Riding the joystick system to health and fitness

Abstract

An exercise device in one embodiment has a member ( 102 ) attached to a joystick control ( 108 ). A user ( 202 ) is positioned to perform push-up and squat exercises with member ( 102 ) below and against the abdomen or buttocks. Movements of user's torso down, up, forward, back, and side-to-side generate traditional control commands, including roll, pitch, and yaw. The downward motion and/or pressure by the user ( 202 ) triggers a switch ( 502 ). Control ( 108 ) collects the motion and trigger data and transmits same via an electronic link ( 110 ) to a computer ( 112 ) for processing. Hence, the user receives the benefit of a serious exercise program while playing games, thus making exercise fun.

1 . An exercise system, comprising:
 a member having means for engaging a body part of an exercising user,   a hand platform having first means for functionally engaging at least one digit of a hand of said user, said hand platform having second means for communicating motion of said digit,   a joystick control having first means for providing joystick control output in the form of electrical signals and functionally coupled to said member so that movements of said member are communicated to said joystick control, said joystick control having at least one motion sensor, said joystick control having second means for receiving communication of said motion of said digit,   a circuit for communicating said output of said joystick control with a computer having a software program designed to respond to said electrical signals,   said member being attached to said joystick control so that movement of said body part of said user will urge said member to make corresponding movements which actuate said motion sensor of said joystick control,   said hand platform arranged to communicate said motion of said digit to said joystick control,   said circuit for communicating arranged to transmit said electrical signal representing said movements of said member and said motion of said digit to said computer,   whereby said user can perform body exercises while playing a game or another computer related task.   
     
     
         2 . The exercise system of  claim 1 , further including said motion sensor selected from the group consisting of potentiometers, variable resistors, analog to digital converter chips, hall effect devices, and light emitting diodes. 
     
     
         3 . The exercise system of  claim 1 , further including said computer, said computer having means for receiving said joystick control output. 
     
     
         4 . The exercise system of  claim 1  wherein said circuit for communicating comprises a wireless communication device selected from the group consisting of radio and infrared devices. 
     
     
         5 . The exercise system of  claim 1 , further including at least one switching circuit secured at a selected location on said member and arranged to control said electrical signals to said joystick control. 
     
     
         6 . The exercise system of  claim 1 , wherein said switching circuit contains a device for interrupting the flow of electrons selected from the group consisting of switches and force-sensing resistors. 
     
     
         7 . The exercise system of  claim 1  wherein said switching circuit on said member is arranged to communicate downward motion of said body part to said joystick control. 
     
     
         8 . The exercise system of  claim 1 , further including at least one said switching circuit secured at a selected location on said hand platform and arranged to control said electrical signals to said joystick control. 
     
     
         9 . The exercise system of  claim 1 , further including at least one height adjustment means secured at a selected location on said member and arranged to position the height of said body part of said user relative to said switching circuit. 
     
     
         10 . The exercise system of  claim 1 , wherein said height adjustment means is selected from the group consisting of tubes, arms, springs, spheres, screws, rods, and stops. 
     
     
         11 . The exercise system of  claim 1 , further including a height measuring assembly said height measuring assembly being secured at a selected location on said member and arranged to communicate said downward motion of said body part of said user to said joystick control. 
     
     
         12 . The exercise system of  claim 1 , wherein said height adjustment means is selected from the group consisting of linear and rotary distance measurement devices. 
     
     
         13 . The exercise system of  claim 1 , further including means for securing a hand of said user to said platform so that a movement of said hand urges a corresponding movement of said platform. 
     
     
         14 . An exercise system, comprising:
 a member having means for engaging a body part of an exercising user,   a joystick control having means for providing joystick control output in the form of electrical signals and functionally coupled to said member so that movements of said member are communicated to said joystick control, said joystick control having at least one motion sensor,   a circuit for communicating said output of said joystick control with a computer having a software program designed to respond to said electrical signals,   said member being attached to said joystick control so that movement of said body part of said user will urge said member to make corresponding movements which actuate said motion sensor of said joystick control,   said circuit for communicating arranged to transmit said electrical signal representing said movements of said member to said computer,   whereby said user can perform body exercises while playing a game or another computer related task.   
     
