GB2476458A

GB2476458A - Exercise and Energy Use Monitor

Info

Publication number: GB2476458A
Application number: GB0922296A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kevin Page; Justin Jones
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-12-22
Filing date: 2009-12-22
Publication date: 2011-06-29
Also published as: GB0922296D0

Abstract

An Energy Balance Aid is self calibrating and requires no user set up. It provides information on the user's movement or exercise by means of a clearly displayed colour changing indicator that is updated in real time A variable blend of colour and the luminous intensity is updated in real time to provide an instantaneous, periodical and accumulated indication of movement or exercise. The colour indication is easily recognisable by the user and requires no concentration or interpretation, enabling the user to tell at a glance their energy balance level. The device also provides a colour pulse and audible tone to remind the user that more or less movement or exercise is needed. Acceleration is measured in three axis and pulse mapping and colour mapping algorithms are used to control the colour changing indicator.

Description

PATENT APPLICATION for: AN ENERGY BALANCE AID

1. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Recently it has widely been publicised that for humans to stay healthy they must undertake a given level of Cardiovascular Exercise every day.

It has also been publicised that the levels of obesity in both children as well as adults is rapidly increasing.

According to the World Health Organisation, obesity is increasing worldwide at an alarming rate, in both developed and developing countries, with currently more than 1 billion adults being overweight and at least 300 million of them beirig clirdcaily obese.

Childhood obesity is already epidemic in some areas of the world and on the rise in others. It is estimated that 22 million children under five are overweight worldwide.

Also according to the US Surgeon General, in the United State of America the number of overweight children has doubled and the number of overweight adolescents has trebled since 1980.

The rising obesity epidemic reflects the changes in society and in behavioural patterns over recent times with a large change towards less physically demanding work, an increase in the use of automated transport and more passive leisure pursuits.

Of equal concern is the increase in technology in the home, with the amount of time both children and adults spend sitting stationary in front ci a television and or monitors either watching television, recorded media and or playing video games, all of these devices contribute to the lack of physical activity and thus act as a major contributing factor to the increasing occurrence and levels of obesity.

To help promote a healthier daily routine the United Kingdom Department of Health recently released a recommendation that "at least 30 minutes a day of at least moderate intensity physical activity, on 5 or more days of the week" is needed for general health benefit and "any movement will contribute to energy expenditure and will therefore contribute to energy balance".

To help maintain a healthy energy balance in adults and especially children of all ages, a device is needed that provides non-technical feedback on their "energy balance" enabling the user to tell at a glance the level of movement and or exercise they have undertaken.

Therefore the present invention, herein described, addresses these issues by monitoring user's movement in a pocket sized Energy Balance Aid that is stand-alone and requires no user set up and can be carried or worn throughout the day, providing the user with clear and concise information on their energy balance by means of a colour changing indicator.

As the present invention is stand-alone it does not need any connections to other devices such as a computer or other hand held device to display the user's energy balance, therefore making it simple to use.

The present invention provides information to the user in a clear and concise format on their level of movement and or exercise undertaken in real-time in both the immediate term, periodical and on an accumulative basis.

The user can refer to the clearly displayed colour changing indicator provided by the present invention to judge for themselves whether they have achieved their required energy balance level, or need to undertake further movement and or exercise to meet their required energy balance level.

2. BACKGROUND DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

There are a number of different activity monitors or activity monitoring apparatus of various designs and configurations known in the prior art. By way of an example, the following cited prior art devices are listed along with a brief description of their features and how the present invention differentiates from these by providing an Energy Balance Aid that requires no user set up and provides information to the user in a clear and concise format.

The following related prior art of which the present inventors are aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, are provided below: Patent Number: GB2186400 (Karel Havel) Titled: Variable Colour Digital Timepiece Describing a timepiece including a variable colour display for indicating time in a digital format and a transducer for measuring values of a diverse quantity such as temperature, pressure, humidity etc. The colour of the display may be controlled in a plurality of steps in accordance with the outputs of the transducer.

