JP2020519974A - Auxiliary pedal system - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is an auxiliary pedal system (bFaaaP), which detects a movement of a user to generate a detection signal, a processor which processes the detection signal to generate an actuator control signal, and An actuator for controlling a pedal according to an actuator control signal, the movement being involved in head movement, the head movement having an offset range that the actuator does not drive, and the actuator control signal being the user preference. To provide an auxiliary pedal system, which can be modified according to. The pedal may be a piano pedal, and the detector may be worn on spectacles. Also provided is a device controller having the above characteristics. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention has a universal design for children and people with challenged feet and is applicable to any musical instrument having a pedal and any electronic device such as an electronic piano or a controller for a game console. It is possible. [Selection diagram] Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to an auxiliary pedal system and a device controller (game machine controller), and more specifically, to a portable auxiliary piano pedal system in which an angle sensor is attached to eyeglasses and a head tilt selected by each user. It relates to using angular offset ranges and magnification to implement an efficient method of controlling the device while providing a universal design for piano players, including children and people with foot disabilities.

A piano is a musical instrument having a keyboard (one in which keys to be pressed by the fingers of the performer are aligned) and a plurality of pedals (a lever operated by the performer's feet). The plurality of pedals include a soft pedal, an (optional) sostenuto pedal, and a sustain pedal (or damper pedal or sustaining pedal) (hereinafter referred to as "sustain pedal"). Sustain pedals are located to the right of other pedals and are used more frequently than other pedals. The sustain pedal lifts all dampers away from the string, allowing the string to continue to vibrate even after the performer releases the key. By using this pedal, you can achieve rich sound quality and improve your piano performance. However, those who cannot operate these pedals with their feet require auxiliary pedals or other auxiliary devices. While there are many types of auxiliary pedals for children, there are few commercially available auxiliary piano pedal devices for people with disabilities (sometimes referred to hereinafter as challenged).

There has been a long-felt need for an easy-to-use piano pedal device for people with foot disabilities. So far there are some real examples. In Europe, Dr. Rudiger Rupp and co-workers have developed a wireless piano pedal controlled by mouth (eg, tongue, bite) (Non-Patent Document 1). Another pedal assist device for a disabled pianist is also known [2]. In the United States, Patent Document 1 discloses a piano pedal operating device for persons with disabilities, which is operated by pressure exerted by the back of the user. In Japan, a pneumatically controlled piano pedal system was designed for some professional pianists, and US Pat. No. 6,037,058 discloses a pedal actuator for this system.

Although not commercially available, Patent Document 3 proposes a piano pedal performance assist device by Yamaha Corporation. In this device, a rich performance expression is realized by utilizing the continuous amount by the upper body of the player who has a lower body. The technical feature thereof is that "a half point in a half pedal area of the pedal of the piano is specified in advance, and in the control table, with respect to an intermediate value between a minimum value and a maximum value of the detection signal, Participating in the'corresponding pre-specified half point' configuration.

The CanAssist team at Victoria University created a head-actuated piano pedal for a pianist (Non-Patent Document 3). The website states: "The CanAssist team has begun work and consists of two parts: a mechanical device that sits on the floor and is attached to the piano pedal and a headband that contains a wireless sensor that measures changes in its position." The sensor wirelessly communicates its position to the device on the floor, actuating the device and depressing or releasing the pedal, so when Emily with the headband leans her head down, The pedal is pushed down to extend the sound she is playing, and lifting the head releases the pedal."

US Pat. No. 9,792,885 Japanese Patent No. 5376493 Japanese Patent No. 4742574

https://www.heidelberg-university-hospital.com/about-us/press-media/press-releases/singlenews/detail/News/despite-paraplegia-become-a-pianist/ http://www.pianoman.nl/pedal-assist-device-for-the-disabled-pianist.html https://www.canassist.ca/EN/main/programs/technologies-and-devices/test-1/piano-arts.html

In the actual piano pedal device to date, the pedal device is driven by using the movement of the oral cavity (eg, movement of the tongue or breath). However, using the movement of the oral cavity is accompanied by hygienic problems, and it is difficult for the performer to sing a song while playing the piano. In Japanese Patent No. 4742574, the upper half of the body of a player with a foot injury can be used for the pedal system, and examples of movements that control the pedal include head movements. The head-actuated piano pedal actually uses head movements detected by a wireless sensor installed in the upper front part of the head using a headband. Head movements (eg, rotational speed or tilt angle) can be detected by, for example, an accelerometer or gyroscope to obtain either a binarized signal or a continuous signal. However, no effective concrete method of detecting the actual concrete movement controlling the pedal system is defined or implemented. Therefore, there is a need to further consider efficient ways to detect and process movements of performers with leg impairments.

Japanese Patent No. 4742574 defines the half point in the half pedal region, but the half point can be arbitrarily set between the minimum value and the maximum value of the detection signal, and the half point is functional. It is unclear what that means. Therefore, there is room for improvement in setting the position where the pedal responds to the pedal actuation signal more efficiently and quickly if necessary. It is also possible to improve how to set its position in the pedal system.

Also, each pedal actuator appears to be operated in either a binarized or continuous fashion. However, recent advances in stepper motors have enabled finer control in a step-wise fashion. The use of this control in pedal systems should also be considered.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an auxiliary pedal system that utilizes non-oral head movements in an efficient manner. Another object of the present invention is to provide an auxiliary pedal system that includes a controller that processes a head motion detection signal to generate and communicate an electronic device control command signal that replaces the pedal mediated command signal. Is. Also provided is a device controller (eg, a game console controller) that controls the device using head movements.

A first aspect of the present invention provides an auxiliary pedal system, a detector for detecting a movement of a user to generate a detection signal, and a processor for processing the detection signal to generate an actuator control signal. And an actuator that controls a pedal according to the actuator control signal, wherein the movement is involved in head movement, the head movement has an offset range that the actuator does not drive, and the actuator control signal is It is an auxiliary pedal system that can be changed according to user preference.

