Performance Feedback Punching Bag System
Product: Performance Feedback Punching Bag System
Development Stage: Prototype completed
Inventors: Neil Deochand, Dale Gregory, Derek Visch, Ryan Bowman, Alexander McLean, Wayne Fuqua
Scientific Publication: Unpublished
License Status: License Available
Patent Status: US Utility application 15/092,176
Reference: 2014-016
Electronics are reshaping many familiar human activities, especially in the area of exercise. Electronic training equipment allow people to easily monitor their real-time activity data, and track their training progress, by synching their workouts to smart phones or computers.
This has led to the field of Human Performance Technology (HPT), which offers the chance to apply cutting edge engineering concepts to the development of novel interactive sports technologies. While there is a long history of using visual feedback (heart rate, speed, distance traveled, or calories burned, etc.) so users may visually track their exercise progress to improve athletic performance, there are moments where visual feedback may not be as effective.
Visual aids depicting workout graphs, on a video screen, for many sports, such as boxing, are impractical. Monitoring a video output while punching a heavy or speed bag could interfere with athletic performance. To solve this challenging issue, an alternative prototype bag system has been developed at WMU that provides real-time performance audio feedback, for an intuitive workout experience. the field of Human Performance Technology (HPT), which offers the chance to apply cutting edge engineering concepts to the development of novel interactive sports technologies. While there is a long history of using visual feedback (heart rate, speed, distance traveled, or calories burned, etc.) so users may visually track their exercise progress to improve athletic performance, there are moments where visual feedback may not be as effective.
Technology Description
The WMU system provides real-time, audio feedback to the exerciser so that the user’s workout music adjusts programmatically with their performance. For example, if the user engages in faster punching this would speed up the tempo of the song they are working out to, and slow down the song when they decrease their punching speed. The force of the punch would alter with the volume (decibels) of the music. The accuracy of the strike would fluctuate the pitch (Hertz) of the music. The heart-rate would co-vary with the visibility of the Graphic User Interface (GUI) display, where staying within a specified heart-rate range would increase visibility. These are just the default options which the user could alter at their discretion, e.g. switch around heart rate to correspond with the beat of the music, or other preferred combination. The user could also specify positive and negative playlists when they are meeting, or not meeting, their respective workout goals. Additionally, the user’s previous workout results would determine their particular performance benchmarks, which would impact when the audio feedback would alter, rather than be determined by pre-classified fitness levels, e.g. expert or novice.
The user can also receive traditional visual feedback displaying their rate of punching, force, and the accuracy of the previous punch on a screen. Data is saved from previous sessions, allowing tracking of the user’s overall progress.
This feedback system can be utilized with other exercise equipment such as treadmills, bikes, free-weights, steppers, as well as rowing and elliptical machines.
Potential Benefits
• Data tracking of exercise performance benchmarks
• Real-time customized audio feedback during a workout/training session
• System can be utilized on other exercise equipment
Contact
D. Clark Bennett
(269) 387-8218
Director of Technology and Innovation Advancement