Invented by Necip Berme, Scott Zerkle Barnes, Lewis Michael Nashner, Bertec Corp
The Market For Force and/or Motion Measurement System and a Method For Testing a Subject
The market for force and/or motion measurement systems and methods to test subjects is anticipated to expand. The primary driver for this growth is the increasing demand for wearable sensors as well as an increasing need to estimate ground reaction forces (GRF) from kinematic data.
Nowadays, the most commonly used methods to estimate GRF and joint moments from kinematic data involve combining three-dimensional motion analysis systems with force plate analyses. Unfortunately, this apparatus is costly and takes up a considerable amount of space; alternative methods exist as well.
Market Overview
The market for Force and/or Motion measurement system and methods to test subjects disposed on such devices is expected to experience significant growth over the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to an increasing adoption of Force and Motion sensors in various industrial applications. Furthermore, rising production of consumer electronics devices such as smartphones and tablets in Asia Pacific region are further fueling demand for Force and Motion sensors.
A Force and/or Motion measurement system consists of a motion base designed to displace a force measurement device, along with an inertial compensation system designed to determine any inertial forces or moments caused by that displacement. Furthermore, it includes a method for comparing these forces or moments against an established reference value in order to establish accurate readings.
Automobile, medical and consumer electronics industries all utilize force sensors for various tasks. Load cells are commonly employed to measure force; they can detect different types of stresses like compression or tension.
Many companies depend on these devices to protect their products and ensure accuracy in data collection and analysis. They have a variety of other industrial and commercial uses as well.
Measurement of motion with these devices is increasingly crucial in sports and other industries. Athletes and coaches alike are finding increasingly useful ways to train or enhance their performance using these tools.
Sports such as swimmers and sprinters who aim to improve their starts and turns can benefit from these devices, which also measure other forms of movement like jumping and balance.
These systems can even be combined with motion capture technology to assess an athlete’s gait. While these devices cannot replace direct measurements such as the tether system, they provide valuable insight into how athletes’ bodies respond to certain exercises and training programs.
Market Segmentation
Market segmentation is the practice of subdividing a market into subgroups based on demographics, purchasing behavior and other traits. This helps businesses create product offerings tailored to their target audiences’ needs.
Segmentation can be used to identify underserved markets and discover new ways of serving existing customers. It also assists companies in understanding how best to position products and services for maximum effectiveness in the marketplace, allowing them to focus their resources on areas with the greatest profitability potential.
Market segmentation can be divided into several categories such as demographic, psychographic, behavioral and geographic. All these techniques aim to identify groups with similar purchasing habits, attitudes and interests.
Demographic segmentation is a simple and common technique that divides a market into segments based on age, gender, income or other demographics. These groups are then analyzed to identify their purchasing habits and the products they may consider purchasing.
Personality-based segmentation is another approach that utilizes personality traits to understand customers’ needs. This technique often works together with other segmentation techniques, enabling companies to create more precise market segments.
Benefit-based segmentation focuses on the value consumers place on particular features of a product or service, making it especially helpful in industries with multiple product or service lines, like access control systems or thermal spray coatings.
Situational segmentation is a more precise method that groups customers according to when they use a product or service. It’s especially beneficial in industries that utilize multiple technologies, like industrial automation or uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems.
Segmentation is an indispensable asset for any business looking to grow its customer base and boost profits. It helps create better products, boost sales, and engage more effectively with customers. Furthermore, segmentation provides a framework for product development cycles as well as helping keep you focused on what you’re communicating.
Market Trends
The market for Force and Motion measurement system and methods to test a subject is expected to expand rapidly over the forecast period, driven mainly by an increasing adoption of force sensors across industries such as automotive, medical, and others. Furthermore, changes to manufacturing landscape and industrial automation are fueling this growth trajectory.
Asia-Pacific is projected to dominate the global Force and/or Motion measurement system market over the forecast period. The rapid advancement of automation systems in this region has driven up sales and production levels of these systems, which is likely to continue as companies invest in improving their capabilities and technology investments.
Another significant trend in the industry is the increasing adoption of digital twins, which enable manufacturers to construct and manage virtual models of their products. This helps them streamline processes, shorten time to market, boost profitability and eliminate errors from production.
One important market trend in Force and Motion measurement systems is the growing use of IoT devices. This trend is especially evident for industrial applications. IoT devices can be utilized to monitor equipment performance across various environments, as well as collect data on environmental conditions.