     
         15 . The exercise system of  claim 14 , further including said motion sensor selected from the group consisting of potentiometers, variable resistors, analog to digital converter chips, hall effect devices, and light-emitting diodes. 
     
     
         16 . The exercise system of  claim 14 , further including said computer, said computer having means for receiving said joystick control output. 
     
     
         17 . The exercise system of  claim 14 , wherein said circuit for communicating comprises a wireless communication device selected from the group consisting of radio and infra-red devices. 
     
     
         18 . The exercise system of  claim 14 , further including at least one switching circuit secured at a selected location on said member and arranged to control said electrical signals to said joystick control. 
     
     
         19 . The exercise system of  claim 14 , wherein said switching circuit containing a device for interrupting the flow of electrons is selected from the group consisting of switches and force-sensing resistors. 
     
     
         20 . The exercise system of  claim 14 , further including at least one height adjustment means secured at a selected location on said member and arranged to position the height of said body part of said user relative to said switching circuit. 
     
     
         21 . The exercise system of  claim 14 , wherein said height-adjustment means is selected from the group consisting of tubes, arms, springs, spheres, screws, rods, and stops. 
     
     
         22 . The exercise system of  claim 14 , further including a height measuring assembly said height measuring assembly being secured at a selected location on said member and arranged to communicate said downward motion of said body part of said user to said joystick control. 
     
     
         23 . The exercise system of  claim 14 , wherein said height adjustment means is selected from the group consisting of linear and rotary distance measurement devices. 
     
     
         24 . A method of performing exercises, comprising;
 a. providing an exercise system comprising a member for engaging a body part of a user, a joystick control for transmitting command signals, a housing base for securing and stabilizing said joystick control, said member being attached to said joystick control so that motion of said body part of said user upon said member urges said joystick control to transmit said motion to a computer arranged to display movements of an object on a display corresponding to said command signals of said movements of said member, and a platform having a predetermined physical structure with means for receiving motion from at least one digit of one hand of said user, said platform having means for transmitting said motion of said digit to said joystick control,   b. situating said member below and against said body part of said user,   c. moving said body part to effect movements of said member, including down, up, left, right, forward, back, and twist left and right movements, effectively causing said control to generate trigger, roll, pitch, and yaw command signals corresponding to said movements of said body part and said member,   d. situating said digit on said platform so that activity of said digit urges said platform to transmit said electrical signals to said joystick control, effectively causing said joystick control to process said information as said command signals, and   e. transmitting the said command signals to said computer,   whereby said user can thereby interface with a computer program to effectively perform exercises while engaged in game playing and other computer related tasks.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further including at least one switching circuit secured at a selected location on said member and arranged to control said electrical signals to said joystick control. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said switching circuit is arranged to control transmission of said electrical signals to said joystick control. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said switching circuit containing a device for interrupting the flow of electrons selected from the group consisting of switches and force-sensing resistors. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said switching circuit on said member is arranged to communicate downward motion of said body part to said joystick control. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said switching circuit on said platform is arranged to communicate said motion of said digit to said joystick control. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 24 , further including at least one height adjustment means said height-adjusting means being secured at a selected location on said member and arranged to position the height of said body part of said user relative to said switching circuit. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said height adjustment means on said member is selected from the group consisting of tubes, arms, springs, spheres, screws, rods, and stops. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 24 , further including a height measure assembly, said height-measure assembly being secured at a selected location to said member and arranged to communicate said downward motion of said body part of said user to said joystick control. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said height measure assembly on said member is selected from the group consisting of linear and rotary distance measurement devices.