Method and devices to measure parameters for boxing punches or push actions

Abstract

This disclosure describes a method and devices for performing multiple measurements of a boxing punch (or a similar push action in other sports). These measurements provide force, acceleration, four types of reaction time, 3D angles, speed, accuracy/precision, rate of force development, straight punch (jab or cross) efficiency, SPR index (Strength, Precision, reaction time) and/or other information. The devices doing the associated measurements, use one or more force sensors and one or more motion sensors embedded in the boxing gloves and/or in the punched (pushed) object (e.g., punching bag or mitts). In case of a flat screen used for punching area and showing an opponent, a set of position sensors can be used to measure the accuracy of the punch (push). The novel methods and devices can be used in a boxing (or pushing) test, assessment, and training activities, also for fitness and exercising games.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 an object having a plurality of punch zones;   one or more punch or push measurement devices configured to be provided in the plurality of zones of the object, each punch or push measurement device hosting a plurality of sensors therein;   one or more force sensors configured to generate output signals conveying information related to forces applied to the one or more punch or push measurement devices, said one or more force sensors being provided in a wearable device configured to be worn by a user;   at least one hardware control unit associated with the object and/or the wearable device, the at least one hardware control unit comprising software for data collection and configured for data transfer;   a main control unit connected to the at least one hardware control unit, the main control unit configured to receive data from one or more of the at least one hardware control unit, each of the one or more punch or push measurement devices, and/or the one or more force sensors, said main control unit configured to utilize the received data to determine measurements and calculations associated with the forces applied to the one or more punch or push measurement devices; and   an interface configured to output and display information, measurements, and calculations determined by said main control unit to the user.   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of: a boxing bag, a boxing surface, and a flat or oval/bent display screen. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the object is a wearable item, said wearable item being one of the following: a vest, a shirt, boxing mitts or pads, and pants. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more punch or push measurement devices are attached to or inserted into the object. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more punch or push measurement devices are embedded within the object. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors of each punch or push measurement device include force sensors, linear acceleration sensors, angular velocity sensors, magnetometer, and timing sensors, and/or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein a separate wearable device further comprises one or more force and/or motion sensors embedded therein. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the wearable device comprises training gloves, half gloves, or boxing gloves. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more punch or push measurement devices each comprise an audio sound device and/or visual indicator. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the visual indicator comprises a light emitting diode (LED) or a screen, where an LED variant includes a plurality of LEDs, connected separately or embedded in stripes, borders, arrays or planes, placed over and/or into a punching bag or a humanoid mannequin, a torso or a part of a torso, to indicate target areas to be punched. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein an indication of punching or pushing a correct or incorrect target by the user, is made by the system using one or more of:
 a change of an LED color,   a change of a current blinking or flashing LED pattern,   a change of LED light intensity level,   turning off an LED, and/or   a separate type of audio signal, voice, or melody.   
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein the main control unit is a local or remote computer, or a mobile device. 
     
