Apparatus, systems, and methods for gathering and processing biometric and biomechanical data

Abstract

Apparatus, systems, and methods are provided for measuring and analyzing movements of a body and for communicating information related to such body movements over a network. In certain embodiments, a system gathers biometric and biomechanical data relating to positions, orientations, and movements of various body parts of a user performed during sports activities, physical rehabilitation, or military or law enforcement activities. The biometric and biomechanical data can be communicated to a local and/or remote interface, which uses digital performance assessment tools to provide a performance evaluation to the user. The performance evaluation may include a graphical representation (e.g., a video), statistical information, and/or a comparison to another user and/or instructor. In some embodiments, the biometric and biomechanical data is communicated wirelessly to one or more devices including a processor, display, and/or data storage medium for further analysis, archiving, and data mining. In some embodiments, the device includes a cellular telephone.

1 . A body movement sensor system for tracking and recording body movement data, the system comprising:
 at least two sensors configured to physically associate with first and second body appendages, each of the sensors having a sample rate that can be configured for sensing body movement during a movement activity;   at least one portable transceiver configured to accompany the user during the movement activity, the transceiver further configured to communicate with the sensors and transmit body movement data received from the sensors;   a processor configured to not accompany the user during the movement activity, the processor further configured to receive data received from the transceiver and further process that data into storable format;   a storage system configured to receive the body movement data in storable format and to store that data to allow for later retrieval and comparison of that data; and   a body movement data user interface configured to communicate with the processor and the storage system to allow a user to access the body movement data   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the body movement data user interface is configured to allow access to the body movement data after completion of the sports activity to which the body movement data relates. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the body movement data user interface is configured to allow real-time access to the body movement data for others to access while the sports activity to which the body movement data relates is ongoing. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the body movement data user interface is a visual display configured to show an animated figure representing the body making the movement. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a cellular telephone comprises the processor and the body movement data user interface. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a personal computer comprises the processor, the body movement data user interface, and the storage system. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the storage system comprises a database on a web-accessible server. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising body movement data software that is configured to:
 collect and store historical data;   generate a record of a user's biomechanical data; and   compare data in at least one of the following ways:
 comparison of the user's data to another user's data 
 comparing the user's data to the average data of users in a selected group; 
 comparing the user's data to the same user's past data; and 
 comparing the user's data to a standard selected by the user and/or a coach. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the software is further configured to allow access to the data by at least one of the following in addition to the user:
 a coach;   a trainer;   a physical therapist; and   a medical care provider.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a subscription system for body movement data comparison and analysis comprising:
 an archive of body movement data from multiple users;   an option for a user to access archived data comprising at least one of the following:
 the same user's own historical data from previous periods that are older than a free data storage period; 
 other users' data; 
 standard data sets comprising averages for given groups of users; and 
 data from selected users such as well-known athletes or celebrities. 
   
     
     
         11 . The body movement sensor system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sensors comprises a three-axis sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The body movement sensor system of  claim 11 , wherein the three-axis sensor comprises a three-axis accelerometer, a three-axis magnetometer, or a three-axis gyroscopic detector. 
     
     
         13 . The body movement sensor system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sensors is substantially water resistant. 
     
     
         14 . The body movement sensor system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sensors is configured to be associated with an appendage of a user by being attached to a garment that is configured to not interfere substantially with movements of the user during the sports activity. 
     
     
         15 . The body movement sensor system of  claim 1 , wherein the portable transceiver is further configured to communicate with the sensors wirelessly. 
     
     
         16 . The body movement sensor system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is configured to operate at a sample rate that is adjustable by the participant in the movement activity. 
     
     
         17 . The measurement system of  claim 1 , wherein the sample rate is adjustable by the portable transceiver or the first processor. 
     
     
         18 . The measurement system of  claim 1 , wherein the sample rate is adjustable to be somewhere within a range from about 1 Hz to about 10 kHz. 
     
     
         19 . The measurement system of  claim 1 , wherein the sample rate is adjustable to correspond to a Nyquist sample rate for expected motion of the body part to which the sensor is to be associated during the movement activity. 
     