The growing adoption of IoT devices across various industries, particularly automation and healthcare, is anticipated to fuel growth in the global Force and/or Motion measurement system market over the forecast period. Furthermore, demand for advanced medical equipment within this sector will likely drive market expansion during this time.
Contact-Based TGMS are expected to dominate the global TGMS market during the forecast period, due to their superior accuracy compared to non-contact systems.
In the future, TGMS are expected to see an increased use of telematics and mobile devices due to the necessity for tracking equipment movements and ensuring its safety. Furthermore, with more trains on the track, there will be even greater demand for TGMS in railways.
Market Forecasts
The market for force and motion measurement systems and methods to test subjects is rapidly expanding around the globe due to an increasing need for automation and scalability in manufacturing processes. Furthermore, these systems help manufacturers save on maintenance expenses while increasing productivity.
These devices are used in a range of applications, such as testing and analyzing the performance of products, machines or robots. They’re found across numerous industries like aerospace, automotive, electronics & semiconductors and healthcare.
Force and/or Motion measurement systems are widely available on the market, such as digital force meters, force transducers and torque sensors. These instruments can measure a variety of forces and torques with ease and typically consist of a sensor, interface electronics and cabling.
Modern force transducers offer unprecedented accuracy, surpassing even the class standard. This is possible because their measuring elements possess high linearity and can withstand overloads without compromising measurement validity. Furthermore, their large measurement bandwidth makes them suitable for use across a range of industrial sectors regardless of application.
These devices feature strain gauge technology that has proven to be both highly durable and versatile. As such, they are ideal for applications requiring extreme precision and longevity such as health monitoring systems (HMS).
North America will hold the majority of this market in 2021 and is projected to experience a healthy compound annual growth rate (CAGR) throughout the forecast period. This demand for quick assembly methods in automotive applications as well as increasing usage of these products in healthcare institutions are driving market growth. Furthermore, miniaturization of electronic devices within semiconductor applications is another factor fueling its expansion.
The Bertec Corp invention works as follows
A force measurement system comprises a force measurement apparatus that can receive a subject, at least 1 visual display device with an output screen and one or more data processing units that are configured to generate a screen picture consisting of a plurality a substantially concentric bands on a screen output of the at most one visual display devices. This screen is used to create visual stimuli for the subject placed on the force measuring assembly. This invention also discloses a variety of methods to test a subject. A force measurement assembly or augmented reality glasses are used to test a subject. Additional disclosures include a measurement system that includes a motion detection system and an object position detection device, as well as an eye movement tracking device.
Background for Force and/or Motion measurement system and a method for testing a subject
1. “1.
The invention generally refers to a force measurement device. The invention is more specifically related to a force measurement system and a method of testing subjects using that system.
2. Background
Force measurement systems can be used in many fields to measure the reaction forces and moments between a body’s surface and its support surface. Force measurement systems can be used in biomedical applications for gait analysis, mobility assessment, evaluation of sports performance, and ergonomics assessment. A force measurement system must include some form of force measurement device to quantify the forces and moments caused by the body placed thereon. The force measurement device can be any combination of a force plate, balance plate, force plate or jump plate depending on the application. Or it could be an instrumented treadmill that measures the forces and moments between the body’s support surface and the body.
A balance assessment of a human subject can be performed with a special type of force plate, also known as a balanceplate. The inputs of the vestibular, proprioceptive and visual systems help individuals to maintain their balance. The existence of conventional balance systems that can assess any one or more of these inputs is well-known. These conventional balance systems are often based on outdated technology, which can significantly reduce their accuracy in assessing a person’s weight and/or make them cumbersome and difficult for patients and operators (e.g. clinicians and other medical personnel). Some conventional balance systems use displaceable background enclosures that have fixed images on them. These are difficult to adapt to different testing methods.
A force measurement system that uses virtual reality scenarios to assess the balance characteristics of a subject is what is required. This allows for greater flexibility in balance assessment testing. A method for testing subjects that uses a force measurement system with interactive and flexible virtual reality scenarios is also needed. A force and motion measurement system that uses an immersive visual display device to allow subjects to be immersed in virtual reality scenarios or interactive games is also required.
