising generating and displaying a visually apparent three dimensional cage representing said motion limits within which said animation is presented. 19. The method for analysis and improvement of a selected athletic motion of claim 15, further comprising: entering a schedule of the frequency and length of the subject's available training times; and prescribing a regime of training exercises selected from a pre-defined list of exercises where each exercise is associated with at least one said performance parameter and has a pre-defined priority level with respect to that parameter, the regime being based on the amount of said deviation from said benchmark values of respective said parameters, the exercises associated with those parameters, the priority levels of those exercises, and the frequency and length of the subject's available training times, each said exercise being associated with a pre-defined set of training tools. 20. The method for analysis and improvement of a selected athletic motion of claim 15, further comprising: selecting and defining a test site to have at least one motion reference point; positioning said video camera to be directed at said test site at a pre-defined angle, height, elevation and offset with respect to said reference point; feeding a video signal from said camera to said computer-driven display screen; inserting an overlay in said computer-driven display screen corresponding to said reference point. 21. A method for analysis and improvement of a selected body motion of a subject, comprising: using a computer-based motion analysis system comprising a processing computer, inertial sensors, a video camera, and a computer-driven display screen; setting range of motion limits for selected component parts of said motion; monitoring the execution of a said body motion with multiple said inertial sensors mounted on and said camera directed at said subject; transmitting sensor data from said inertial sensors and video signal from said camera to said computer during the execution of said body motion; generating in real time from said sensor data numerical data relating to said component parts of said body motion, generating in real time from said sensor data an animation of said body motion comprising component parts of said body motion; presenting said video signal, said numerical data and said animation concurrently in real time on said comuter-driven display screen, wherein said numerical data, said animation and said video signal visually present the same subject matter, in the same field of view, executing the same motion; and providing at least one of audible feedback and visual feedback to said subject indicating performance relative to said range of motion limits. 22. The method for analysis and improvement of a selected athletic motion of claim 21, further comprising: said subject comprising a person with a golf club, said body motion comprising a swing of a golf club; comparing the motion data for selected parameters to a pre-defined benchmark value for the same parameter and determining a score for each said selected parameter; summing by a pre-defined formula the primary performance parameter scores into secondary parameter scores, summing by a pre-defined formula the secondary parameter scores into a body performance factor and a club performance factor, and summing by a pre-defined formula the body performance factor and the club performance factor into a single kinetic index score. 23. The method for analysis and improvement of a selected athletic motion of claim 21, said sensors having a stacked topology within a sensor enclosure wherein a battery is proximate to and its shape conforms with the bottom of said enclosure, and sensor elements and electronic circuitry are positioned over said battery within said enclosure. 24. The method for analysis and improvement of a selected athletic motion of claim 21, said animation comprising: a stepped frame animation wherein selected positions of an object in motion are retained in subsequent frames of said animation such that a motion track is apparent to a viewer; the retained positions being selected on a basis selected from the group of basis consisting of time, position, speed, and acceleration of said object in motion.