Havel describes the use of a number of transducers to perform a conversion of one type of energy to another and applies this to a number of various displacements. In particular a physiological transducer for producing electrical signals which represent physiological conditions or events in a human body or other living matter.

The e]ectrica] output signa]s from the physio]ogica] transducer are converted using a signal converter. The signal converter is used to convert the transducer's output electrical signals to control the colour signals R, Y, and G in three steps.

Havel attempts to provide many different components of information in a single display. While this may be efficient in some circumstances, it also tends to make the information difficult to interpret for a non-technical person or persons of different age groups, for instance someone as young as 5 years of age or as old as 70 years of age.

Furthermore, Havel's colour display comprises a series of relatively small, individual digits, making it difficult to distinguish while at rest or taking exercise.

However, the present invention is considerably different from the device disclosed by Havel.

The present invention has the advantage when used as an energy balance aid, in particular for the measurement of movement and or exercise.

The present invention uses an accelerometer as its measurement means, where the accelerometer provides an output voltage that is linearly proportionally to the magnitude and frequency of the movement and or exercise.

The use of an acceleration measurement means has the advantage that is require no direct physically contact with the user to measure the said energy balance levels.

The outputs from the acceleration measurement means are processed using a pulse-mapping algorithm to determine the frequency of the colour pulse, whereby the present invention can provide the user with an indication of their heartbeat without the need for the device to be in direct contact with the user.

The present invention displays the user's movement or exercise in the form of a colour, whereby the colour is defined from the outputs of the acceleration measurement means using a colour-mapping algorithm.

The present invention has a further advantage to provide the user with clear and concise information on their movement or exercise rate by means of a colour changing indicator that is easy to interpret and can be clearly displayed in full view to the user.

Furthermore, the present invention also has the advantage that it requires no user set up and is therefore stand-alone, making it simple to use.

In addition, the present invention can provide an audible tone to remind the user that more, or less activity is needed, thus training the user to maintain a healthy energy balance.

Patent Number: US5197489 (Robert W. Conlan) Titled: Activity Monitoring Apparatus with Configurable Filters Describing a device that detects the frequency of physiological movements, including the pulse. The device is relatively small and portable, and may be worn upon the wrist of a user.

However, the Conlan device is configured only to record information. The recorded information then has to be uploaded to a computer for later processing as desired. Conlan does not provide any form of display means in his device. Thus, a person using the Conlan device would not be able to determine their real-time activity rate, or amount of exercise they have taken, without connection to a computer and analysis of the recorded data.

The present invention has the advantage to incorporate the entire signal processing and display method within a single unit, and therefore needs no connection to an external computer for the user to analyze their activity rate. As the present invention requires no connectivity to a computer, the level of movement or exercise achieved by the user is displayed in real-time on a colour changing indicator.

The present riventon has a further advantage that the colour changing indicator can provide the user with clear and concise information on their activity rate and can be clearly displayed in full view to the user making it easy to interpret for a non-technical person or persons of different age groups for instance someone as young as 5 years of age or as old as 70 years of age.

Furthermore, the present invention has the advantage that it requires no user set up and is therefore stand-alone, making it simple to use.

Patent Number: US2006/0235642 (Vock et al.) Titled: Activity Monitoring Systems and Methods Describing an activity monitor comprises housing for attachment to a person; at least one accelerometer disposed within the housing, and a processor disposed within the housing, for processing signals from the accelerometer to assess activity of the person.

The Vock et al device contains a LCD or LED display for feeding back measured information to the user. The LCD or LED's are arranged such to display numbers or letters. The numbers or letters displayed are dependent on the mode of the device, which is changed using the user interface buttons.

Vock et al attempts to provide many different components of information in a single display. While this may be efficient in some circumstances, it also tends to make the information difficult to interpret for a person outside the field of interest.

The present invention has the advantage to provide the user with clear and concise information on their activity rate by means of clearly displayed colour changing indicator that is in easy to interpret by a non-technical person, for instance someone as young as 5 years of age or as old as 70 years of age.