In the first aspect, the movements are involved in head movements, particularly head movements of persons with leg disorders and children. The head movement is involved in head rotation about each of the three axes of the XYZ axis coordinate system, where the X axis is in the horizontal direction extending from the user side to the piano side; Z The axes are in another horizontal direction extending from the user's left side to the right side; and the Y axis is in the vertical direction orthogonal to their X and Z axes. Z-axis rotation (which reflects the nod motion of the user) is preferred, but Z-axis rotation and Y-axis rotation are also acceptable. Preferably, a tilt angle with respect to the Z rotation axis is used, but tilt angles with respect to the X rotation axis or the Y rotation axis can also be used. Each rotation speed can be detected by a gyroscope. Head motion can be detected by utilizing the acceleration in each axial direction, and the acceleration can be measured by an accelerometer. The tilt angle can be measured by the method described herein.

In the first aspect, the head movement has an offset range in which the actuator is not driven. During the performance of the piano, each player voluntarily moves his/her head, so that undesired head movement from the viewpoint of the detector may be mixed with the detection signal of the detector. To minimize this unwanted head movement, an offset range is provided where the actuator does not drive. Examples of the offset range may include offset ranges of the head tilt angle, the rotation speed, and the acceleration with respect to the X, Y, and Z axes.

In a first aspect, the actuator control signal is changeable according to the user's preference. In order to realize an efficient control method of the actuator, the actuator control signal can be generated according to the user's preference. The user can choose how fast the actuator responds to his head movements, so that an optimized response for each individual performer is feasible. The response range is selected by the user in combination with the offset range to provide an efficient way to generate the actuator control signal.

The pedal may be a piano pedal. Examples of pedals used herein include pedals for any device such as a musical instrument or vehicle such as an automobile. Examples of pianos include grand pianos, upright pianos, electronic pianos, organs, keyboards, and electones.

The actuator may include a step motor. Any type of actuator capable of controlling and driving the pedal can be used. However, stepper motors are preferred from the perspective of fine pedal control. The use of a stepper motor allows precise control of pedaling speed and time at each pedal position. Also, a linear step motor is more preferred because it moves the motor up and down vertically when the pedal is moved vertically.

The detector can be mounted on spectacles, especially on the side frames of the spectacles. In order to detect the tilt angle of the head of each user, the detector is preferably installed horizontally. To this end, the detector may be worn along the spectacle side frame between the user's eyes and ears. Also, the case of the detector may have a slit or groove that fits into the side frame. This allows the detector to be placed substantially horizontally, with an initial tilt angle of approximately 0 degrees, which makes it easier for the user to set the head tilt angle offset value. The detector case may have a slit or groove that fits into the eyeglass side frame portion to facilitate positioning of the detector. Also, the detector may be a lightweight detector. This may facilitate the user's operation (eg, the player's piano performance). The reason is that the user can control the device without feeling any strain on the head. Further, the detector may be fixed to or removable from the eyeglass side frame portion. If the user wears spectacles, the detector can be worn on his or her spectacles. If the user does not wear glasses, Date glasses can be used for this purpose. Also, the appearance of the detector in front of the audience may be better when the detector is worn on the side frame of the glasses than when the detector is worn on the performer's head with a headband. Absent. The good appearance of a player wearing a detector is an important factor for playing a piano.

The head movement may be related to the head tilt angle, and the upper limit of the offset range of the head tilt angle can be defined by the user. The offset range used herein relates to, for example, the normal nodding motion of the user's head. The upper limit of the offset range is preferably 10 degrees or less, more preferably 7.5 degrees or less, further preferably 5 degrees or less, and further preferably 3 degrees or less. This is because Example 6 demonstrated that the above upper limit was actually selected by the test subjects and was effective in extending the tone using each bFaaaP from the perspective of rapid response. That is, considering a faster actuator response and a person with a neck injury, the smaller the offset value and the faster the actuator responds, the better. In particular, it was found that the test was performed three times by a subject who had a tracheotomy due to a leg disorder and was effective. In consideration of invalidating the voluntary head movement, the upper limit of the offset range of the head tilt angle is preferably 3 degrees (2.5 degrees) or less, more preferably 5 degrees or less, and further preferably 7 degrees. It is less than or equal to 0.5 degree, and more preferably less than or equal to 10 degree, which was confirmed by the actual experiment in Example 9 below. In summary, it was experimentally verified that the upper limit (offset value) of the offset range may be in the range of 3 to 10 degrees. Preferably, as described below, this head tilt angle can be used in combination with a magnification factor to control pedal movement in an efficient manner.

The actuator control signal can be modified by multiplying a value obtained by subtracting the upper limit of the offset range from the head tilt angle by a scale factor; the scale factor being 10 to 50 selected by the user. Therefore, the pedal is maximally depressed by the actuator using a head tilt angle of 2 to 10 degrees from the upper limit of the offset range. The scaling factor may be in the range 1 to 50. If the scaling factor is 10, the actuator is used to maximally pedal using a head tilt angle of 10 degrees from the upper limit of the offset range. If the magnification is 20, use a 5 degree head tilt angle; if the magnification is 30, use a 3.3 degree head tilt angle; if the magnification is 40, use a 2.5 degree head tilt angle. Use head tilt angle; and if the magnification is 50, use 2 degree head tilt angle. The magnification can be selected according to the user's preference. The higher the magnification, the quicker the pedal is depressed by the actuator, and the lower the magnification, the finer the control of the pedal. In particular, 20, 30, or 40 were preferably selected by the APEE test subjects described in Example 6.

Play of the pedal may be offset so that the pedal moves in response to the actuator control signal without delay. In the case of a piano, for example, the pedal may not initially lift the damper, since the pedal usually has pedal play. After offsetting the play of the pedal, in this case the pedal begins to work. In view of the above, the pedal play is initially offset to allow the pedal to move in response to the actuator control signal without delay. This can be expected to improve actuator behavior in response to actuator control signals. Preferably, the pedal play is manually determined, but is set by actually controlling the actuator using the actuator controller.

