EP2451541A1

EP2451541A1 - Device to assist in the practice of a physical activity session, and physical activity apparatus provided with such a device

Info

Publication number: EP2451541A1
Application number: EP10736754A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bernard Hecquet
Original assignee: Ressources Et De Developpement Pour Les Enterprises Et Les Particuliers SRDEP Ste
Current assignee: Ressources Et De Developpement Pour Les Enterprises Et Les Particuliers SRDEP Ste
Priority date: 2009-07-09
Filing date: 2010-07-08
Publication date: 2012-05-16
Anticipated expiration: 2030-07-08
Also published as: WO2011004080A1; FR2947733A1; EP2451541B1; US20120157859A1; FR2947733B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device to assist in the practice of a physical activity session by an person. The device has an electronic means for determining the real-time physical effort to be provided by said person during said session, implementing a control law having, as an output, a parameter that corresponds to the physical effort to be provided (EPF) and, as an input, data collected while the force is being applied, essentially comprising: the measurement of the heart rate (FC) of said person; the measurement of the respiratory rate (FR) of said person; and one or more indices (EVA) of strenuousness of the effort as perceived by said person, to be specified by said person during the effort, and in which said control law depends essentially on respective programmed thresholds which should not be exceeded, essentially comprising: the maximum heart rate (FC_M), the maximum respiratory rate (FR_M), and the maximum value or values associated with said index or indices of strenuousness.

Description

TITLE: Device for assisting the practice of a physical activity session and physical activity apparatus equipped with such a device.

The invention relates to a device for assisting the practice of a physical activity, as well as to a physical activity device equipped with such a device.

The invention finds particular application to allow the practice of physical exercise in fragile people for whom this practice may present health risks, limiting these risks.

In the field of sport, it is known physical activity devices, such as indoor exercise bike, treadmill, rowing machine, which are commonly used, in gyms or for the implementation of medical tests sports.

In addition, sports medical tests are useful for detecting contraindications to the practice of sport, or even for controlling a state of fitness to improve the physical condition of an athlete.

Often, these tests are based on the measurement of a physiological parameter (heart rate, or parameter related to breathing) and require the use of a measuring device such as cardio frequency meter, electrocardiogram, or others.

Some of these tests are delicate and should only be performed under medical supervision.

However, in the case of frail individuals, the practice of physical activity may be recommended, but it is a risk. The main risk is sudden cardiac arrest.

Today, to the knowledge of the inventor, there is no specific tool to accompany a fragile person in the practice of physical activity to limit the risks.

However, prior art discloses from US 2005/0070809 a system for regulating the physical exercise of a user.

In this system, the level of the instantaneous effort is compared to a target effort and the user is guided by the system to increase, decrease or maintain one's effort.

The instantaneous effort is measured by means of various input parameters that are collected by portable electronics.

According to the example developed in US 2005/0070809 the input parameter is the heart rate. Other parameters can be collected, such as body temperature, breathing rate, air temperature, air humidity, or speed of travel (running).

It is noted that all these parameters are "objective" data that are measured scientifically by various sensors.

The control law implemented in the system of the document US 2005/0070809 thus determines, in real time, the effort that the user must provide solely from these objective parameters, which do not directly take into account the perceptions of the user. the user (such as pain, fatigue, ...).

The principle of the present invention is to propose a device for assisting the practice of a physical activity session whose control law depends not only on objective parameters collected by various sensors as known from the prior art, but also of subjective parameters - the indices of hardness of the effort - which will be indicated by said individual during the effort.

The purpose of the present invention is therefore to provide a device for assisting the practice of a physical activity session which overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks.

More particularly, the object of the present invention is to provide a help device enabling a person to progressively achieve his effort, according to a pre-established plan and under permanent automatic monitoring of physiological parameters.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a physical activity apparatus equipped with a device according to the invention.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear in the course of the following description which is given for information only and which is not intended to limit it.

To this end, the invention relates to a device for assisting the practice of a physical activity session by an individual, presenting electronic means for determining the intensity of the physical effort, in real time, to provided by said individual during said session, implementing a control law having for output a parameter corresponding to said physical effort to be provided, and for input signals data collected during the effort, consisting essentially of:

measuring said heart rate of said individual,

measuring the said respiratory rate of the said individual,

one or more index (es) of hardness of the effort perceived by said individual (ie general difficulty, dyspnea, pain of the lower limbs), intended (s) to be indicated by said individual during the effort,

and wherein the control law also depends on programmed thresholds, not to be exceeded, consisting essentially of:

- the maximum heart rate,

- the maximum respiratory rate,

- the maximum value (s) associated with the said index (es) of hardness of effort.