The present invention has a further advantage to incorporate all the measurement means, the entire single processing and display method within a single unit therefore needs no connection to external computer or external measurement means for the user to analysis their activity rate.

The present invention here in described is an improvement on prior art activity monitors or sensing apparatus, whereby the present invention monitors the user energy balance level and presents to the user an update of their instantaneous, periodical and accumulated energy balance in the form of a clearly displayed colour changing indicator that is updated in real-time.

3. STThRY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to various embodiments of an Energy Balance Aid, which provides information on the magnitude and frequency of the user's movement during their normal daily routine and or during exercise in the form of a clearly visible colour changing indicator.

The colour displayed by the present invention can be continuous and can also vary in colour and luminescent intensity, which corresponds to the amount of movement and or exercise taken by the user.

In addition, the luminescent intensity of the colour displayed by the present invention may also "pulse" in relation to the magnitude and frequency of the movement and or exercise detected.

The pulse of colour may have different luminous intensity so an increase or decrease in movement and or exercise can be clearly displayed to the user, where the long term movement and or exercise colour luminous intensity of the colour indicator may be set at 50% percent, and the change in movement and or exercise pulse may be set at a varying level between 0% and 100% percent. The dynamic luminous intensity of the pulse mimics that of an Electro Cardiogram response.

The colour changing indicator may vary in colour to show a blend of colour denoting different levels of movement and or exercise, where "Red" may indicate a low level of movement and or exercise indicating that some movement and or exercise is needed, co]our b]end from "Red" through to "Yellow" may indicate that some movement and or exercise has been achieved and the colour blend to "Green" may indicate the desired energy balance level or consistent level of movement and or exercise has been achieved. A colour blend from "Green" through to "Yellow" and "Yellow" through to "Red" may indicate a lack of movement and or exercise and denote that further movement and or exercise is needed.

This visual method of conveying the users movement and or exercise provides a clear and simple indication by displaying the user energy balance in the form of a colour, this has a number of considerable improvements over existing prior art devices that use a digital display to convey information and where the display can be difficult to read during movement and or exercise.

The present invention provides the user with a non-technical feedback on their level of movement and or exercise in such a way it can be interpreted by persons of different ages or abilities.

The present invention enables the user to tell at a glance the level of movement and or exercise they have currently undertaken and thus allows the user to make a decision to change their movement and or exercise levels if they so wish.

A positive improvement or increase in the user's movement arid or exercise can help improve overall fitness and help maintain a healthy energy balance.

The present invention monitors movement and or exercise in real-time in both the immediate term, periodical and on an accumulative basis, providing and instantaneous, periodical and accumulated indication of their energy balance.

The present invention can provide the user with an indication of their heartbeat without the need for the device to be in direct contact with the user by monitoring the magnitude and frequency of their movement and or exercise and processing this data using a pulse-mapping algorithm.

The present invention also has the advantage that it requires no input data from the user to set up the device prior to it being used for its intended purpose, making it simple to use.

In the present invention an accelerometer is used to measure the acceleration, deceleration and direction forces in all three axes, this has the advantage to operate irrespective of how the present invention is worn or carried by the user. It can be worn or carried horizontally, vertically, sideways or in any 360°degree orientation. Where the total measured force can be calculated by summing the three axis of the accelerometer together performing a vector sum. As the unit performs a vector sum it can self determine its orientation and is self calibrating and therefore has the advantage of requiring no user set up.

The accelerometer provides an output voltage that is linearly proportionally to the measured force, where lg could equal lv, in some accelerometers the scale or sensitivity of the accelerometer can be set so that larger q's can be measured.

Alternatively, the scale or sensitivity of the accelerometer may be set so that smaller g's can be measured; O.5g will equal 1V.