The present auxiliary pedal system further includes a portable housing having a weight(s) removable from the actuator, the removable weight resisting a reaction force of the actuator to prevent the housing from moving, And the housing has a soundproof room containing the actuator. Since the housing is portable, the system can be installed almost anywhere. Further, since the weight is detachable, the portability of the housing is improved when the weight is detached from the housing and separately carried during transportation. In the case of a piano, this system can be applied not only to a grand piano in a concert hall, but also to an upright piano or electronic piano at home. A removable weight is provided to resist the reaction force of the actuator. In this way, while the housing is portable, it does not move easily during operation of the actuator. The weight of the weight can be selected depending on the intended reaction force of the pedal. On some pianos, two 5 kg weights are sufficient for this purpose. Another feature of the enclosure concerns the soundproof room. When the actuator drives in response to the detector signal, actuator related noise is generated. To minimize or nullify this noise, the enclosure has a soundproof room for the actuator. This chamber may have a sound absorbing material on the wall. In the case of a piano, this can minimize noise and improve the sound quality of the piano performance. In summary, the configuration of this housing can simultaneously improve the portability, stability, and noise canceling effect of the housing.

A second aspect of the present invention provides a pedal operation method, the step of detecting a user's movement to generate a detection signal, and the step of processing the detection signal to generate an actuator control signal, Controlling the pedal according to the actuator control signal, wherein the movement involves head movement, the head movement having an offset range in which the actuator does not drive, and the actuator control signal being It is a method that can be changed according to taste. As mentioned above, the method utilizes head movements in an efficient manner to control the pedal.

In a second aspect, the features described above may be employed to improve pedal control.

A third aspect of the present invention provides an auxiliary pedal system, a detector for detecting user movement to generate a detection signal, and processing the detection signal to replace a pedal mediated command signal. A controller for generating and transmitting an electronic device control command signal, the movement being involved in head movements, the head movement having an offset range in which the electronic equipment is not responsive to the head movement, and An auxiliary pedal system in which the electronic device control command signal can be changed according to the user's preference.

In a third aspect, the controller is configured to process the detection signal to generate and communicate an electronics control command signal that replaces the pedal mediated command signal. The third aspect does not have an actuator that actually controls the pedal. Instead, in a third aspect, the electronics control command signal replaces the command signal generated by the pedal of the electronics and is input directly into the electronics controller that performs the desired function. In a third aspect, the controller may include a detector side control unit and an electronic equipment side control unit. This detector-side control unit alone or together with the electronics-side control unit may process the detector signal according to the features of the invention. The controller according to the third aspect preferably includes the detector-side controller, and can transmit the electronic device control command signal in a wired or wireless manner. This extends the invention even to various electronic devices with or without pedals.

In the third aspect, the above feature in the first aspect may be applicable.

The electronic device may be an electronic piano. Because each electronic piano has an electronic piano controller, the present invention may be more valuable with an electronic piano than with a mechanical piano. Only by sending an electronic device control command signal to the electronic piano controller, it is possible to realize an efficient method for improving the piano playing by challenged children and children, especially those who have foot disorders.

A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a method of operating an electronic device, the method including detecting a movement of a user to generate a detection signal, and processing the detection signal to replace a pedal-mediated command signal. Generating and transmitting an electronic device control command signal, wherein the movement involves head movements, the head movements having an offset range in which the electronic equipment does not respond to the head movements, and A method wherein the electronic device control command signal can be changed according to the user's preference.

In a fourth aspect of the invention, the above features may be applicable and provide an efficient and universal way to control the electronic device by almost anyone, including challenged children with legs and children. To do.

A fifth aspect of the present invention provides a device controller, a detector for detecting a user's movement to generate a detection signal, and a detector for processing the detection signal to generate and transmit a device control command signal. A controller for performing the head movements, the head movements having an offset range in which the device does not respond to the head movements, and the device control command signal is according to the user's preference. A device controller that can be modified and the detector may be worn on the glasses.

In a fifth aspect of the present invention, the above features are applicable to provide an efficient and universal way to allow the maximum operation of the device by almost anyone, including challenged children with feet and children. To do. From this viewpoint, the device controller may be a game machine controller. Utilizing head movements can provide another way of entering user movements. This is because the present device controller is controlled by two factors related to the offset range and the magnification that can be changed according to the user's preference. This approach can provide another way of controlling gameplay.

The present invention provides an auxiliary pedal system for any user, including those with foot disabilities and children. It is almost impossible for people with foot disabilities to use pedals, especially piano pedals. However, the system allows almost anyone to use this pedal. It also uses non-oral head movements efficiently by using a head movement offset value range and allowing each user to control how quickly the actuator or electronics responds to that head movement. Use in style. This realizes efficient actuator control and electronic device control.

FIG. 1 is an outline of bFaaaP according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a detector side configuration and an actuator side configuration of the bFaaaP. FIG. 3A is a side view of the spectacle-mounted detector according to the embodiment of the present invention. 3B and 3C are other detectors according to embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a detector side processing flowchart I. FIG. 5 is a detector-side processing flowchart II. FIG. 6 is an actuator side processing flowchart I. FIG. 6 is an actuator side processing flowchart II. FIG. 8 is a MOV function flowchart. FIG. 9 is a front view of the bFaaaP housing according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a rear view of the bFaaaP casing. FIG. 11 is a left side sectional view (A) and a right side sectional view (B) of the bFaaaP casing. FIG. 12 is a left side view (A) and a right side view (B) of the bFaaaP casing. FIG. 13 is a top view (A) and a bottom view (B) of the bFaaaP casing. FIG. 14 is an intermediate cross-sectional view I(A) and II(B) of the bFaaaP casing. FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of the spacing plate member according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 16 is a front view of the bFaaaP4 housing showing the size of each component. FIG. 17 is a rear view of the bFaaaP4 housing showing the size of each component. FIG. 18 is a left side sectional view (A) and a right side sectional view (B) of the bFaaaP4 housing showing the size of each component. FIG. 19 is a left side view (A) and a right side view (B) of the bFaaaP4 housing showing the size of each component. FIG. 20 is a top view (A) and a bottom view (B) of the bFaaaP4 housing showing the size of each component. FIG. 21 is an intermediate cross-sectional view I(A) and II(B) of the bFaaaP4 housing showing the size of each component. FIG. 22 is an enlarged view of the bFaaaP4 spacing plate member showing the size. FIG. 23 shows the musical notes of the musical score used in the APEE test. FIG. 24 is a questionnaire provided to a subject in the procedure of the APEE test. FIG. 25 shows one of the diagrams obtained by the APEE test and the calculation formula used for the statistical analysis. FIG. 26 is a graph showing the head tilt angle of a subject who is playing the piano.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.