According to optional features taken alone or in combination:

the device has means for entering the values of the force hardness index or indices comprising a touch screen or a microphone,

the device can present learning means, during a prior session or during a first phase of the physical activity session, of the coefficients of the control law connecting the parameter corresponding to the intensity of the physical effort providing, the measured heart rate, the measured respiratory rate, as well as the hardness score (s) of the perceived effort; the control law can be a so-called robust control law;

said device may have means for periodically issuing instructions for physical activity in order to maintain the physical effort, to increase the physical effort or, on the contrary, to reduce the physical effort of the individual in correlation, on the one hand, with the physical effort to be provided by said individual, determined by said aid device during the instant preceding said instruction of physical activity, and secondly, the actual effort provided by said individual during the moment preceding said instruction of 'physical activity ;

the device may have means for recording in a file said programmed data of the session as well as the data collected during the session.

The invention also relates to a physical activity device equipped with a device according to the invention.

According to optional features of said apparatus, taken alone or in combination:

the apparatus may have means for periodically adjusting the load of the physical activity apparatus in order to maintain the physical effort, to increase the physical effort or, on the contrary, to reduce the physical effort of the individual in correlation, on the one hand, with said physical effort to be provided by said individual, determined by the assisting device during the instant preceding the adjustment, and secondly, the actual effort provided by said individual during the preceding instant said adjustment;

- The means for periodically adjusting the load of said apparatus may comprise a controlled brake (electromagnetic device or motor) or a variable assistance motor;

the actual effort provided can be given by the measurement at the level of the apparatus used for physical exercise, a resistance or assistance torque, a work or a power;

- the device can be chosen from the following list: indoor bike, elliptical trainer, electric bike, treadmill, stepper, rower, Musculation bench.

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description, accompanied by the appended drawings, among which:

Figure 1 schematically illustrates a physical activity device equipped with a device according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a table showing the programmed characteristics of a physical activity session,

FIG. 3 is a graph, multiple, of the session programmed according to the characteristics of the table of FIG. 2, showing for abscissa the time, and respectively illustrating said measure of heart rate of said individual over time, the respiratory rate of said individual at the course of time, the indices of hardness of effort perceived by said individual over time, as well as the physical effort to provide

(assuming that the actual physical effort corresponds to the physical effort to be provided).

The invention relates to a device 1 for assisting the practice of a physical activity session by an individual presenting electronic means for determining the physical effort, in real time, to be provided by said individual during said session, implementing a control law.

The control law has for output a parameter corresponding to said physical effort to provide EPF and for input signals of the data collected during the effort, consisting essentially of:

measuring the HR heart rate of said individual, measuring the respiratory rate FR of said individual,

- one or more EVA index (s) of hardness of the effort perceived by said individual, intended (s) to be indicated by said individual during the effort particularly measured (s) by visual analog scales and / or analog hearing scales.

The invention comprises means for informing the values of the force strain index (s) which may comprise, for example, a touch screen or a microphone.

According to the non-limiting example of FIG. 3, the indices are three in number (EVAi: general difficulty, EVA ₂ : dyspnea, EVA ₃ : lower limb pain).

The control law also depends on programmed respective thresholds, not to be exceeded, consisting essentially of:

- the maximum heart rate FCM,

- the maximum respiratory frequency FRM,

the maximum value or values EVA _xM associated with the said index (s) of hardness of the effort.

According to the nonlimiting example of FIG. 3, these values are three in number (EVA _I M for general difficulty, EVA ₂ M for dyspnea, EVA ₃ M for lower limb pain).

The control law thus makes it possible to define, periodically, for example every five seconds, said parameter corresponding to said physical effort to be supplied EPF in such a way that each of the data collected complies with the programmed plan and remains below their danger threshold. , stably, smoothly.

For this purpose, advantageously the control law can be a control law called robust control. These include a regulation, based on a control law using quasi-LPV type models or Takaji-Sugeno type.

The control law can consist essentially of the following modeling equations:

a first equation connecting:

physical effort to provide EPF and heart rate FC: EPF = f (FC)

a second equation connecting the physical effort to provide EPF and the respiratory rate FR:

EPF = g (FR)

a third equation, or a series of equations, linking the physical effort to provide EPF and the index or indices of hardness of the effort perceived by said individual EVA _x .

EPF = h (EVA)

A hierarchy is then established between these equations, for example: the first equation has priority, of hierarchy 1, the second equation is of hierarchy 2, and so on.

The first equation has priority, the parameter corresponding to the physical effort to be provided being determined on this basis at the beginning of the session, in relation to the heart rate.

