Biofeedback system for sensing body motion and flexure

Abstract

A method and apparatus for monitoring key components of body movement and flexure during kinetic activities, and providing intuitive, audible, real time biofeedback to the user. The system uses one or more transducers of types that are directionally sensitive to motion, distance, velocity, and the like, or sensitive to flexure of body joints, at frequencies and magnitudes consistent with human physical activities. Universal appliances aid in the ready emplacement of transducers at user selected points on the body, with user selected orientation. Transducers are connected by wires or wireless means to a small, battery powered signal processor and biofeedback module worn by the user. Individual or integrated transducer outputs are processed to obtain the selected parameter, such as speed of rotation or degree of flexure, and measured against a multistep scale of preferably 3 to 5 steps calibrated to the range of interest and separated by perceptible difference in value. Each step triggers a respective audio tone, each successive tone preferably separated by 1/3 to 1/1 octave in pitch, the highest pitched tone triggered being held for preferably 0.1 to 0.3 seconds. Additional outputs in other forms may be provided for accessory presentation or recording devices. Sports training for improved form, such as for golf and tennis, and medical monitoring applications, including injury avoidance and rehabilitation, are among its uses.