Terms and Definitions The terms herein have their ordinary meanings as used by those of ordinary skill in the art. However, unless otherwise indicated, the following defines the meaning of each term.

1. Piano Piano is an acoustic string instrument. Types of pianos used herein include grand pianos, upright pianos, electronic pianos (also called electric pianos), keyboards, electric tones, and organs. Almost all modern pianos have a row of 88 keys consisting of 52 white keys and 36 short black keys. Pianos usually have two or three pedals.
As used herein, each concrete side of the piano relative to the performer is defined as follows.
Front side: Performer side with respect to piano;
Back side: Action mechanism side with respect to the plate behind the keyboard;
Left side: Left side as seen from the performer;
Right side: Right side as seen from the player;
Upper: higher position to a point; and lower: lower position to a point.
Generally, the sound of music is a fixed periodic sound, and is characterized by its length, pitch, strength (magnitude), and tone (or sound quality).
If the length of the note is extended by pedaling, the note is extended. As used herein, the term "stretching sound" refers to this type of stretching sound.
In music, notes are pitches and lengths of notes. The notes are usually represented by either C, D, E, F, G, A, and B or do, le, mi, fa, so, la, and si. As used herein, the notes are represented by do, le, mi, fa, so, la, and si.

2. Piano Pedal A piano pedal is a lever operated by the foot at the base of the piano. The pedal can change the piano sound in various ways. Pedals, typically from left to right, include soft pedals, sostenuto pedals, and sustain pedals. In some silent pianos, the middle sostenuto pedal may be replaced with a mute pedal. The soft pedal produces a softer and more subtle sound. Sustain pedals are used more often, and lift all dampers away from the strings, allowing the strings to continue to vibrate after the player releases the key. The sustain pedal also doubles as a pedal that allows the performer to connect notes that otherwise would not be played in a legato fashion.
When the piano pedal is depressed by the player's foot, the player receives a reaction force (kickback force) on the foot. This force, as used herein, is referred to as the "reaction force."
Each piano pedal usually has a pedal play, which is also used in automobile clutch systems.
As used herein, the term "pedal play" refers to the distance or margin that a piano pedal is stepped on before it takes action (e.g., stretches or mutes).
As used herein, the term "drive width" refers to the distance from the point of play offset value of the pedal to the point where the pedal is depressed as the user operates the system.
As used herein, the term "operating range value" refers to the distance from the point of play offset value of the pedal to the point where the pedal is fully depressed.

3. Auxiliary pedals There are various auxiliary pedals for children whose feet do not reach the piano pedal when sitting in front of the piano. Most of them are mechanical. Each auxiliary pedal typically assists the performer in depressing a piano pedal when the performer depresses another pedal on such an assist device. However, persons with foot disabilities are still unable to operate such auxiliary pedals.
In recent years, universal design has been increasingly incorporated into buildings and homes as well as public facilities and facilities. The phrase "universal design" is used in the same context as the "barrier-free" concept. However, there are few commercially available auxiliary piano pedals that can be used by anyone, including those with foot disabilities. Embodiments of the present invention provide an auxiliary piano pedal system that can be used by almost anyone, including persons with foot disabilities. As used herein, the system may also be referred to as "barrier-free assist as a pedal (bFaaaP)."

4. Head Movement Head movement may include head rotation about each of the three axes of the XYZ axis coordinate system, where the X axis is a horizontal direction extending from the user side to the piano side. (Ie, from the front side to the back side); the Z axis is in another horizontal direction extending from the user's left side to the right side (ie, the left side to the right side); and the Y axis is those X and Z axes. In the vertical direction orthogonal to the axis (ie, from bottom to top above). Any of the X, Y, and Z axis rotations can be used. The rotation may be related to the rotation speed and the head tilt angle. The Z-axis rotation reflects the nod motion of the user and is usable. Tilt angles with respect to the X or Y axis of rotation can also be used. Further, the acceleration in each axial direction can also be used in the present invention.
As used herein, the head tilt angle is determined as the angle with respect to a plane parallel to the ground (ie, the horizontal plane). The “(head tilt angle) offset range” used in this specification is a range in which the actuator is not driven, and can be set by each user. As used herein, the "(head tilt angle) offset value" is the upper limit of this offset range and is not 0 degrees.
As used herein, the "magnification" is set by each user, and the head tilt angle is multiplied by this magnification. Each user can select the magnification according to his or her preference.

5. Subject (user or piano player)
Here, piano players (users) are grouped into Class I, II, and III subjects. Class I subjects are those who can pedal with their feet (sometimes referred to herein as adults). Class II subjects are those who can move their feet but cannot operate a piano pedal without conventional auxiliary pedals (eg children (children)). Class III subjects are those who cannot operate the piano pedal even if they use conventional auxiliary pedals due to their legs (for example, those who have a disorder in their legs) Sometimes referred to as challenged with foot disorders). If Class II subjects are also Class III subjects (eg, children with foot disorders), treat these subjects as Class III subjects. Professional pianists are also referred to herein as piano players.