However, as soon as an input (the respiratory frequency FR or one of the hardness indices of the perceived effort EVA) exceeds its associated threshold (FR> FRM OR EVA _X > EVA _XM ) the equation corresponding to the input the exceeded threshold becomes a priority.

For example :

- FR> FR _M , the second equation becomes a priority and the parameter corresponding to the physical effort to be provided is determined on this basis,

if EVA _X > EVA _M the corresponding equation becomes priority and the parameter corresponding to the physical effort to be provided is determined on this basis.

Given the age, weight and other physical criteria of the individual, the algorithm of the control law is specific to each individual.

According to one embodiment, the device can present learning means, during a first phase of the physical activity session, coefficients of the control law connecting the parameters corresponding to said physical effort to provide, the heart rate, the respiratory rate as well as the index or indices of hardness of the perceived effort.

The calculation of the coefficients may possibly be refined over time after said first phase.

According to another embodiment, the learning can be done during a prior session, only for this purpose. The device may have means 2, 3 for periodically issuing instructions for physical activities to maintain physical effort, increase physical effort or on the contrary reduce the physical effort of the individual in correlation, on the one hand, with the physical effort to be provided by said individual, determined by said aid device during the instant preceding said activity instruction, and secondly, the actual effort provided by said individual during the instant preceding said instruction physical activity.

For example, assuming that the heart rate is chosen as a parameter of physical effort.

If said device determines the physical effort to provide EPF to

120 beats / min and the actual physical effort is 115 beats / min, the device issues a set to increase physical effort (increase the pace, run faster, pedal faster, ...).

If, on the other hand, the actual physical effort is greater than 120 beats / min, such as for example 130 beats / min, the device issues a command to reduce the physical effort (decrease the pace, run less quickly, pedal less quickly, ...).

If the actual physical effort corresponds to the physical effort to be provided, according to a tolerance (+ or - 4 pulses / min) such as for example 114 beats / min, the instruction may be to maintain the pace.

The device may have means 51, 52 for recording in a file said programmed data of the session as well as the data collected during the session. The collected data is the CF heart rate, respiratory rate EN or indexes level of hardship EVA _x periodically collected during the session.

A summary of the session is established and automatically recorded after calculation of summary indices such as the maximum heart rate, the maximum respiratory rate, and average hardness indices.

The programmed data can be the duration of the session, the desired physical effort, the maximum heart rate FCM, the maximum respiratory rate FRM, as well as the level or levels of hardness of the maximum effort EVA _xM , which have been programmed.

This personal sheet makes it possible to follow the shape of the individual and his progress during the sessions. These data can be used and stored by a health professional.

The device may have means 6 for viewing in real time said data collected during the effort, or even said programmed data. This screen displays the HR heart rate, the FR respiratory rate, and even the EVA _x stress scores of the effort, in real time, during the session. This visualization means can be used to display the activity instructions that are displayed on the screen.

The invention also relates to a physical activity apparatus, equipped with a device according to the invention. This device can be chosen from the following list (non-exhaustive): indoor bike 10, elliptical trainer, electric bike 20, treadmill, stepper, rower, weight bench.

That being so, the apparatus may have means 41; 42 to periodically adjust the load of the physical activity apparatus 10; 20 in order to maintain the physical effort, increase the physical effort, or on the contrary, reduce the physical effort of the individual correlated, on the one hand, with said physical effort to be provided by said individual, determined by the device aid of the invention during the moment before the adjustment, and secondly, the actual effort provided by said individual during the moment preceding said adjustment.

For example, assuming that the parameter corresponding to the physical effort to be provided is the heart rate, suppose that at the instant before the adjustment, the physical effort to be provided determined by the aid device 1 is of 120 beats / min and at this moment the actual physical effort provided by said individual is only 110 beats / min, the load of the apparatus will be increased by the means 41; 42, for example by increasing the braking force of a controlled brake 11, or in decreasing the assistance provided by a variable assistance motor 21.

If, on the contrary, the actual effort is greater than the physical effort to be provided, determined by the aid device, for example 130 beats / min, the adjustment will consist of reducing the load of the physical activity apparatus. for example by decreasing the braking force of a control brake 11 or by increasing the assistance provided by a variable assistance motor 21.

We now describe the physical activity apparatus according to the invention equipped with the aid device 1 according to the example of FIG. 1. This device comprises a housing 50 incorporating electronics and a helmet 3 provided with a sensor. heart rate, a respiratory rate sensor, a microphone, an earpiece and a radio frequency transmitting / receiving system (wireless transmission).