Accordingly, this invention is directed at a force measurement device having a displaceable force measuring assembly that substantially eliminates one or more of the limitations and inconsistencies of the related art.
According to one aspect of this invention, there’s a force measuring system that includes a force assembly that can receive a subject. The force measurement apparatus also includes a surface that can receive at most one portion of the subject’s body. At least one force sensor, the at minimum one force transducer, is designed to sense one or several measured quantities and output them to the force measurement device. A plurality of substantially concentric lines on the output screen of at least 1 visual display devices are used to generate visual stimuli.
In another embodiment of the present invention, each one of the plurality if substantially concentric bands generated on the outputscreen of at least one data processing device comprises blurred edge portions with no clearly defined boundaries so that the subject cannot establish a particular focal point on the outputscreen.
Under another embodiment, each of the plurality if substantially concentric band generated by one or more data processors on the output screen at least one visual display devices comprise one or more of these: (i) A plurality elliptical concentric bars, (iii), a plurality elliptical concentric Bands, (iii), a plurality octagonal concentric Bands, (iv), a plurality a square concentric Bands, and (v).
In yet another embodiment, the plurality or more substantially concentric bands generated on the outputscreen of the at least 1 visual display device are three-dimensionally organized on the outputscreen so as to create an effect of a three-dimensional tunnel effect on the subject.
In yet another embodiment, the at minimum one visual display device includes a projector with a lens and concavely-shaped projection screens, wherein the lens is placed at a nonzero, angled orientation relative the body of the projector and wherein projector is configured so that an image is projected through the lens onto the concavely-shaped projection screens.
A further embodiment of the projector includes a fisheye lenses, wherein the angle at which the fisheye is placed relative to the body is approximately 90 degrees.
Another embodiment of the visual display device includes a concavely-shaped projection screen and a plurality projectors. The plurality projectors are configured to project intersecting beams of light onto the projection screen of at least one visual device and create an overall composite image on that projection screen using the intersecting beams.
According to yet another aspect, the present invention provides a measurement system. It includes at most one visual screen. The output screen displays one to three scene images so that subjects can view them. An eye movement detection device is used to detect the eye position and/or movement of the Subject. A data processing apparatus is also connected to the at minimum one visual screen device. This device uses the one to three first signals to determine the position of objects in the scene images.
A further embodiment of the present invention includes an object positioning detection system. The object position detector system is configured to detect the position of a subject’s body and output one or two third signals. It comprises at least one of these: (i), one or multiple inertial measurement units; (ii), one or several infrared sensing devices; and (iv). one or many cameras. The data processing unit is further connected to the object detection system in this further embodiment. It can receive one or several third signals representative of the subject’s position and compute the position or orientation of that subject using the one-or more third signals.
A further embodiment of the measurement and analysis system includes a force measurement apparatus that can receive the subject. The force measurement assembly comprises a surface that can receive at least one part of the subject’s body; at least one force sensor, which is configured to sense one or several quantities and output one of four signals that represent forces or moments being applied to surface of force measurement assembly by subject. This further embodiment includes a data processing unit that is operatively coupled with the force measuring assembly. The data processing devices are configured to receive one or two fourth signals representing the forces or moments being applied to surface of force measurement assembly by subject. They can then convert those signals into output forces or moments. Additionally, the data processing devices are further configured to evaluate the performance of subject while performing simulated tasks, interactive games or training exercises using the output moments and forces being measured by force measurement assemblies.
In yet another embodiment, the at minimum one visual display device includes a projector with a lens and concavely-shaped projection screens, wherein the lens is placed at a nonzero, angled orientation relative the body of the projector and wherein projector is configured so that an image is projected through the lens onto the concavely-shaped projection screen.
Another embodiment of the projector includes a fisheye lenses, wherein the angle at which the fisheye is placed relative to the body is approximately 90 degrees.
A further embodiment of the measurement and analysis system includes an instrumented movement capture glove that is configured to detect one to more finger movements of the subject while the subject performs one or multiple simulated tasks interactive games training exercises or balance tests. The instrumented motor capture glove is operatively coupled with the data processing devices, and the data processor being configured for determining one or two finger positions of subject during performance of the one to more simulated tasks interactive games training exercises or balance checks using the one to five signals from the instrumented mo capture glove
Another embodiment of the head position detector device includes at least one sensor unit that is mounted on the head and outputs the second signals that represent the position of a subject’s head.
