Exercise Gaming Device and Method of Interacting With Gaming or Other Scenarios Based on Physical Exercise

Abstract

The present invention embodiments promote performance of exercise by users during a computer simulation or game. An embodiment of the present invention includes an exercise device with a plurality of effector or gripping members in the form of handles to be manipulated by a user. A coil steel spring provides the resistance for the handles that may be compressed together or pulled apart for resistance-based exercise. The device further includes additional input devices to interact with a simulation or gaming scenario. The user applies forces to the handles to interact with the scenario, thereby requiring the user to perform exercises during the simulation or game play.

1 . An apparatus to manipulate a computer-generated scenario comprising:
 a plurality of effector members each engagable by a corresponding user body portion to receive forces applied thereto, wherein said effector members are coupled to each other and said applied force effects a measurable relative displacement between said effector members;   at least one displacement sensor to measure said relative displacement produced by said user body portion; and   a processor to process measurements from said at least one displacement sensor and facilitate interaction with said computer-generated scenario in accordance with said relative displacement.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including:
 a resistive member coupled to said effector members to provide resistance to said effector members and resist said forces applied by said user body portion.   
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said resistive member includes a spring. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including:
 a rotatable member coupled to one of said effector members to rotate in response to said forces applied to said one effector member;   wherein said at least one displacement sensor includes a rotation sensor to measure rotation of said rotatable member to provide a measurement of said relative displacement.   
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said rotation sensor includes an encoder. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including:
 at least one orientation sensor to measure orientation of said apparatus, wherein said processor processes measurements from said orientation sensor and said at least one displacement sensor and facilitates control of said computer-generated scenario in accordance with said relative displacement and measured orientation.   
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said apparatus includes a housing, and one of said plurality of effector members is fixedly attached to said housing. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said processor includes:
 a calibration module to measure forces applied to said effector members and set an amount of force required by said user to be applied to said effector members in order to interact with said computer-generated scenario.   
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said calibration module sets said required force to be a percentage of a user maximum strength determined from said measured displacement. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said calibration module monitors said measured displacement during interaction with said computer-generated scenario and dynamically adjusts said required force in accordance with said monitored displacement. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including a display to display information pertaining to exercise performed by said user. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said processor produces said computer-generated scenario, and wherein said processor processes measurements from said at least one displacement sensor and updates said computer-generated scenario in accordance with said measurements. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said computer-generated scenario includes one of a simulation and a gaming scenario, and said apparatus further includes at least one input device including at least one of a button, trigger and joystick to interact with said computer-generated scenario. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said effector members are configured to be engaged by at least one of a user hand and leg. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said computer-generated scenario is provided by a processing system, and said processor communicates with and transfers information to said processing system to control said computer-generated scenario of said processing system in accordance with said relative displacement. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said processor sets a resistance of said apparatus in accordance with a user specified resistance level. 
   
   
       17 . A method of manipulating a computer-generated scenario via an exercise device comprising a plurality of effector members, at least one displacement sensor, and a processor, said method comprising:
 (a) receiving forces applied to said plurality of effector members by a corresponding user body portion, wherein said effector members are coupled to each other and said applied force effects a measurable relative displacement between said effector members;   (b) measuring said relative displacement produced by said user body portion via said at least one displacement sensor; and   (c) processing measurements from said at least one displacement sensor, via said processor, and facilitating interaction with said computer-generated scenario in accordance with said relative displacement.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein step (a) further includes:
 (a.1) providing resistance to said effector members via a resistive member coupled to said effector members to resist said forces applied by said user body portion.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein a rotatable member is coupled to one of said effector members to rotate in response to said forces applied to said one effector member and said at least one displacement sensor includes a rotation sensor, and step (b) further includes:
 (b.1) measuring said rotation of said rotatable member, via said rotation sensor, to provide a measurement of said relative displacement.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein step (b) further includes:
 (b.1) measuring an orientation of said exercise device via at least one orientation sensor; and   step (c) further includes:   (c.1) processing measurements from said orientation sensor and said at least one displacement sensor, via said processor, and facilitating control of said computer-generated scenario in accordance with said relative displacement and measured orientation.   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein step (c) further includes:
 (c.1) measuring said forces applied to said effector members and setting an amount of force required by said user to be applied to said effector members in order to interact with said computer-generated scenario.   
   
   
       22 . The method of clam  21 , wherein step (c) further includes:
 (c.2) monitoring said measured displacement during interaction with said computer-generated scenario and dynamically adjusting said required force in accordance with said monitored displacement.   
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 17  further including:
 (d) displaying information pertaining to exercise performed by said user on a display.   
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said processor produces said computer-generated scenario, and step (c) further includes:
 (c.1) processing measurements from said at least one displacement sensor and updating said computer-generated scenario in accordance with said measurements via said processor.   
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said computer-generated scenario includes one of a simulation and a gaming scenario, and wherein said exercise device further includes at least one input device including at least one of a button, trigger and joystick to interact with said computer-generated scenario. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein step (a) further includes:
 (a.1) receiving said forces applied to said plurality of effector members by at least one of a user hand and leg.   
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said computer-generated scenario is provided by a processing system, and step (c) further includes:
 (c.1) transferring information from said processor to said processing system to control said computer-generated scenario of said processing system in accordance with said relative displacement.   
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein step (c) further includes:
 (c.1) setting a resistance of said exercise device, via said processor, in accordance with a user specified resistance level.   
   
   
       29 . A program product apparatus including a computer readable medium with computer program logic recorded thereon for manipulating a computer-generated scenario in response to manipulation of an exercise device including a plurality of effector members, at least one displacement sensor, and a processor, said program product apparatus comprising:
 an environment module to generate and display a virtual environment for said computer-generated scenario that induces a user to apply force to said plurality of effector members by a corresponding user body portion, wherein said effector members are coupled to each other and said applied force effects a measurable relative displacement between said effector members, and wherein said virtual environment includes an object controllable by manipulation of said effector members; and   an update module to receive measurements of said relative displacement of said effector members from said exercise device and to control said object within said virtual environment in accordance with said received relative displacement measurements to update said virtual environment in accordance with manipulation of said effector members.   
   
   
       30 . The apparatus of  claim 29  further including:
 a calibration module to generate and display a scenario responsive to manipulation of said effector members to calibrate said exercise device and set an amount of force required by said user to be applied to said effector members in order to interact with said virtual environment.   
   
   
       31 . A method for manipulating a computer-generated scenario in response to manipulation of an exercise device including a plurality of effector members, at least one displacement sensor, and a processor, said method comprising:
 (a) generating and displaying a virtual environment for said computer-generated scenario that induces a user to apply force to said plurality of effector members by a corresponding user body portion, wherein said effector members are coupled to each other and said applied force effects a measurable relative displacement between said effector members, and wherein said virtual environment includes an object controllable by manipulation of said effector members; and   (b) receiving measurements of said relative displacement of said effector members from said exercise device and controlling said object within said virtual environment in accordance with said received relative displacement measurements to update said virtual environment in accordance with manipulation of said effector members.   
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein step (a) further includes:
 (a.1) generating and displaying a scenario responsive to manipulation of said effector members to calibrate said exercise device and set an amount of force required by said user to be applied to said effector members in order to interact with said virtual environment.