A microprocessor is used to measure each axis of the accelerometer independently and these three measurements represent the total acceleration in Cartesian coordinates. As acceleration is a vector quantity the Cartesian measurements are converted in a single vector. The resulting vector is a sum (vector sum) of all acceleration vectors acting upon the present invention at a given time. One acceleration vector is a known quantity namely the acceleration due to the earth's gravity "g", which acts at all time and always in a known direction.

This information can be used to resolve the measured acceleration vector into its components. One component is the earth's gravity "g" and another being the amount of movement made by the present invention in the X, Y and Z-axis.

If the present invention is at rest the only acceleration measured is that of the earth's gravity.

The use of vectors allows the present invention to be carried and or worn in any orientation by the user and still function correctly.

The output signals from the accelerometer are analogue signal processed, after analogue processing the signals are converted to the digital domain using an analogue to digital converter. Once in the digital domain digital signal processing is applied to the signals before processing by the microprocessor.

Alternatively the output signals from the accelerometer may be processed entirely the analogue domain.

The microprocessor performs signal processing on the outputs of the accelerometer to calculate a single value, which represents the level of movement in all directions.

Alternatively, a digital processing unit (DSP) or analogue-processing unit could perform this function.

In addition the accelerometer can function as a mode switch and user interface. The vector sum single value output from the microprocessor is processed by a tap-mapping algorithm and is mapped into a number of different states, where by the mode of the pulse and or audible tone can be controlled either "on" or "off".

A colour-mapping algorithm takes the single value from the microprocessor and maps it into a number of different states; where by the hue of the individual colour sources of the colour changing indicator can be controlled to produce a spectrum of colours, where a low value representing low movement and or exercise may by mapped to the colour "red", where an increase in movement and or exercise may be mapped to blend from "red" through to "yellow" and a high value representing that the desired level or consistent level of energy balance has been achieved, may be mapped to blend from "yellow" through to "green".

A pulse-mapping algorithm takes the single value from the microprocessor and maps it into a number of different states; a low value representing low movement and or exercise may by mapped so the luminous intensity of the colour changing indicator "pulses slow", where an increase in movement and or exercise may be mapped so the luminous intensity of the colour changing indicator "pulses faster" representing a higher rate of movement and or exercise. The luminous intensity of the "pulses" of the colour changing indicator is directly proportional to the magnitude and frequency of movement and or exercise detected by the present and set to mimic the heart beat of the user, pulsing from 40 to 220 beats per minute The present invention can also provide an audible tone to remind the user that more, or less movement and or exercise is needed.

An audio-mapping algorithm takes the single value from the microprocessor and maps it into a number of different states; where by the tone of the audio transducer can be controlled to indicate that the required level of energy balance has been achieved, or more movement and or exercise is needed to meet the required energy balance level thus training the user to maintain a healthy energy balance.

The present invention may be configured in a relatively small, portable embodiment for wearing around the neck, being carried or clipped to a belt, carried in the hand, pocket or strapped upon the wrist, arm or leg, alternatively the device can be carried by any other well know and common means, such as a handbag or wallet.

The present invention may have a rechargeable battery or other means of power generation; solar, thermal and kinetic energy.

The present invention can also incorporate battery charge level indication.

The present invention may have a re-set button to clear any stored energy-balance data from the memory, if the user wanted to start a new energy balance profile or to allow the device to be used by another person or persons.

The present invention is not limited to the use with humans; an alternative embodiment of the present invention can also be used with other species, for example, a dog, a cat or horse, by simply re-programming the algorithms during the devices manufacture to suit the desired energy balance levels for that particular species.

In another alternative embodiment of the present invention herein described may be integrated into another device; a mobile phone, PDA or MP3 player or any such devices commonly carried by person or persons in they daily business.

In another alternative embodiment of the present invention the device may be temporarily connected to a personal computer via a cable, such as USB; alternatively the device may be connected using a wireless protocol; such as Bluetooth (RTM), infra-red or other such air interface means, this allows the user to either download data from the device to a personal computer or other well known electronic apparatus or the user may upload data to the device, such as new software updates or training programs.

