Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B69/00—Training appliances or apparatus for special sports
  • A63B69/0053—Apparatus generating random stimulus signals for reaction-time training involving a substantial physical effort
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B24/00—Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
  • A63B24/0021—Tracking a path or terminating locations
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B69/00—Training appliances or apparatus for special sports
  • A63B69/0097—Ball rebound walls
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B71/00—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00
  • A63B71/02—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00 for large-room or outdoor sporting games
  • A63B71/022—Backstops, cages, enclosures or the like, e.g. for spectator protection, for arresting balls
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B71/00—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00
  • A63B71/06—Indicating or scoring devices for games or players, or for other sports activities
  • A63B71/0619—Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G16—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SPECIFIC APPLICATION FIELDS
  • G16H—HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA
  • G16H20/00—ICT specially adapted for therapies or health-improving plans, e.g. for handling prescriptions, for steering therapy or for monitoring patient compliance
  • G16H20/30—ICT specially adapted for therapies or health-improving plans, e.g. for handling prescriptions, for steering therapy or for monitoring patient compliance relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G16—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SPECIFIC APPLICATION FIELDS
  • G16H—HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA
  • G16H20/00—ICT specially adapted for therapies or health-improving plans, e.g. for handling prescriptions, for steering therapy or for monitoring patient compliance
  • G16H20/70—ICT specially adapted for therapies or health-improving plans, e.g. for handling prescriptions, for steering therapy or for monitoring patient compliance relating to mental therapies, e.g. psychological therapy or autogenous training
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B24/00—Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
  • A63B24/0021—Tracking a path or terminating locations
  • A63B2024/0025—Tracking the path or location of one or more users, e.g. players of a game
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B24/00—Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
  • A63B24/0021—Tracking a path or terminating locations
  • A63B2024/0028—Tracking the path of an object, e.g. a ball inside a soccer pitch
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B24/00—Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
  • A63B24/0021—Tracking a path or terminating locations
  • A63B2024/0056—Tracking a path or terminating locations for statistical or strategic analysis
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B63/00—Targets or goals for ball games
  • A63B2063/001—Targets or goals with ball-returning means
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B71/00—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00
  • A63B71/0054—Features for injury prevention on an apparatus, e.g. shock absorbers
  • A63B2071/0063—Shock absorbers
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B71/00—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00
  • A63B71/06—Indicating or scoring devices for games or players, or for other sports activities
  • A63B71/0619—Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
  • A63B71/0622—Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
  • A63B2071/0625—Emitting sound, noise or music
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B71/00—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00
  • A63B71/06—Indicating or scoring devices for games or players, or for other sports activities
  • A63B71/0619—Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
  • A63B71/0622—Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
  • A63B2071/0636—3D visualisation
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B71/00—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00
  • A63B71/06—Indicating or scoring devices for games or players, or for other sports activities
  • A63B71/0619—Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
  • A63B2071/0647—Visualisation of executed movements
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B71/00—Games or sports accessories not covered in groups A63B1/00 - A63B69/00
  • A63B71/06—Indicating or scoring devices for games or players, or for other sports activities
  • A63B71/0619—Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
  • A63B2071/065—Visualisation of specific exercise parameters
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B2102/00—Application of clubs, bats, rackets or the like to the sporting activity ; particular sports involving the use of balls and clubs, bats, rackets, or the like
  • A63B2102/02—Tennis
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B2214/00—Training methods
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B2220/00—Measuring of physical parameters relating to sporting activity
  • A63B2220/80—Special sensors, transducers or devices therefor
  • A63B2220/806—Video cameras
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B2243/00—Specific ball sports not provided for in A63B2102/00 - A63B2102/38
  • A63B2243/0025—Football
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B69/00—Training appliances or apparatus for special sports
  • A63B69/40—Stationarily-arranged devices for projecting balls or other bodies

Definitions

• the present invention relates, in embodiments, to the general fields of sport sciences (technologies), visual cognition and behavioural neurosciences and has specific application in the fields of sports and physical-cognitive rehabilitation.
• US4751642 discloses an interactive sports simulation system with physiological sensing and psychological conditioning. This system does not offer real-time training testing possibilities and is not fully automated (balls shall be replaced manually by the user from one tested sequence to another).
• US9474952 discloses a method and system for improving a user's reaction time and accuracy in propelling an object.
