METHOD OF ENHANCING GAIT OF A USER

摘要

A gait-enhancing system and method of enhancing gait includes generating a reference signal having substantially equal durations between occurrences and providing the reference signal to a user. Contact between the feet of the user with a surface is received and occurrence of a trigger signal is generated in response to the contact. An occurrence of the trigger signal is compared with an occurrence of a reference signal, and a guidance signal is produced as a function of the amount of time that the trigger signal led or lagged the reference signal. The guidance signal is provided to the user in order to promote symmetry in stride between one foot and the other foot of the user, enhancing the user's gait.

主权项

1. A method of enhancing gait of a user, comprising:
generating a reference signal with a processing unit and providing the reference signal to the use, the reference signal having substantially equal duration between occurrences; causing locomotion between the user and a surface and monitoring gait of the user including sensing contact between feet of the user with the surface using a sensor unit during the locomotion; generating occurrences of a trigger signal with the sensor unit in response to the contact between the feet of the user with the surface and providing the occurrences of the trigger signal to said processing unit; comparing an occurrence of the trigger signal with an occurrence of the reference signal at the processing unit to determine an amount of time that the trigger signal led or lagged the occurrence of the reference signal and producing a guidance signal with the processing unit as a function of the amount of time that the trigger signal led or lagged the occurrence of the reference signal; and providing the guidance signal to the user to subconsciously bring the user's feet into alternative contact with the surface at closer times to the reference signal to draw the user into a cadence that approaches the reference signal in order to promote symmetry in stride between one foot and the other foot of the user to enhance user gait.