     
         20 . The body movement sensor system of  claim 1 , wherein the portable transceiver comprises a cellular telephone. 
     
     
         21 . The body movement sensor system of  claim 1 , wherein the storage system is configured to store received data in a short-term data storage device and to transfer at least some of the received data from the short-term data storage device to a long-term data storage device for the archival purposes. 
     
     
         22 . A bio-mechanical measurement system comprising:
 a first sensor configured to associate with a first body portion, to collect data at a desired first sampling rate that corresponds to the type and speed of movement of the first body portion, and to output data relating to the movement of said first body portion;   a second sensor configured to associate with a second body portion, to collect data at a desired second sampling rate that corresponds to the type and speed of movement of the second body portion, and to output data relating to movement of said second body portion;   a first processor configured to receive and process the body movement data at a rate that is compatible with the first and second sampling rates;   a second processor configured to receive and process the body movement data;   a transceiver configured to communicate with said first and second sensors and communicate wirelessly with the first processor and the second processor; and   a storage system configured to store the data such that the first and second sampling rates can be determined from the stored data.   
     
     
         23 . The measurement system of  claim 22 , further comprising a third processor configured to search the data stored in the storage system. 
     
     
         24 . The measurement system of  claim 23 , wherein the third processor is configured to extract from the data stored in the storage system implicit, previously unknown, and potentially useful information. 
     
     
         25 . The measurement system of  claim 22 , wherein the storage system comprises a short-term storage system configured to store data having an age less than a threshold, and a long-term storage system configured to store data having an age greater than the threshold. 
     
     
         26 . A body movement monitoring system comprising:
 multiple body movement sensors having adjustable sample collection rates that are configured to sense and transmit data relating to at least one of position, orientation, velocity, or acceleration of the sensor;   a master control unit configured to receive information from the sensors and transmit that information wirelessly;   a storage medium having reference information for comparison to the sensor information;   a first processor configured to analyze the sensor information, compare it to reference information, and generate visual images related to the sensor information;   an interface allowing the user to review the comparison between the reference information and the sensor information, the comparison comprising being between at least one of the following sets:
 the user's data and another user's data 
 the user's data and the average data of users in a selected group; 
 the user's data and the same user's past data; and 
 the user's data and a standard selected by the user and/or a coach; 
 the user's actual data and hypothetical data generated by an avatar. 
   
     
     
         27 . The body movement monitoring system of  claim 26 , wherein at least one of the body movement sensors comprises an accelerometer. 
     
     
         28 . The body movement monitoring system of  claim 26 , wherein at least one of the body movement sensors comprises a magnetometer. 
     
     
         29 . The body movement monitoring system of  claim 26 , wherein at least one of the body movement sensors comprises a gyroscopic sensor. 
     
     
         30 . The body movement monitoring system of  claim 26 , wherein at least one of the body movement sensors is configured to be substantially water resistant. 
     
     
         31 . The body movement monitoring system of  claim 26 , wherein the first processor is disposed in a cellular telephone having a graphic display and the display device comprises the graphic display. 
     
     
         32 . A body movement monitoring system comprising:
 at least two body movement sensors, each configured to:
 attach to first and second body appendages that move with respect to one another; 
 sample at a rate that corresponds to the movement of the appendage to which that sensor is attached; 
 sense and transmit data relating to position and orientation of the sensors in three dimensional space over time; 
   a first processor configured to analyze the sensor information, compare it to reference information, and generate visual images related to the sensor information and the relative movement of the first and second body appendages in three-dimensional space over time;   a storage medium for retaining the sensor information for later comparison; and   a user interface configured to access the storage medium and provide the user access to the visual images and the comparison to the reference information.   
     
     
         33 . The body movement monitoring system of  claim 32 , wherein at least one of the body movement sensors comprises an accelerometer, a magnetometer, or a gyroscopic sensor. 
     
     
         34 . The body movement monitoring system of  claim 32 , wherein at least one of the body movement sensors is configured to be substantially water resistant. 
     
     
         35 . The body movement monitoring system of  claim 32 , wherein the first processor comprises a cellular telephone having a graphics display, and the display device comprises the graphics display.