6. Auxiliary pedal effect evaluation test (APEE test)
The effect of the present auxiliary pedal system can be evaluated by measuring how much each note is extended by driving the actuator of the present system. The above Class I-III subjects were tested to provide evidence of this effect. As a method of measuring extended sound, the sound vibration area (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “TVA”) of each sound wave waveform is measured and evaluated for each class and individual class subject. The detailed procedure will be described in Example 6 below. Hereinafter, this test is referred to as an auxiliary pedal effect evaluation test (APEE test).

7. Statistical Terminology Standard terminology of statistics is used herein, including t-test, F-test, one-way ANOVA (ANOVA), mean, standard deviation (SD), and p-value. Be done.

Embodiment 1
(A) Outline of bFaaaP according to an embodiment of the present invention A bFaaaP that is an embodiment of the present invention is an auxiliary pedal system that may include a detector, a processor (controller), and an actuator. 1 and 2 show the outline of bFaaaP of this embodiment. The detector is configured to detect user motion and generate a detection signal. The processor is then configured to process the detection signal to generate an actuator control signal. The actuator is then configured to control the pedal according to the actuator control signal. Here, the movement is involved in head movements; the head movements have an offset range that the actuator does not drive; and the actuator control signal can be changed according to the user's preference. Therefore, this bFaaaP may have a structure composed of three types of members. Hereinafter, each member will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(A-1) Detector (angle sensor)
(1) Gyroscope Each gyroscope is a device used to measure or maintain azimuth and angular velocity. Although there are various gyroscopes, any gyroscope can be used in the present invention as long as head movement can be detected and a detection signal can be obtained.
(2) Accelerometer Each accelerometer is a device that measures an appropriate acceleration. Although there are various accelerometers, they are widely applicable to various fields. Any accelerometer can be used in the present invention as long as it can detect head movements and obtain a detection signal.
(3) Geomagnetic sensor Each magnetic sensor is a device used to measure the orientation of an object with respect to the magnetic field surrounding the earth. This sensor may be used to measure the orientation with respect to the local magnetic field, the local attenuation of the Earth's magnetic field, or it may be used as a pointer to track the moving magnetic potential.
(4) Combination The present detector may include a combination of gyroscope, accelerometer, and/or geomagnetic sensor. The detector may further include another device for detecting head movements.
(5) Other Devices Head movements may be monitored by a smartphone's camera or web camera, and the camera image may then be sent to the smartphone or image processor on the Internet server for analysis. The head motion image may be processed via deep learning to generate a detector signal.
(6) Mounting Method of Detector on Head FIG. 3 shows a method of mounting the detector (case) on the head of the user. In the preferred embodiment, the detector 1000 is mounted on the side frame 1100 of the glasses. In FIG. 3, the size (mm) of each component is provided for the purpose of explanation, but the size is not limited to these numerical values. FIG. 3A is a side view of this embodiment. FIG. 3B shows a case where the detector case 1010 has a slit 1020 that fits into the side frame 1100. FIG. 3C shows a case where the detector case 1010 has a groove 1020 that fits into the side frame 1100. In any case, the sensor module 1050 is housed in the detector case 1010. Since the side frame 1100 is installed substantially horizontally between the user's ears and eyes, the sensor module 1050 can also be set substantially horizontally. Here, the detector case 1010 may be mounted on the left side or the right side according to the preference of each user. Also, the detector or side frame may be further secured using rubber band(s) or Velcro® (plural).

(A-2) Communication device (transmitter, receiver, solid line, broken line)
(1) Wireless communication A wireless communication device of any type, for example, between a detector and a processor (controller), between a processor (controller) and an actuator (actuator controller or driver for actuator), It can be used as long as it enables communication between the controller and/or the electronic device (electronic device controller). Examples include Wi-Fi devices, Bluetooth (registered trademark) devices, and BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) devices.
(2) Wired communication Any type of cable (eg, cord, wire, line) can be used for the above communication.
Also, any target unit can be integrated or provided as an embedded unit.

(A-3-1) Processor or controller (eg, data processor and actuator controller)
(1) Arduino Hardware Arduino hardware includes a single-board microcontroller or microcontroller kit for building digital devices and interactive objects that can sense and control objects in the real and digital worlds. Arduino board design uses various microprocessors and controllers. The boards are equipped with a set of digital and analog input/output (I/O) pins that can interface with various expansion boards or breadboards (shields) and other circuits. The boards have serial communication interfaces (including some models of Universal Serial Bus (USB)), which are also used to load programs from a personal computer. Examples of Arduino hardware include Arduino Uno, Arduino Leonardo, Arduino Mega, Arduino Nano, and M5Stack.
Microcontrollers are typically programmed using a dialect from the programming languages C and C++. In addition to using traditional compiler toolchains, the Arduino project provides a Processing Language Project-based Integrated Development Environment (IDE).
(2) Other processor Any type of processor capable of processing the detection signal from the detector to generate a control (command) signal can be adopted. Examples may include the SPRESENSE series (SONY). Each processor can be installed on the IC substrate.
(3) How to arrange each processing unit Each processing unit may include a detector side control unit and an actuator side control unit as shown in FIG. This detector-side control unit alone or together with the actuator-side controller may process the detector signal according to the features of the invention.
(4) Adjuster for Head Motion Offset Range and Adjuster for Magnification The processor (controller) is a controller for adjusting the head tilt angle offset range value and the magnification (input) as shown in FIG. Unit) (ie, 1210 and 1220 of FIG. 3A). Any type of regulator can be used. Examples of each adjuster include buttons, dials, levers, sliders, and switches. It may also include an on/off switch 1230 for the processor.
(5) Controller for pedal play offset value and controller for working range value The processor (controller) is also an additional controller for obtaining the pedal play offset value and working range value shown in FIG. (The initialization device 810 of FIG. 1) may be included. Any type of regulator (initializer) can be used. Examples of the adjuster include buttons, dials, levers, sliders, and switches.