• the method includes detecting movement of the user using a sensor, it should be noticed here that the user propels the balls towards static targets displayed on a static rectangular goal, limiting the possibility to simulate realistic sport situations (real images or movies).
• This reference describes in detail neither the definition of the reaction time nor the nature of the motion detection module.
• the system is not fully automated (balls shall be replaced manually by the user from one tested sequence to another).
• US20090281450 discloses a system and method for visual and cognitive testing or training, under stress conditions.
• this system allows subjecting a user to a stress condition and receives a response from the test subject using input device (manual device like a keyboard, joystick or foot-actuated device like pedals or buttons). Since the user does not respond using real sport gestures but via input devices, the ecological validity/relevance of the whole system and the possibility to accurately monitor and train the cognitive and motor performance are considerably impaired.
• US8480517 discloses a training device where the user is fully immersed in a playfield, and can repeatedly kick a ball provided by ball dispensers to one of the ball receivers.
• This reference fails to describe an accurate measurement of the cognitive-motor performance. No acquisition of well-defined reaction times is described and, nothing hints that such a measurement could be performed in real-time.
• the user has to send balls towards static rectangular targets, hence limiting the possibility to assess or train the performance in realistic, close-to-real game situations.
• This invention is concerned with the field of measuring
• This invention is inspired by four types of requirements a) it must correspond to clearly identified needs of cognitive-motor assessing and training (in sports and/or in rehabilitation) b) it must be based on scientific knowledge and expertise on the brain mechanisms involved in the cognitive-motor performance c) it must be validated by reproducible tests run in cooperation with sport top-level experts (or rehabilitation medical doctors) and d) it must be supported by robust, easy-to-use and flexible technological devices/software.
• cognitivo-motor performance defined here as the capacity to rapidly use sensory information and transfer it into efficient decisions and motor skills, represent a major contributor to performance in almost all sports.
• a player typically faces complex visual environments composed of static and moving - objects, teammate(s), opponent(s) and referee(s) - stimuli and he has to convert such information into efficient decisions/gesture(s) in a reduced amount of time (defined as temporal pressure) and in a reduced amount of space (defined as spatial pressure).
• the temporal pressure and the spatial pressure can each be decomposed into perceptual and motor components.
• the temporal perceptual pressure can correspond to the amount of time during which visual information is available;
• the spatial perceptual pressure can correspond to the amount of visual objects/distractors contained in the visual information,
• the temporal motor pressure can correspond to the amount of time available to implement a particular gesture and
• the spatial motor pressure can correspond to the amount of space (defined for example by the number and proximity of potential opponent(s)) available for implementing a particular gesture.
• the present invention allows for accurate control, measuring and training of each of these components, as detailed in the next sections.
• most of the sporting game situations encountered in sports require interactions between the perceptual, memory, decisional and motor systems.
• These multiple and parallel processing stages begin with the transmission of information from sensory captors (conveying visual, proprioceptive tactile and vestibular inputs) to primary sensory areas.
• the detection-to-perception stage is modulated by the influences of attention and memory on the processing of (static and dynamic) environmental features, which result in perceptual decisions (see [Romo], and [Sasaki] for reviews specific to the visual and somatosensory systems).
• Perception is thus an active, high-order process where part of the actual sensory flow is compared to memorized ones, resulting in a particular interpretation of the actual situation.
• the cognitive-motor performance therefore encompasses all these spatial and temporal features. Depending on the complexity of the sensory stimulus, this processing can involve mostly attentional or
• the output of this processing can consist in different actions like i) intercepting the ball ii) keeping the ball iii) passing the ball iv) dribbling or v) kicking the ball.
• Figure 1 shows a top view of the testing and training sport simulator.
• Figure 2 shows the global architecture of the testing and training sport simulator.
• Figure 3 depicts a particular embodiment of the system for soccer where the user is visually exposed to a virtual environment where he should pass or kicks the ball towards a salient (static or moving dark circle/sphere) visual target, as accurately (and/or) as quickly as possible.
• a salient static or moving dark circle/sphere
• Figure 4 depicts a particular embodiment of the system for soccer where the user is visually exposed to a realistic game situation and is instructed to deliver a pass towards a relevant location on the visual scene as accurately (and/or) as quickly as possible.