The heart rate sensor can be a commercial model with measurement to the lobe of the ear or the finger. The respiratory rate sensor, placed in front of the mouth, may consist of a thermistor and an electronics measuring the average time interval between two successive temperature peaks or a microphone measuring the noise of breathing. The microphone may be a small commercial microphone connected to the transmitter / receiver.

All the data collected, namely heart rate FC, respiratory rate FR, the auditory signal, is transmitted by radio frequency to the housing 50 which has for this purpose a transceiver, such as in particular "microchip MRF24J40MA 2.4 GHz", coupled with microcontroller type dsPic33.

In this housing is also programmed a microprocessor implementing the algorithm of the control law of the device. The control law is a so-called robust control law using quasi-LPV type or Takagi-Sugeno type models.

It can be the previously developed law consisting essentially of several hierarchical equations with hierarchy change when an entry (FR; FC; EVA _x ) exceeds its corresponding threshold. (FRM, FC _M , EVA _XM ).

This box is connected by a connection, wired or wireless, to a computer 51 for entering the programmed data, such as the duration of the session, the desired intensity of activity, expressed in particular in the form of work, and the thresholds in particular the maximum heart rate FCM not to be exceeded, the maximum respiratory rate FRM not to be exceeded and the index or indices of hardness of the maximum effort EVA _x M not to be exceeded. This data is transmitted to the electronics of the housing.

During the session, the HR heart rate, the respiratory rate FR, as well as the hardness indices of the perceived effort EVA are data collected in digital form on a regular basis.

The housing 50 can also be connected to a screen 6 via a video card and the connectors adapted to said screen. The transceiver 2 also makes it possible to send instructions for physical activity, sound, via the acoustic headset 3.

These instructions, as previously described (increase rate, decrease rate, maintain pace) are issued periodically to maintain the physical effort or increase the effort, or on the contrary reduce the physical effort of the individual in correlation with the effort physical to be provided by said individual determined by the aid device during the time preceding said instruction of activity and, secondly, the actual effort provided by said individual during the time preceding said instruction of physical activity.

Alternatively or additionally, the apparatus may further comprise means 41; 42 to periodically adjust the load of the physical activity apparatus 10; 20 in order to maintain the physical effort, increase the physical effort or on the contrary reduce the physical effort of the individual in correlation, on the one hand with said physical effort to be provided by said individual, determined by the aid device during the instant preceding the adjustment, and secondly, the actual effort provided by said individual during the instant preceding said adjustment.

The device can be, as shown on the left side of the Figure 1, an indoor bike equipped with an eddy current brake (electromagnetic brake) or a controlled torque electric motor acting as a brake. Alternatively, the device can be embedded on an electric bicycle, the means for periodically adjusting the load including the variable-assist motor 21 of the electric bicycle.

In the case where the actual effort is less than the physical effort to be provided by the device, the load adjustment is to increase the load, increasing the braking torque, or decreasing the engine assistance. electric. In the case where the actual force is greater than said force to be supplied EPF, determined by the aid device, the adjustment consists, on the contrary, in decreasing the braking torque or increasing the assistance of the variable assistance motor 21.

We now describe, according to the example of Figures 2 and 3, a physical activity session implemented using the aid device 1 according to the invention.

As shown in the table in Figure 2, this is a scheduled session with the following characteristics:

- duration 30 minutes,

- physical effort to be provided 120 pulses / min, - maximum heart rate 140 beats / min,

- maximum respiratory rate 45 cycles / min,

- indices of maximum level of difficulty EVA _I M: 12 on a scale of 6 to 20 (general difficulty), EVA _2M : 4 on a scale of 0 to 10 (dyspnea), EVA _3M : 5 on a scale of 0 to 10 (lower limb pain).

Figure 3 illustrates the data collected during the session for an individual. The data shown is purely illustrative and does not reflect a real case. The graph of Figure 3 also illustrates the physical effort to be provided determined by the device 1 during the session.

In this example, it is assumed that the real effort provided by the user corresponds to the physical effort to be provided determined by the device 1. The data of Figure 2 can be programmed by a health professional using the computer 51 and then communicated to the housing 50 of the device 1 according to the invention. In this example, the health care professional decides that the user must make 30 minutes of effort at a constant heart rate at 120 beats / min. The respiratory rate should not exceed 45 expirations / min and the heart rate should not exceed 140 beats / min. The user should not experience any level of general difficulty greater than 12 on a scale of 6 to 20, dyspnea level of more than 4 on a scale of 0 to 10, upper limb pain greater than 5 on a scale of 0 to 10.

