Force measurement system

摘要

A force measurement system includes an instrumented treadmill with one or more displaceable components having one or more respective surfaces for receiving one or more respective limbs of the subject, and at least one force transducer. The force measurement system further includes a data processing device configured to receive one or more load signals from the at least one force transducer, to convert the one or more load signals into one or more output load components, and to determine one or more gait parameters for the subject from the one or more output load components; and a sensory output device configured to receive at least one sensory output signal from the data processing device, and to generate at least one of a visual indicator, an audible indicator, and a tactile indicator that is based upon the at least one sensory output signal and provides biofeedback to the subject.

主权项

1. A force measurement system comprising, in combination:
an instrumented treadmill configured to receive a subject, the instrumented treadmill including:
one or more displaceable components, the one or more displaceable components having one or more respective surfaces for receiving one or more respective limbs of the subject; andat least one force transducer, the at least one force transducer configured to sense one or more measured quantities and output one or more load signals that are representative of one or more loads being applied to the one or more respective surfaces of the one or more displaceable components by the subject; a data processing device operatively coupled to the at least one force transducer of the instrumented treadmill, the data processing device configured to receive the one or more load signals that are representative of the one or more loads being applied to the one or more respective surfaces of the one or more displaceable components by the subject, to convert the one or more load signals into one or more output load components, and to determine one or more gait parameters for the subject from the one or more output load components, the data processing device further configured to compare the one or more gait parameters determined for the subject to one or more respective predetermined values or to compare a first of the one or more gait parameters for the subject to a second of the one or more gait parameters for the subject, the data processing device additionally configured to determine how closely the one or more gait parameters determined for the subject conform to the one or more respective predetermined values or to determine how closely the first of the one or more gait parameters for the subject conforms to the second of the one or more gait parameters for the subject, the data processing device further configured to generate a sensory output signal based upon the conformity of the one or more gait parameters of the subject to the one or more respective predetermined values or to generate a sensory output signal based upon the conformity of the first of the one or more gait parameters of the subject to the second of the one or more gait parameters of the subject; and a sensory output device operatively coupled to the data processing device, the sensory output device configured to receive the sensory output signal from the data processing device, to generate at least one of a visual indicator, an audible indicator, and a tactile indicator that is based upon the sensory output signal, and to output the at least one of the visual indicator, the audible indicator, and the tactile indicator to the subject in order to provide real-time sensory stimuli biofeedback to the subject as to conformity of the one or more gait parameters of the subject to the one or more respective predetermined values or biofeedback as to conformity of the first of the one or more gait parameters of the subject to the second of the one or more gait parameters of the subject, thereby enabling the subject to receive real-time biofeedback regarding his or her performance while he or she exercises on the instrumented treadmill so that the subject is able to make improvements to his or her gait based upon the real-time biofeedback received.