The common theme between each of the embodiments of the present invention is the provision of a clearly displayed colour changing indicator, where the colour displayed corresponds to the amount of body movement or exercise taken by the user.

4. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The previously described features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth in the appended claims. The invention and its advantages may be best understood with reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1: perspective view of the preferred embodiment; Figure 2: sectional view of the preferred embodiment; Figure 3: block diagram of the preferred embodiment; Figure 4: flow diagram of the preferred invention; Figure 5: perspective view of an alternative embodiment [1]; Figure 6: perspective view of an alternative embodiment [2]; Figure 7: perspective view of an alternative embodiment [3]; Referring to the Figures, and particularly to Figure 1, showing an Energy Balance Aid constructed in accordance with the present invention incorporating a front cover (1), a rear cover (2), a display window (3), an audio transducer (5), a mode switch (4), and an eyelet (6).

In this form the present invention provides a pocket sized energy balance aid that can be carried throughout the day to provide the user with a clear and simple indication of their energy balance in the form of a colour changing indicator and or audible tone. The audible tone can be selected "on" or "off" by a mode switch (4) . The device may be carried by the user in the pocket or clipped to the user's clothing or belt using the eyelet (6) Figure 2 shows an Energy Balance Aid constructed in accordance with the present invention having its perspective view shown in Figure 1 where the internal electronic assembly (8) is protected by a front cover (1) and a rear cover (2) The front (1) and the rear cover (2) are preferably made from a plastic material such as ABS or similar, with an eyelet (6) . The front cover (1) may have a display window (3) moulded into the front cover. The display window (3) is preferably made from a translucent plastic material such as ABS or similar.

The internal electronic PCB assembly (8) may have a microprocessor (13) and associated processor controller circuitry, a 3-axis accelerometer (12) and, a charging circuit (9), a colour changing indicator (11), a rechargeable battery (7), a mode switch (4), an audio transducer (5), and an interface connector plug (10) The display window (3) is designed such, that the colour changing indicator (11) can be clearly viewed by the user during movement and or exercise.

Figure 3, showing a 3-axis accelerometer (12) where each of the output signals (X), (Y), and (Z) are analogue signalled processed ASP (14), ASP (15), and ASP (16).

The outputs from the analogue signal processing blocks ASP (14), ASP (15), and ASP (16) are feed into analogue digital converters ADC (17), ADC (18) and ADC (19) before processing by the microprocessor (13) The microprocessor (13) maps the signal using colour-mapping and pulse-mapping algorithms to control the colour and luminous intensity of the colour changing indicator (11) an audio-mapping algorithm is used to control the audio transducer (5) . The audio transducer (5) can be turned "on" or "off" by the mode switch (4) A charging circuit (9) conditions the incoming voltage and provides the inputs to the battery (7) Figure 4, shows a flow diagram of the routine executed by the Microprocessor (13) . The flow diagram shows the necessary blocks to achieve the required functionality of the invention.

Figure 5, shows an alternative embodiment of an energy balance aid (1) that is built into a collar or strap (2) Typically, in this form the Energy Balance Aid (1) can used to monitor the movement and or exercise of a given animal.

The device can be selected "on" or "off" using the mode switch (4), the movement and or exercise is displayed on the colour changing indicator (3) The device (1) shown in Figure 5 can also take the form as shown in figure 1, where the energy balance aid can be simply clipped to an existing collar, chain or other appropriate place.

Figure 6, shows an alternative embodiment of an Energy Balance Aid (1) that can be built into any mobile device, such as a mobile phone, PDA or media player (2) Typically, in this form the Energy Balance Aid (1) can be selected "on" or "off" by the device's mode switch (4) and the energy balance colour displayed to the user by the display (3) of the device (2), an audio transducer (5) can can provide an audible tone to remind the user that more, or less activity is needed, thus training the user to maintain a healthy energy balance.