• Figure 5 depicts a particular embodiment of the system for tennis where the user is visually exposed to a realistic game situation and is instructed to hit a passing shot towards a relevant location on the visual scene as accurately as possible.
• Figure 6 depicts a particular embodiment of the system for soccer where multiple users are visually exposed to different game
• Figure 7 depicts a particular embodiment of the system for soccer where one user is visually exposed to a 360 degrees visual
• the user is located inside a playfield 11, circular in this example, and faces one or successive sporting situations projected onto a large screen.
• the surface of the playfield can be selected based on a particular sport.
• the main controller is located at a single location 01 together with the individual data recording systems.
• the video-projector 02 is fixed on another surrounding structure 10 together with the speakers 05 and the tracking devices 07.
• the visual environment is projected onto a large screen 03 (flat or curved) on the rear of which an ultra-shock absorbing tissue 04 is fixed.
• the tissue 04 is also fixed to the surrounding structure 09.
• Ball- launcher robots 06 are located along the surrounding structure 09.
• a ball recovery system 08 is visible via a section through the tissue 04 and allows for ball reception after ball impact on the screen 02. Balls are then displaced and recirculated, either passively or by active conveyance means, towards the ball-launcher robots 06.
• the user has to respond as fast and as accurately possible to this simulated situation by sending the ball/object (by kicking/passing with his foot or by shooting/launching/passing with his hands) towards the most relevant spatial location.
• the initial position of the ball can vary according to the desired simulation conditions.
• the ball is static and is located near the user.
• the ball is launched by one of the ball launcher robots 06 in the direction of the user. In this case, the instant when the ball is launched is fully controlled and can be set randomly/by the user before the testing/training session. This instant is fully synchronized with the visual simulator so that the ball can be sent before, during or after the presentation of the visual environment to the user.
• the ball can be launched at predetermined speeds/heights, for example according to a program defined before the training testing session. Partial or total randomization of the ball vector velocity is also possible.
• the spatial location to be reached by the ball is either signalled to the user by a particular visual (salient) object or is freely chosen by the user (this freely chosen location can then be compared to pre-programmed correct spatial locations; for instance, when facing a penalty kick situation, left and right top corners of a soccer goal can be defined as correct spatial regions).
• the user and ball movement are continuously tracked, preferably at sampling rates equal or superior to 240 images per second, throughout the whole "visual information presentation - ball impact on the screen" phase.
• the system is preferably capable of acoustic reproduction and can render pre-recorded sound content and/or synthesized sounds. Acoustic signals can be discretely emitted to signal the next sequence or can be continuously emitted to reproduce the sound environment of a
• This whole procedure relies on the following architecture, units/devices and procedures.
• FIG. 2 A possible global architecture of the inventive system is represented schematically in figure 2.
• the system is designed as an assembly of one or several (wired or wirelessly) interconnected individual unit controllers.
• Each unit controller is composed of mechanical structures, electronical and robotics devices and optical (or sound) tracking devices, and delivers synchronized command signals to each device.
• FIG 2 is a functional, and not necessarily structural, representation of the invention.
• Some or several of the functional elements could in fact be implemented in a single physical unit.
• Some of the functions could also be embodied by suitable software means, or be carried out by external means, connected to the system by a data communication link, but not in physical proximity.
• the whole system is installed in a playfield and can be configured differently depending on the geometry of the playfield and depending on the number of units / users.
• the real-time control of all units is preferably performed using a single main controller (e.g. desktop computer, laptop), which can be activated/programmed using a remote controller (remote, smartphone or tablet).
• main controller e.g. desktop computer, laptop
• remote controller remote, smartphone or tablet
• Data acquisition is performed by dedicated data recording systems (e.g. desktop computer, laptop) and streamed stored in real-time to/by the main controller through wired or wireless connections.
• dedicated data recording systems e.g. desktop computer, laptop
• each individual unit can function independently of the other units.
• one main controller is connected to each individual unit controller.
• Each unit allows for testing/training one or several users, and may include: a) a playfield (of various sizes and floor textures, depending on the sport under consideration, and depending on the number of users); b) a visual environment projected onto a screen with a high- performance beamer; c) one or several ball launcher robots; d) a playfield surface with surrounding metallic structures (09 in figure 1); e) optical tracking devices (like optoelectronic motion capture systems) or other types of tracking devices connected to one data recording system; f) a system for recovering/collecting balls after kicks; g) devices for simulating non-visual environmental features - and
• the playfield can be configured in one of different spatial configurations, and using different types of surfaces (artificial or natural grass, indoor floors).
