Device and method for disengaging conscious brain influence during certain complex athletic movements

Abstract

A system and method are provided for substantially real time disengaging of undesirable conscious brain influence during a complex athletic movement such as for example a golf swing. A plurality of sensing modules detect movements of an associated body part of a user. A controller is linked to each of the sensing modules and configured to identify a predetermined movement combination with respect to each of the plurality of sensing modules, such as in the golfing example a downswing. Upon identifying the predetermined movement combination, a timer is triggered for tolling of a predetermined time period, and upon lapsing of the time period, a sensory output signal is generated to the user in substantially real time. Through repetition, the conscious brain becomes trained to focus on the desired time period for completion of the complex movement and is disengaged from further interference with other aspects of the movement.

1 . A system for substantially real-time cognitive training of a user with respect to the performance of complex athletic movements, the system comprising:
 a plurality of sensing modules, each sensing module comprising a movement sensor and effective to detect movement of an associated body part of the user; and   a controller device communicatively linked to each of the sensing modules and effective
 to identify initiation of a predetermined movement combination with respect to each of the plurality of sensing modules, 
 upon identifying initiation of the predetermined movement combination, to trigger a timer for tolling of a predetermined time period, said predetermined time period corresponding to an expected time period for performing the predetermined movement combination; and 
 upon lapsing of the time period, to generate a sensory output signal comprising an audio or a vibration output signal to the user in substantially real time. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , the controller further effective to
 detect completion of the predetermined movement combination,   compare a measured actual time of the predetermined movement combination to the predetermined time period as a threshold time, and   generate the sensory output signal based on a comparison result of the measured actual time of the predetermined movement combination with respect to the predetermined time period and further on a predetermined sensory output mode.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , the predetermined sensory output mode comprising a first mode in which the controller automatically generates a sensory output signal in substantially real time upon lapsing of the predetermined time period, and a second mode in which the controller generates a sensory output signal in substantially real time based on the comparison result and a user selectable threshold parameter. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , the user selectable threshold parameter comprising any one of a detected completion time less than the predetermined time period, a detected completion time greater than the predetermined time period, or a detected completion time outside of a predetermined range about the predetermined time period. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , the controller effective to identify initiation of the predetermined movement combination of the plurality of sensing modules beginning from a starting position established by the controller. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , the controller effective to identify initiation the predetermined movement combination of the plurality of sensing modules after an external start signal is received by the controller. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , the sensing modules comprising a linear accelerometer and a wireless transmitting device. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , the sensing modules comprising a gyro-meter and a wireless transmitting device. 
     
     
         9 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A system for substantially real time disengaging undesirable conscious brain influence during a golf swing, the system comprising:
 a first sensing module comprising a first movement sensor and configured for positioning in association with a first body part of the user, and effective to detect movement of said first body part and to generate first signals representative of the detected movement;   a second sensing module comprising a second movement sensor configured for positioning in association with a second body part of the user, and effective to detect movement of said second body part and to generate second signals representative of the detected movement; and   a controller device communicatively linked to the first and second sensing modules and effective
 to receive the first and second signals from the first and second sensing modules, respectively, 
 to detect initiation of a predetermined movement combination with respect to the first and second signals, 
 upon identifying initiation of the predetermined movement combination, to trigger a timer for tolling of a predetermined time period, said predetermined time period corresponding to an expected time period for performing the predetermined movement combination, 
 in a first predetermined sensory output mode, to automatically generate a sensory output signal comprising an audio or a vibration output signal to the user in substantially real time upon lapsing of the predetermined time period, and 
 in a second predetermined sensory output mode, to detect completion of the predetermined movement combination, compare a measured actual time of the predetermined movement combination to the predetermined time period as a threshold time, and generate a sensory output signal comprising an audio or a vibration output signal to the user in substantially real time based on a comparison result of a measured actual time of the predetermined movement combination to the predetermined time period and further on a user selectable threshold parameter. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , the user selectable threshold parameter comprising any one of a detected completion time less than the predetermined time, a detected completion time greater than the predetermined time, or a detected completion time outside of a predetermined range about the predetermined time. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , the controller effective to detect completion of the predetermined movement combination in association with contacting by the user of a golf ball. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , the controller effective to identify initiation of the predetermined movement combination of the plurality of sensing modules beginning from a starting position established by the controller. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , the controller effective to identify initiation of the predetermined movement combination of the plurality of sensing modules after an external start signal is received by the controller. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein for a right-handed user the first sensing module is configured for positioning on or around the waist of the user and the second sensing module is configured for positioning on the right shoulder of the user,
 the predetermined movement combination associated with the golf swing further comprising a counter-clockwise rotation of both the first and second sensing modules following a period of clockwise rotation of the second sensing module.   
     
     
         21 . A device for substantially real-time cognitive training of a user with respect to the performance of complex athletic movements, said device comprising a processor and one or more non-transitory processor-readable memory media having program instructions residing thereon, said program instructions executable by the processor to direct the performance of:
 receiving first and second input signals from a respective first and second sensing modules each further comprising movement sensors, the input signals representative of movement of a respective body part of a user;   detecting initiation of a predetermined movement combination of the first and second output signals;   upon detecting initiation of said predetermined combination, triggering a timer for tolling of a predetermined time period, said predetermined time period corresponding to an expected time period for performing the predetermined movement combination; and   generating a sensory output signal comprising an audio or a vibration output signal to the user in concert with lapsing of the predetermined time period.   
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 21 , the program instructions further executable to direct the performance of:
 detecting completion of the predetermined movement combination;   comparing a measured actual time of the predetermined movement combination to the predetermined time period as a threshold time; and   generating the sensory output signal based on a comparison result of the measured actual time of the predetermined movement combination with respect to the predetermined time period, and on a predetermined sensory output mode.   
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 22 , the step of generating the sensory output signal based on the comparison result and on a predetermined sensory output mode further comprising in a first predetermined sensory output mode automatically generating a sensory output signal in concert with lapsing of the predetermined time period, and in a second sensory output mode generating a sensory output signal based on the comparison and a user selectable threshold parameter. 
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 23 , the user selectable threshold parameter comprising any one of a detected completion time less than the predetermined time period, a detected completion time greater than the predetermined time period, or a detected completion time outside of a predetermined range about the predetermined time period. 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 21 , further comprising detecting the predetermined movement combination of the plurality of sensing modules beginning from a determined starting position. 
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 21 , further comprising identifying the predetermined movement combination of the plurality of sensing modules after receiving an external start signal.