Figure 7, shows an alternative embodiment of an Energy Balance Aid (1) connected to a personal computer (2) via a cable (3) or by wireless protocol from the activity monitor transponder (4) to a wireless protocol on a personal computer (5).

Typically, in this form the alternative embodiment may be temporarily connected to a personal computer via a cable, such as USB; alternatively the device may be connected using a wireless protocol; such as Bluetooth (RIM), infra-red or other such air interface means, this allows the user to either download data from the device to a personal computer or other well known electronic apparatus or the user may upload data to the device, such as new software updates.

Claims

1. CLAIMS 1. An Energy Balance Aid that is stand-alone, self calibrating and requires no user set up, that provides information on the magnitude and frequency of the user's movement and or exercise by means of a colour changing and pulsing indicator that is updated in real time, by which the variable blend of colour, colour sequencing and luminous intensity, presents to the user an update of their instantaneous, periodical and accumulated energy balance, the displayed colours, sequencing and pulse intensity are determined by measured acceleration forces acting in 3 axis, the measured forces being processed by a pre-programmed algorithm and then mapped onto a colour changing indicator by a colour-mapping and pulse-mapping algorithm.

2. An Energy Balance Aid as presented in claim 1, that displays a variable blend of colour to denote the movement and or exercise of the user, where a pre-determined colour or any number of colours will represent low user movement and or exercise and another pre-determined colour or any number of colours will represent high user movement and or exercise, any change in the displayed colour or colours denotes an improvement or degradation in the energy balance of the user.

3. An Energy Balance Aid as presented in claim 1, which uses an accelerometer as its acceleration measurement means, where the accelerometer provides an output voltage that is linearly proportionally to the measured forces.

4. An Energy Balance Aid as presented in claim 3, where the measured forces can be calculated by summing the three axis of the accelerometer together performing a vector sum, where by the present intention can self determine its orientation and is self calibrating and therefore requires no user set up.

5. An Energy Balance forces Aid as presented in claim 3, which takes the measured forces from the accelerometer and equates this to a voltage, each axis of the accelerometer is processed by a pre-programmed algorithm to generate a single value which represent the magnitude and frequency of the users movement and or exercise.

6. An Energy Balance Aid as presented in claim 5, where the single value is processed by a colour-mapping algorithm and is mapped into a number of different states, where by the hue of the individual colour sources of the colour changing indicator can be controlled to produce a spectrum of colours.

7. An Energy Balance Aid as presented in claim 5 where the single value is processed by a pulse-mapping algorithm and is mapped into a number of different states, where by the luminous intensity of all the colour sources of the colour changing indicator can be controlled so the pulse's frequency is varied between and 220 pulses per minute.

8. An Energy Balance Aid as presented in claim 5, where the increase or decrease in movement and or exercise can be clearly displayed to the user, where the long term movement and or exercise colour luminous intensity of the colour indicator may be set at 50% percent, and the change in movement and or exercise pulse may be set at a varying level between 0% and 100% so the dynamic luminous intensity of the pulse mimics that of an Electra Cardiogram response.

9. An Energy Balance Aid as presented in claim 5, where the single value is processed by an audio-mapping algorithm and is mapped into a number of different states, where by the tone of the audio transducer can be controlled to indicate that the required energy balance level has been achieved, or more movement and or exercise is need to meet the required energy balance level.

10.An Energy Balance Aid of claim 1, that is further configured to incorporate a mode switch that allows the device audio transducer of the present invention to be selected "on" or "off".

11.Ari Energy Balance Aid of claim 5 where by the single value is processed by a tap-mapping algorithm and is mapped into a number of different states, where by the mode of the pulse and or audible tone can be controlled either "no" or "off".

12.An Energy Balance Aid of claim 1, where the present invention may be integrated within any mobile phone, PDA or other portable equipment commonly carried by person or persons in they daily business.

13.An Energy Balance Aid of claim 1, which is further configured to include a connection to a personal computer via a cable to allow the user to either download or upload data from the present invention.

