Exercise support apparatus, exercise support method and exercise support program

Abstract

An exercise support apparatus of the present invention obtains motion information including the pitch and the moving speed of a user based on sensor data detected corresponding to the motion of the user performing an exercise by moving. Subsequently, the exercise support apparatus generates a moving image of a virtual person whose way of movements of feet has been synchronized with the pitch of the user and display size has been set according to a change of the moving speed of the user, based on the obtained motion information. Then, the exercise support apparatus displays the generated moving image on a part of display area arranged in the viewing field of the user, and thereby cause the virtual person to function as a pacemaker for the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An exercise support apparatus comprising:
 a sensor section which outputs motion data corresponding to a motion status of a user performing an exercise by moving;   a motion information obtaining section which obtains motion information of the user based on the motion data;   an image generating section which generates a moving image of a virtual person in a moving state, and sets a way of movements of feet of the virtual person to a way of movements corresponding to the obtained motion information of the user; and   a display section which displays the moving image on a part of a display area arranged in a viewing field of the user.   
     
     
         2 . The exercise support apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the display area of the display section is a see-through type. 
     
     
         3 . The exercise support apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the motion information obtaining section obtains landing and takeoff timing of feet of the user as the motion information, which serves as first timing, and
 wherein the image generating section synchronizes motion timing of the feet of the virtual person when landing and taking off with the first timing.   
     
     
         4 . The exercise support apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the motion information obtaining section obtains a footstep count of the user per unit time as the motion information, which serves as a first footstep count, and
 wherein the image generating section has a period in which landing and takeoff timing of feet of the virtual person has been set to second timing preceding the first timing and footstep count per unit time of the virtual person has been set to a second footstep count larger than the first footstep count.   
     
     
         5 . The exercise support apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the sensor section includes an acceleration sensor which detects at least acceleration corresponding to a change ratio of a motion speed of the user and outputs acceleration data corresponding to the acceleration as the motion data, and
 wherein the motion information obtaining section obtains the first timing based on the acceleration data.   
     
     
         6 . The exercise support apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the motion information obtaining section obtains a plurality of landing and takeoff timings of the feet of the user based on acceleration data outputted from the acceleration sensor, and obtains an average value of the plurality of landing and takeoff timings as the first timing. 
     
     
         7 . The exercise support apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor section includes an acceleration sensor which outputs acceleration data corresponding to a change ratio of a moving speed of the user and an angular velocity sensor which outputs angular velocity data corresponding to a change of a moving direction of the user,
 wherein the motion information obtaining section obtains a value of the moving speed of the user as the motion information, and   wherein the image generating section sets a display size of the virtual person to a size according to the value of the moving speed.   
     
     
         8 . The exercise support apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the motion information obtaining section obtains a change amount of the moving speed of the user as the motion information, and
 wherein the image generating section sets the display size of the virtual person to be enlarged or reduced according to the change amount of the moving speed obtained by the motion information obtaining section.   
     
     
         9 . The exercise support apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein a target value of a moving speed of the user is set in advance, and
 wherein the image generating section sets the display size of the virtual person to be enlarged or reduced according to a difference between the moving speed and the target value.   
     
     
         10 . The exercise support apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein a target value of a moving speed is set in advance for each moving distance of the user, and
 wherein the image generating section sets the display size of the virtual person to be enlarged or reduced according to a difference between the moving speed and the target value for each moving distance of the user.   
     
     
         11 . The exercise support apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the display section is positioned in an area in which a lens of an eyeglasses-type device or goggles-type device is positioned, wherein the eyeglasses-type device and the goggles-type device are mounted on a head part of the user. 
     
     
         12 . The exercise support apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor section, the motion information obtaining section, the image generating section, and the display section are provided in a single device. 
     
     
         13 . The exercise support apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor section and the display section are individually provided in separate devices. 
     
     
         14 . An exercise support method for an exercise support apparatus including a display section having a display area that is arranged in a viewing field of a user, comprising:
 a step of obtaining motion information of the user based on motion data corresponding to a motion status of the user performing an exercise by moving;   a step of generating a moving image of a virtual person in a moving state;   a step of setting away of movements of feet of the virtual person to a way of movements corresponding to the obtained motion information of the user; and   a step of displaying the moving image on a part of the display area of the display section.   
     
     
         15 . The exercise support method according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a step of obtaining landing and takeoff timing of feet of the user as the motion information of the user; and   a step of synchronizing motion timing of the feet of the virtual person when landing and taking off with the landing and takeoff timing.   
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon an exercise support program that is executable by a computer in an exercise support apparatus including a display section having a display area that is arranged in a viewing field of a user, the program being executable by the computer to perform functions comprising:
 processing for obtaining motion information of the user based on motion data corresponding to a motion status of the user performing an exercise by moving;   processing for generating a moving image of a virtual person in a moving state;   processing for setting a way of movements of feet of the virtual person to a way of movements corresponding to the obtained motion information of the user; and   processing for displaying the moving image on a part of the display area of the display section.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 16 , wherein the functions further comprise:
 processing for obtaining landing and takeoff timing of feet of the user as the motion information of the user; and   processing for synchronizing motion timing of the feet of the virtual person when landing and taking off with the landing and takeoff timing.