Given the age, weight and other physical criteria of the individual, the algorithm will first calculate an initial value of physical effort provided during the learning phase. During this phase, the sensor measurements (respiratory rate FR, heart rate FR and EVA indices _x ) will make it possible to calculate the coefficients of the equations (first equation, second equation, following equations) of the control law. More particularly, the heart rate sensor measures the heart rate. It can be a commercial model with measurement to the lobe of the ear or the finger.

The respiratory rate sensor can be placed in front of the mouth, consist of a thermistor and electronics measuring the interval between two peaks of temperature or a microphone and an electronic measuring the sound of breathing.

The hardness indices of effort indicated by the user during the effort can be given by voice instructions. The sensor can then consist of a microphone and electronics that can translate the voice instructions into the values of hardness indices of effort (analog voice scale).

Alternatively, according to another embodiment not illustrated, the hardness indices of the effort can be indicated by the user by means of a touch screen which displays for each index a visual scale analogue, each level of which corresponds to a value of the index.

The user indicates each index value by pressing the corresponding level on the visual scale.

The calculation can possibly be refined over time, after this first learning phase.

From the equations obtained, the model calculates the load of the apparatus necessary to reach the 120 pulsations / min. As illustrated, the heart rate increases gradually to reach the desired target of 120 beats / min.

If during the effort, the respiratory rate exceeds 45 cycles / min as illustrated by the sampling identified 7, the device 1 gradually decreases the physical effort to provide and therefore the braking torque of the controlled brake 11 (or on the contrary increases the assistance of the engine 21) until the respiratory rate becomes lower than or equal to the maximum allowed respiratory rate.

During the effort, the individual is invited to indicate the indices of hardness of the perceived effort. If for example one of these indices is greater than or equal to the maximum allowable pain, the device reduces the physical effort to provide, for example, by decreasing the braking torque or by increasing the assistance of the electric motor 21 variable assistance.

In Figure 3, we note that the threshold EVA _3M (pain of the lower limbs) is exceeded at the point referenced 8.

In all cases, the control law respects the programmed respective thresholds not to be exceeded, and corrects the physical effort to be provided in such a way as to respect said thresholds.

Naturally, other embodiments could have been envisaged by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the claims defined below.

Claims

1. Device for assisting (1) the practice of a physical activity session by an individual presenting electronic means for determining the intensity of the physical effort, in real time, to be provided by said individual during said session, implementing a control law having for output a parameter corresponding to said physical effort to be supplied (EPF) and for input signals of the data collected during the effort, consisting essentially of:

measuring said heart rate (HR) of said individual, measuring said respiratory rate (RF) of said individual,

- one or more index (s) (EVA _x ) of hardness of the effort perceived by said individual, intended (s) to be indicated by said individual during the effort,

and wherein the control law also depends on programmed respective thresholds, not to be exceeded, consisting essentially of:

- the maximum heart rate FCM,

the maximum respiratory frequency FR _M ,

2. Device according to claim 1, having means for entering the values of the force hardness index or indices, comprising a touch screen or a microphone.

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, having learning means, during a prior session or, during a first phase of the physical activity session, control law coefficients connecting the parameter corresponding to said physical effort to provide, the measured heart rate, the measured respiratory rate, as well as the hardness score (s) of the perceived effort.

4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control law is a robust control law control.

5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said device has means (2, 3) for periodically issuing instructions for physical activity to maintain physical effort, increase physical effort or on the contrary decrease the physical effort of the individual in correlation, on the one hand, with the physical effort to be provided by said individual, determined by the aid device during the instant preceding said instruction of physical activity, and on the other hand on the other hand, the actual effort provided by the said individual during the instant preceding the said physical activity instruction.

6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, having means (51; 52) for recording in a file said programmed data of the session and the data collected during said session with a summary.

7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, having means for viewing (6) in real time said data collected during the effort and said programmed data.

8. Physical activity apparatus (10; 20) equipped with a help device according to one of claims 1 to 7.

Apparatus according to claim 8, having means (41; 42) for periodically adjusting the load of the physical activity apparatus (10; 20) to maintain physical effort, increase physical effort or otherwise to reduce the physical effort of the individual in correlation, on the one hand, with said physical effort to be provided by said individual, determined by the aid device (1) during the moment preceding the adjustment, and on the other hand on the other hand, the actual effort provided by the said individual during the instant preceding the said adjustment.

Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said means (41; 42) for periodically adjusting the load of said apparatus comprises a controlled brake (11) or a variable assist motor (21).

11. Apparatus according to one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the actual effort provided is given by the measurement at the device used for physical exercise, a torque resistance or assistance, a job or of a power.

12. Apparatus according to one of claims 8 to 11, wherein said apparatus is selected from the following list: exercise bike (10), elliptical trainer, electric bike (20), treadmill, stepper, rower, bench weight training.