14.An Energy Balance Aid of claim 1, which is further configured to include a wireless protocol to allow the user to either download or upload data from the present invention.

15.An Energy Balance Aid of claim 1, where the present invention may be integrated within any non-portable electronic equipment.Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. CLAIMS 1. An Energy Balance Aid that is portable, stand-alone, self calibrating and requires no user set up, that provides information in any orientation on the magnitude and frequency of the user's movement or exercise by means of a colour changing and pulsing indicator that is updated in real time, whereby the pulse may be set at a varying level between 0% arid 100% o the dynsiio luminous intensity of a pulse mimics that of an electro cardiogram response without requiring direct contact to the user and presents feedbatk to the user on their instantaneous, periodical and accumulated energy balance, wherein the displayed colours and pulse intensity are determined the measured aooeieratiori forces acting in 3 axes, the measured forces being processed by a pre-programined algorithm and then mapped Onto a ooiour ohanging indicator by a colour-mapping and pulse-mapping algorithm, whereby the colour changing and pulsing indicator can be clearly displayed in full view to the user. 2. An Energy Balance Aid as presented in claim 1, that displays a variable blend of colour to denote the * ,* movement nd or exercise of the user, where a pre- *: 25 determined colour or any number of colours will *.* * represent low user movement or exercise and another : *. pre-determined colour or any number of colours will .: represent high user movement and or exercise, wherein any change in the displayed colour or colours denotes an improvement or degradation in the energy balance of the user.3. An Energy Balance Aid as presented ifl claim i, which uses an accelerometer as its acceleration measurement means, where the accelerometer provides an output vcltage that iS linearly ppticnal to the measured forces.4. An Energy Balance Aid as presented in claim 3, where the measured forces can be calculated by summing the three axis of the accelerometer together performing a vector sum, where by the present intention can self determine its orientation and is self calibrating and therefore requires no user set up.5. An Energy Balance forces Aid as presented in claim 3, which takes the measured forces from the accelerometer and represents these by a voltage, the voltages corresponding to each axis is processed by a pre-programmed algorithm to generate a single value which represent the magnitude and freguency of the users movement and or exercise.6. An Energy Balance Aid as presented in claim 5, where the single value is processed by a colour-mapping algorithm and is mapped into a number of different S.....* 25 states, where by the hue of the individual colour *:*::* sources of a colour changing and pulsing indicator can be controlled to produce a spectrum of colours.7. An Energy Balance Aid as presented in claim 5, where : 30 the single value is processed by a pulse-mapping algorithm and is mapped into a number of different states, where by the luminous intensity of all the colour sources of a colour changing and pulsing indicator can be controlled so the pulse's frequency is varied between 40 and 220 pulses per minute.8. An Energy Balance Aid as presented in claim 5, where the single value is processed by an audio-mapping algorithm and is mapped into a number of different states, where by the tone of an audio transducer can be controlled to indicate that the required energy balance level has been achieved, or more movement or exercise is need to meet the required energy balance level.9. An Energy Balance Aid of claim 1, that iS further configured to incorporate a mode switch that allows the device audio transducer of the present invention to be selected "on" or "off".l0.An Energy Balance Aid of claim 5, where by the single value is processed by a tap-mapping algorithm and is mapped into a number of different states, where by the mode of the pulse and/or audible tone can be controlled either "on" or "off". *...1l.An Energy Balance Aid of claim 1, where the present *.....* 25 invention may be integrated within any mobile phone, FDA or other portable equipment commonly carried by person or persons in their daily business.12.An Energy Balance Aid of claim 1, which iS further : 30 configured to include a connection to a personal computer via a cable to allow the user to either download or upload data from the present invention.13.An Energy Balance Aid of claim I, which is further configured to include a wireless protocol to allow the user to either download or upload data from the present iflveritic5r'i.14.An Energy Balance Aid of claim 1, where the present invention may be integrated within any non-portable electronic equipment. *.S. * * ***S* ***** * * * ** * S * * *S ***S * ** * * * **** S. S S * S * S.