• rigid structures are placed at the limits of the playfield surfaces in order to support the screen (see next section).
• the user faces one large screen (flat or curved, for example, 4 meters width x 3 meters height for a flat screen) onto which images or movies are projected via a beamer.
• images or movies can represent object(s) with pre-defined properties integrated in a virtual environment (all characteristics of shape, colour, 2D or 3D, low of full HD resolution, contrast, transparency, and background... can be fixed in the main controller by the user). They can also correspond to real sporting/game situations of different types (sports, type of playfield, and type of stadium).
• these realistic images/movies were pre-filmed from the perspective of the user and calibrated to match the screen dimensions. These two types of images/movies will be referred to as virtual or realistic stimuli. [0048] Importantly, new stimuli can be integrated into the visual environment by the user.
• All parameters of the visual environment can be set randomly or set by the user using the remote controller or the main controller before the training/testing session. These include (but are not limited to) a) the number of successive stimuli, b) the inter-stimuli intervals, c) the duration presentation of the stimuli, d) the type and complexity of stimuli, e) the type of simulated situations (for example a penalty kick or a pass to a teammate in a defensive or offensive soccer situation), f) the presence, number and motion properties of the targets to reach, g) the presence, number and motion properties of visual distractors, h) the display of a visual feedback.
• Screen Properties include (but are not limited to) a) the number of successive stimuli, b) the inter-stimuli intervals, c) the duration presentation of the stimuli, d) the type and complexity of stimuli, e) the type of simulated situations (for example a penalty kick or a pass to a teammate in a defensive or offensive soccer situation), f) the
• This screen is made of shock absorbing tissue or cloth so that almost the whole amount of ball energy (due to a kick for example) is absorbed at impact.
• the screen is made of conventional screen canvas and the absorbing structure, constituted of the shock absorbing tissue, cloth, net, or any other type of absorbing matter, is rigidly attached to the screen canvas.
• the screen can be flat or can be curved/cylindrical. Preferably, it is fixed to a rigid structure (04 and 09 in figure 1) and is tightened to ensure a regular surface of the desired shape, whether flat or cylindrical.
• the images are projected onto the screen from front. In another embodiment, they can be projected from behind (rear projection). In this case, the screen properties shall allow for such rear projection.
• the beamer must possess minimal requirements in terms of full resolution (HD), contrast, three-dimensional images projection, luminosity and zoom compatible with the ambient luminosity on the playfield and the beamer-screen distance.
• HD full resolution
• contrast three-dimensional images projection
• luminosity zoom compatible with the ambient luminosity on the playfield and the beamer-screen distance.
• any technologies for simulating 3D environments can be used, including the ones based on the use of anaglyph glasses.
• the ball launcher robot or robots should be selected based on the specific ball-sport practiced by the user (from team sports like football, rugby, basketball... to individual sports like tennis, baseball). It can also be a non-ball object like hockey pucks. It should be fully programmable in terms of instant at which the ball/object is launched, ball/object speed and height.
• the tracking device is constituted of high-frequency motion capture cameras connected to the data recording system. Infra-red light reflective material is fixed on the ball and after a calibration procedure, the ball motion is recognized by the associated motion capture system software and delivers real-time information about the ball position and rotation in real-time. [0058] This information is streamed in real-time to the main controller via wired or wireless connection: it is used for the on-line analysis of the ball motion prior to, during and after ball impact on the screen. This allows, in particular, computation of accurate response times (delay between the instant of visual information appearance and the instant of start of ball motion in the direction of the screen after foot impact).
• active detectors located into or onto the ball could send such positional/rotational information, without any need to use motion capture systems. Such detectors are known in the technical field and will not be further detailed.
• the user's motion following ball reception can be analysed using the same type of motion capture systems, by a force platform (for foot movements) or by pressure detectors located on the fingers of users (for hand sports): in both cases, motion detection algorithms allow detecting the instant of kick/launch initiation by the user. This allows, in particular, computation of accurate reaction times (delay between the instant of visual information appearance and the instant of postural changes initiation prior to kick/launch initiation).
• response times are used to measure reactiveness of the user which is defined as how fast users convert visual information into an action towards the ball (pass or kick initiation).