(A-3-2) Controller Program The controller program can be written in any existing computer programming language. Examples include Java®, C, C++, C#, Python, JavaScript®, PHP, Visual Basic, Ruby, Perl, Swift, Go, and Processing. If the controller is an Arduino-based controller, Arduino IDE may be used to write and debug each program. The program can be installed on the Arduino board via USB.

(A-4) Actuator (motor)
(1) Step Motor Each step motor, stepper motor, and stepping motor (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a step motor) is a DC electric motor that divides the entire rotation into a plurality of equal steps. The motor position is then commanded to move and stop at one of these steps. Any type of motor can be used in the present invention, as long as each motor can be used without pedaling. From the viewpoint of precisely controlling the pedal operation, a step motor is preferably used.
(2) Linear Motors Each linear motor is an electric motor whose stator and rotor are "deployed", producing linear force along its length instead of producing (rotating) torque. For pedaling (although the pedals move up and down relative to each other), it may be advantageous to use a linear motor. In the present invention, it is preferable to use a linear step motor as the actuator.

(A-5) Power Supply Each power supply may be an AC power supply or a DC power supply. The AC voltage is converted into a DC voltage by the AC/DC converter to operate the actuator. Also, each power source may be a battery. Examples of batteries include lithium ion secondary batteries. The number of power sources and batteries is not limited. In FIG. 2, the specific connections to and from each power source are omitted for purposes of illustration.

(B) Specific configuration of auxiliary pedal system (bFaaaP) according to the present embodiment
(B-1) Unit in this system The configuration of this embodiment is shown in FIG. 2. The configuration includes an angle sensor (1), a data processor (2), a transmitter (3), and a receiver (4). , Actuator controller (5), actuator (6), and detector and actuator side power supplies (7).

(B-2) Description of each unit
(B-2-1) Angle Sensor The angle sensor (1) detects a change in the tilt angle of the user's head and generates a detector signal as an analog voltage or a digital value. The detector signal is then sent to the data processor (2).

The following points are considered regarding the angle sensor.
1) The angle sensor has sufficient accuracy;
2) There is no load when the performer moves his body;
3) The sensor is durable;
4) The sensor does not prevent the performer from singing a song while playing;
5) The sensor is small;
6) The sensor is commercially available or can be easily made;
7) The sensor is not expensive.

The angle sensor can be attached to a part of the head. From the viewpoint of easily detecting the movement of the head, particularly the tilt angle, the sensor may be attached to the side frame of the spectacles. This is because the side frame is placed horizontally between your eyes and ears. This makes it easier to detect the head tilt angle. Also, the angle sensor is housed in a case with slits or grooves. The slit or groove fits into the side frame to secure the angle sensor in place. The angle sensor may also be worn on a cap without a rim, a cap with a rim, a hair band, a hair accessory, or earrings, as long as the angle sensor can accurately detect the head angle.

The weight of the detector (angle sensor) may be between 0.1 g and 20 g. The weight is preferably 0.1 g to 15 g, more preferably 0.5 g to 10 g, and even more preferably 1 g from the viewpoint of performing the required performance by detecting the movement of the head without feeling the load on the head. ~5g. The size of the detector (angle sensor) may be 35 mm (horizontal length)×30 mm (vertical length)×15 mm (width) as shown in FIG. However, the size is not limited to the above numerical values and may be larger or smaller as long as the detector can perform appropriate performance without the user feeling a load on the head. Here, examples of the horizontal length include 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, or 50 mm; examples of the vertical length. Include 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, or 50 mm; and examples of widths are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 , 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25, or 30 are included. Each value may be between any two of the above numbers. From the perspective of a lightweight and compact device, the size of the detector (angle sensor) is preferably about 35 mm (horizontal length) x about 30 mm (vertical length) x about 15 mm (width). Further, the detector may be mounted on the right or left frame portion of the spectacles or the frame portions on both sides of the spectacles.

Furthermore, the detector (angle sensor) may be combined with a spectacles type display (eg, smart glasses) capable of displaying information such as music scores and instructions. This makes it easier for the piano player to read the score when depressing the pedal using bFaaaP.

(B-2-2) Data processor The data obtained by the angle sensor (1) is filtered to reduce noise and drift. The head tilt angle offset value and the user-defined magnification are set by an offset adjuster and a magnification adjuster connected to the data processor (2), respectively. The offset value is subtracted from the actual angle and the resulting value is multiplied by the scaling factor. If the obtained value is not in the appropriate range (eg above the upper limit), the value is corrected and sent as control data to the transmitter (3).

The detector-side controller, which includes the data processor and the next transmitter, may be selected in view of the following points.
1) The data processor can process the data from the angle sensor without delay;
2) The detector controller is small;
3) Detector controller consumes less energy;
4) The transmitter is housed in its controller;
5) The data processor has two or more A/D converters;
6) The data processor has a sufficient number of universal digital ports (for communicating with the angle sensor);
7) The controller has an I2C communication port (for communicating with the angle sensor);
8) The data processor is easy to debug; and 9) the controller can be battery powered.

(B-2-3) Transmitter The transmitter (3) transmits the control data to the actuator controller (5) via the receiver (4). The communication may be wireless or wireline communication using suitable standards and suitable protocols.

(B-2-4) Receiver The receiver (4) receives the control data using the communication protocol and sends the data to the actuator controller (5).

(B-2-5) Actuator Controller The actuator controller (5) is initialized by determining the operation start point (defined by the pedal play offset value) and the operating range value. Next, the input data (value from 0 to the upper limit) is converted so as to fit the operating range. Then, the converted value is sent to the actuator (6) as a command value.

The actuator controller including the actuator controller and the receiver may be selected from the following points.
1) The actuator controller consumes less energy;
2) The receiver is housed in its controller;
3) The data processor has two or more A/D converters;
4) The data processor has a sufficient number of universal digital ports (for communicating with the actuator);
5) The data processor can be easily debugged; and 6) the controller can be battery powered.