     
         13 . A method for measuring punch or push parameters, the method comprising:
 providing one or more punch or push measurement devices in an object, each punch or push measurement device hosting a plurality of sensors therein;   sensing, via one or more force sensors, information related to forces applied thereto, said one or more force sensors being provided in the object and/or also included in one or more separate wearable devices;   generating output signals conveying the information related to forces applied to the one or more force sensors;   collecting and transferring data via at least one hardware control unit associated with the object and/or the wearable device to a main control unit;   determining measurements and calculations associated with: punch speed, punch accuracy (correct target devices punched or pushed), acceleration applied to the wearable devices, and the forces applied to the one or more force sensors, by using the main control unit; and   outputting and displaying information, measurements, and calculations determined by said main control unit to a user.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein each punch or push measurement device includes one or more force sensors, linear acceleration sensors, angular velocity sensors, magnetometer, timing sensors, optical (such as structured light) sensors, lidar, electro-magnetic (radar) sensors, and/or electro-static (distributed capacitance) based motion sensors, and/or a combination thereof, and wherein the method further comprises sensing and forwarding data from said one or more punch measurement devices to the main control unit. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the wearable device further comprises one or more force sensors, one or more motion sensors embedded therein-comprising an accelerometer, gyroscope and/or a magnetometer, and wherein the method further comprises sensing and forwarding force and motion data, including acceleration, to the main control unit, and determining punch type or geometry, including punching angles, relating to punch forces, using motion sensors, control units, and the main control unit. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising comparing data in a leader board and determining a winner in a contest between two or more competitors who apply punches or pushes in parallel in real-time, or in a sequence, to one or more dedicated punch or push measurement devices, each competitor using wearable devices equipped with sensors, such that parameters related to applied force, reaction time, accuracy, acceleration, and speed, are tracked and compared to determine a better performer or a winner, without physical contact between performers or contenders in the contest. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the punches or pushes:
 are contactless;   comprise methods to measure acceleration reaction time and protection reaction time included in the contest;   comprise a boxing and/or martial arts contest based fully on measurements, without any physical contact; and/or   provide information for an assessment stats panel such that a trainer can track and check all trainee results in a single place comprising a computer monitor or a computer file.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the contest can be held at a same physical location, or at two or more remote locations, where punch or push data is transferred over the internet, then collected and processed including comparisons, by a central computer server. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the wearable device comprises training gloves, half gloves, or boxing gloves, each providing punch or push measurements individually. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the one or more punch measurement devices each comprise an audio sound device and/or visual indicator or are complemented by additional such indicators, and wherein the method further comprises issuing an audible sound and/or indicator via said one or more punch measurement devices, or the method comprises providing the audible sound and/or indicator via a separate voice control system. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the visual indicator comprises an LED(s), and wherein the method further comprises lighting the LED(s) that can be a stimulus for another punch, kick, push, or protection action done by the user; and/or a variant of this method, in which a stimulated requested punch or push is applied onto an object such as one or more display screen(s), wherein a flat, bent, or other types of display screen can be used as a punching or pushing area and show an opponent as a target, and the force of a delivered punch, kick, or push to this screen can be measured by force sensors in/on the screen, and wherein the accuracy of the punch can also be measured by using a set of position sensors in/on the screen. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 13 , where punch type recognition is done for a wearable device that sends sensor data at a minimum 100 Hz rate, to a main control unit (MCU), wherein the punch type recognition is based on machine learning or on an algorithm using data from motion sensors comprising an accelerometer, gyroscope, and/or a magnetometer, and wherein a recognized punch type can be taken into account in an exercise, pass/fail test or challenge assessment when specific punch types including but not limited to jab, American hook, European hook, and uppercut, are required to be applied to multiple target zones or objects. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein two wearable devices designated “left” and “right”, known to a main control unit, are used such that individual device punch forces and sensor data are tracked in time and reports are produced to compare left and right forces, punch speeds, punch target accuracy, and/or punch type accuracy, wherein the two wearable devices have embedded sensors configured to generate information used to calculate or provide periodic sensor data to the main control unit to calculate current and/or maximum force, total summed up force, motion-related parameters comprising speed and/or acceleration in a free mode without indicated target places/points to the user, wherein the user decides when and how to punch or push a physical object, or the user punches in air. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein visual indicators are used to indicate a specific target zone and/or specific required punch type comprising a straight punch, left hook punch, right hook punch, and/or uppercut punch; wherein an actual punched or pushed zone and/or punch type are detected using sensors and are compared to an indicated target zone and/or expected punch type, and a statistical report is produced to track punch accuracy related to a target zone and/or expected punch type; and wherein target zones and/or punch types are indicated in a sequence combination in time, by a main control unit, where the sequence has different zones to punch, random or predefined periods between indicated targets, and the sequence is programmable and adjustable. 
     
     
         25 . A method of calculating Target Force Reaction Time, in which a stimulus is provided to a user (e.g., a boxer), and a reaction time is calculated from a moment of providing the stimulus, to a moment when a target force is reached by a punch, push, or a similar action done by the user, wherein an optional challenge or a test for Target Force Reaction Time passes if the force is reached within a specified interval of time. 
     
     
         26 . A method of calculating Target Acceleration Reaction Time, in which a stimulus is provided to a user (e.g., a boxer), and a reaction time is calculated from a moment of providing the stimulus, to a moment when a target acceleration is reached by a punch or push, wherein an optional challenge or a test for Target Acceleration Reaction Time passes if the acceleration is reached within a specified interval of time; and
 wherein the punch or push is done by a body part with an attached measurement sensor, or a glove with an embedded measurement device, hitting/punching a physical target object, or a contactless method is used comprising shadow boxing when a wearable device is handheld or attached to a human body part, and movement in air creates motion comprising measured acceleration or rotation.   
     
     
         27 . A method of calculating Protection Reaction Time, in which a stimulus is provided to a user, and a reaction time is calculated from a moment of providing the stimulus, to a moment when a target protective guard position is reached by the user, wherein an optional challenge or a test for Protection Reaction Time passes if the protective guard position is reached within a specified interval of time; and
 wherein the protective guard position is detected by sensor(s) and/or a control unit in a wearable device embedded in a glove, or detected by a secured device held in hand, or detected by sensors attached to a human body part.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the sensors send motion data to a main control unit (MCU), that detects the protective guard position; a main control unit comprising a computer or a mobile device measures protection reaction time by wirelessly receiving motion data from a wearable device and a trainer's mitt, wherein the trainer makes a recognizable mitt gesture comprising pushing the mitt horizontally towards the user to instruct the user to take the protective guard position; and the Protection Reaction Time is measured from the recognizable mitt gesture to when the protective guard position is taken by the glove, secured device, or as indicated by the sensors attached to the human body part. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein an Efficiency E of a straight punch comprising a jab or cross delivered by a boxer, and a separate compound estimate comprising an index for Strength, Precision, and Reaction time (SPR), is defined as an SPR index. 
     
     
         30 . A method comprising:
 use of wearable devices equipped with motion sensors together with an algorithm for calculating real-time and maximum speed of a punch, based on integration of wearable device acceleration over time, further applying adjustment to the linear accelerations by considering the gravity components,   wherein the algorithm is configured to run in a local wearable device or in a separate connected control unit comprising an additional processor programmed with machine instructions.