• the main controller is the central hardware/software interface and may comprise a) a computer (e.g. a laptop or a desktop equipped with one or several compatible operating system(s)) dedicated to hosting the software part necessary to send visual environment related commands / to receive data streamed by the data recording system / to perform real- time analysis of the recorded data / to data storage, b) synchronization and data acquisition devices used to trigger/record data of the different devices (e.g. robots, tracking devices) (01 in figure 1 and figure 2).
• a computer e.g. a laptop or a desktop equipped with one or several compatible operating system(s) dedicated to hosting the software part necessary to send visual environment related commands / to receive data streamed by the data recording system / to perform real- time analysis of the recorded data / to data storage
• synchronization and data acquisition devices used to trigger/record data of the different devices (e.g. robots, tracking devices) (01 in figure 1 and figure 2).
• the user interface of the software platform also allows settings of the user characteristics (name, age%), the visual environment, and the number of units at work.
• the physical size of the visual environment (covering all or part of the visual field of the user), the distance between the user and the screen (and comparable type of settings) can be fixed using this interface.
• the results of individual testing/training sessions can be compared immediately (after the session) to other users or to the mean results across users, enhancing the interactivity of the whole system in case of multi users configurations.
• these results can also be shared through wired or wireless connections to systems located in different locations.
• the main controller allows a full and effective automation of the (visual information presentation - user response - realtime measurements, analysis and storage - balls recovery) successive sequences with inter-sequences intervals as short as one second.
• This system (08 in figure 1) may comprise ball recovery gutters located just below the screen.
• the internal part texture and the inclination of the gutters is chosen so as to ensure that balls, after impact on the screen, directly fall into the gutter and are conveyed towards to one of the gutters termination where they are collected into the ball launcher robots' collector.
• the gutter terminates below the user's position on the playfield.
• the ball is then brought at the floor level using a rotating platform.
• This embodiment corresponds to the configuration where users interact with a static ball (e.g. ball launchers would not be used in such configuration).
• Augmented reality environment devices for simulating non-visual environmental features.
• the present invention is supported by three types of quality measurements inspired by technological, scientific and sports-based considerations a) the accuracy of the system b) the discriminative power of the system in measuring the cognitive - motor performance and c) the improvement of the cognitive - motor performance after specific training sessions. These three types of measurements guarantee the performance of the system both as a testing and as a training device.
• the accuracy of the automatically generated spatial and temporal measurements has been verified using a video-based image-by-image control procedure.
• the simulated stimuli presentation durations, the automatically computed response times and the ball position at impact/speed have been compared to the physical counterparts of these variables.
• the discriminative power of the system corresponds to the ability of the system to discriminate the performance level of individual (or group) users.
• the measured temporal and spatial variables correspond to well-defined sport skills, for instance reactiveness and short passes accuracy.
• the following description is given for soccer but it can easily be adapted to other ball sports.
• Fourty-eight young elite soccer players were tested in a typical situation of 5 meters distance-passes towards static visual targets (white circles projected onto a black background for short periods ranged between 0,2 and 0,5 second). Players had to deliver passes as fast and as accurately possible.
• the players belong to a youth soccer academy and practiced soccer for at least 5 times per week (training and competition). Importantly, they were all trained followed by several highly-certified and experienced coaches on a quasi-nearly basis.
• the comparison could be used to affine the type of visual stimulation presented to the players to further reduce the difference between coaches judgments and the system.
• the pre and post training measurements represent a measure of the efficiency of the system.
• possible lack of performance improvements may be due to incomplete/irrelevant training programs rather than a lack of efficiency of the system.
• Main Controller Computer dedicated to controlling the different simulating / recording devices in a synchronized way for both single and multiple individual units.
• Tracking device Device dedicated to tracking and reconstruct in real-time the player/ball motion (positions and orientations in three dimensions) in the playfield.
• Ball-launching robots Device dedicated to launch the ball inside the playfield using parameters (speed, position) defined in the main controller.
• Ball-recovery system Device allowing recovery of the ball (after ball impact on the screen) and ball transmission towards the ball- launching robots.

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• 2017
  • 2017-02-15 EP EP17705963.1A patent/EP3417388A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2017-02-15 WO PCT/IB2017/050835 patent/WO2017141166A1/en active Application Filing

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