(B-2-6) Actuator The actuator (6) may include an actuator driver and a motor, and is operated according to a command value from the actuator controller.

The actuator may be selected in view of the following points.
1) The actuator exerts enough force to move the pedal;
2) The response speed of the actuator is sufficient so as not to delay the performance of the performer;
3) Actuator noise can be tolerated by the performer's performance; and 4) The actuator can be battery powered.

(B-2-7) Power Supply Each power supply may be an AC power supply or a DC power supply. The AC voltage is converted into a DC voltage by the AC/DC converter to operate the actuator (6). Also, each power source may be a battery. Examples of batteries include lithium ion secondary batteries.

(C) Controller Program A detector side program and an actuator side program may be created so as to detect the head tilt angle and depress or release the piano pedal according to the change in the angle. Here, the following points are taken into consideration.

(1) Since the posture of each performer differs depending on the performer, the initial head tilt angle and the voluntary head movement differ depending on the performer. Therefore, the head tilt angle offset value (that is, the upper limit of the offset range) is introduced, and the operation starting point can be freely set by each performer.

(2) How much each player tilts his/her head depends on the player. Therefore, a scale factor is introduced to allow each performer to set and control how fast the actuator responds.

(3) Different pianos have different pedal activation points. Therefore, the play offset value of the pedal is introduced so that each operation start point can be adjusted for each piano.

(4) Different pianos have different operating range values. Therefore, each operating range value can be set and adjusted for each piano.

(5) It is necessary to stably acquire the head tilt angle as a detection signal. Accordingly, the detected signal may be subjected to Madgwick filtering to reduce noise and drift.

(C-1) Program for detector side controller (processor) Flow charts I and II of FIGS. 4 and 5 show a method for detecting and processing head movement to generate a detector signal according to an embodiment of the present invention. Indicates. Numerical values and specific operations may change depending on the situation. This process will be described using the Nasi-Shneiderman diagram (NSD). “T” represents true (TRUE), and indicates that the test condition is satisfied. “F” represents false (FALSE) and indicates that the test condition is not satisfied.

In S100, a global variable is defined and declared. In S101 to S105, the port, serial communication, EEPROM, BLE, and MPU9250 are set.

In the loop, local variables are defined in S106. In S107 to S109, sensor (accelerometer, gyroscope, and geomagnetic sensor) data is acquired and angle data (eg, pitch angle) is calculated. Then, the obtained data is subjected to Madgwick filter processing in S110.

In S111, the offset value is subtracted from the pitch angle. In S112, it is determined whether the obtained pitch angle is 0 or less. If true, set pitch angle to zero. Otherwise, the process proceeds to S114.

In S114, the pitch angle is multiplied by a scaling factor of 1 to 50. In S115, it is determined whether the obtained pitch angle is larger than 99. If true, set pitch angle to 99. Otherwise, the process proceeds to S117. The obtained range (that is, 0 to 99) is converted into a drive width (that is, 0 to 47), and the actuator is operated by the actuator side controller program described below.

Here, the upper limit of the above range (ie, 99) is used in order to fully depress the pedal by the actuator. That is, if the magnification is 10, the pedal is maximally depressed using a pitch angle (head tilt angle) of 10 degrees from the offset position; if the magnification is 20, a pitch angle of 5 degrees is used; If 30, use a pitch angle of 3.3 degrees; if the magnification is 40 use a pitch angle of 2.5 degrees; and if the magnification is 50 use a pitch angle of 2 degrees ..

In S117, the pitch angle that is a numerical value is converted into a character string for BLE communication. In S118, the obtained character string is transmitted via BLE communication.

Next, it is checked in S119 whether the offset adjuster is on. When the value of the offset adjuster changes (S120), the offset volume value (that is, the internal value of the adjuster; the analog volume value is converted into a digital value by the A/D converter; the same applies below) is read in S121. The value is converted to −45 to 45 (degree of tilt angle) in S122; and the converted value is stored in S123 as a new offset value (upper limit of target offset range).

Then, it is checked in S124 whether the magnification adjuster is on. When the value of the magnification adjuster changes (S125), the magnification volume value (that is, the internal value of the adjuster) is read in S126; the value is converted into 1 to 50 in S127; The new magnification is saved in S128.

Then, the process returns to S106 to repeat the loop.

(C-2) Program for actuator side controller (processor) Flow charts I and II of FIGS. 6 and 7 show a method for controlling the actuator.

In S200, a global variable is defined and declared. The union is defined in S201. In S202 to S204, the BLE server, serial communication port, and I/O port are set.

In S205, the actuator is set to the origin position.

In S206, BLE communication is initialized and started.

If BLE is off (S207), the process proceeds to S218. If BLE is on, it is checked in step S208 whether both the offset adjuster (i.e., the pedal play offset value adjuster) and the operating range value adjuster are off. If both regulators are off, the process proceeds to S209. Otherwise, the process proceeds to S218. If the data is received (S209), it is determined in S210 whether the data is different from the previous data. If so, the character string transmitted from the detector side controller is converted into a numerical value in S211. In S212, the character string is saved as new destination data. Then, the obtained numerical value (0 to 99) is converted into a driving width. When the converted drive width is 47 or more (that is, the upper limit of the command value for operating the actuator) (S214), the value is set to 47 in S215. Thereafter, the obtained value is bit-converted by using the union (S216), and the actuator is operated by calling the drive routine (MOV function below) in S217.

Next, it is checked in S218 whether the pedal play offset adjuster is on. If the offset adjuster is off, the process proceeds to S227. If the offset adjuster is on, the pedal idle offset volume value (ie, the adjuster internal value) is read in S219 and divided by 44. Since the A/D converter of the ESP32 has a 12-bit resolution (that is, 2 ¹² ; an integer of 0 to 4096), and the upper limit of the driving width is set to 47 in this case, the A/D converter The value is first divided by 47 to get a number from 0 to about 88. Here, if this number is an odd number (S220), the process proceeds to S227. Next, this value (maximum 88) is divided by 2 in S221 to obtain a number less than 47 (the upper limit of the command value for operating the actuator). If this number is 47 or more (S222), the number (value) is set to 47 in S223. The same applies to the operating range value adjuster. After that, the obtained value is bit-converted by using the union (S224), and the actuator is operated by calling the drive routine in S225. Finally, in S226, the value is stored as the pedal play offset value.

Next, in S227, it is checked whether the operating range value adjuster is on. When the operating range value adjuster is off, the following S228 to S239 are skipped and this loop is repeated. If the operating range value adjuster is on, the operating range volume value (ie, the internal value of the adjuster) is read in S228 and divided by 44. When the obtained value is an odd number, the steps S230 to S239 are skipped and this loop is repeated. Next, in S230, this value (maximum 88) is divided by 2 to obtain a number less than 47 (operating range value). Then, in S231, the play offset value of the pedal is subtracted from the number. If the obtained number is 0 or less (S232), this value is set to 0 in S233. Thereafter, in S234, the pedal play offset value is added to this value. If the obtained value is 47 or more (S235), this value is set to 47 (maximum drive width) in S236. After that, the obtained value is bit-converted by using the union (S237), and the actuator is operated by calling the drive routine in S238. Subsequently, in S239, this value is stored as the operating range value. After that, the process returns to S207 to repeat this loop.

(C-3) MOV Function Processing The flowchart of FIG. 8 shows a method of operating the actuator by using the above drive routine.

In S300, the process does not proceed to the next step while the actuator is being driven. If the actuator is available for configuration, the appropriate bits (Mo0-Mo5) are set for actuator operation (in steps S301-S306). After that, a delay of 5 ms is set in S307, the START bit is turned ON in S308, and the actuator is driven. In S309, the process does not proceed to the next step while the actuator is being driven. If not, the START bit is turned off in S310.

(D-1) Method of operating bFaaaP First, the movement of the user is detected to generate a detection signal. The detected signal is then processed to generate an actuator control signal. Then, the pedal is controlled by the actuator according to the actuator control signal. Here, the movement is involved in head movement; the head movement has an offset range that the actuator does not drive; and the actuator control signal is changeable according to the user's preference. The head movement may be related to the head tilt angle, and the offset range of the head tilt angle can be defined by the user. Examples of the upper limit of the offset range are 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. 19 or 20 degrees are included. The upper limit may be a value between any two of the above numbers. However, 3, 5 or 10 degrees were specifically selected by the APEE test subjects described in Example 6. In addition, the base value of the actuator control signal may be multiplied by 1 to 50 set by the user. Examples of magnification include 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, or 50. The scaling factor may be a value between any two of the above numbers. In particular, 20, 30 or 40 were specifically selected by the APEE test subjects described in Example 6.

Prior to actual pedal actuation, pedal play may be offset so that the pedal moves in response to the actuator control signal without delay. In this case, the height of the actuator may be programmatically controlled by setting the initial height of the actuator using an input unit such as the regulator described above. The initial height may also be set manually in some cases.

(D-2) Operation procedure
Step (1) Turn on the switch of the actuator side controller by turning on the first power source.
(2) Turn on the switch of the detector side controller by turning on the second power source.
(3) Set the offset value using the pedal play offset value adjuster while intermittently pressing the key on the keyboard.
(4) Using the operating range adjuster, set the operating range so that the pedal is fully depressed.
(5) While the pedal is driven by bFaaaP, the head tilt angle offset value adjuster is used to set the offset value according to the preference of each user.
(6) While the pedal is driven by bFaaaP, the magnification adjuster is used to set the magnification according to each user's preference.
(7) Each user operates bFaaaP when playing a piano, for example.

The order of steps (3) and (4) can be changed. Once steps (3) and (4) are completed on a particular piano, each user may skip these steps next time. Although the order of steps (5) and (6) can be changed, it may be better to maintain this order.

Embodiment 2
Piano Pedal According to one embodiment of the present invention, the pedal is a piano pedal. Piano types include grand pianos, upright pianos, electronic pianos, keyboards, electones, and organs.

Embodiment 3
Method of mounting the detector on the user's head In order to detect the user's head movement, the detector is preferably mounted on a part of the user's head. Examples of members (eg, tools, devices) for mounting the detector on the head include, but are not limited to, rimless caps, rimmed caps, headbands, ear ornaments, and eyeglasses. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the detector is mounted on the glasses as shown in Figure 3A. More specifically, the detector may be mounted on the spectacle side frame portion between the user's eyes and ears. This allows the detector to be placed substantially horizontally, with an initial tilt angle of approximately 0 degrees, which facilitates the user in setting the tilt angle offset value. As shown in FIG. 3, the detector 1000 may have a slit (FIG. 3B) or groove (FIG. 3C) that fits into the side frame portion of the glasses to facilitate positioning of the detector. Also, the detector may be a lightweight detector. This may facilitate the user's operation (eg, the player's piano performance). The reason is that the user can control the device without feeling the load on the head. Further, the detector may be fixed to or removable from the eyeglass side frame portion. If each user wears spectacles, the detector can be worn on his or her spectacles. If each user does not wear glasses, Date glasses can be used for this purpose. Also, the appearance of the detector in front of the audience may be better when the detector is worn on the side frame of the glasses than when the detector is worn on the performer's head with a headband. Absent. The good appearance of a player wearing a detector is an important factor for playing a piano.

Embodiment 4
(A) Configuration of Portable Enclosure According to one embodiment of the present invention, each of the auxiliary pedal systems further includes a portable enclosure having weight(s) detachable from the actuator, The removable weight(s) resists the reaction force of the actuator so that the housing does not move, and the housing has a soundproof chamber containing the actuator.

(1) Method for Constructing Portable Enclosure FIGS. 9 to 15 show a structure of an enclosure 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 9 is a front view; FIG. 10 is a rear view; FIG. 11 is a left and right sectional view; FIG. 12 is a left side view and a right side view; , And an intermediate view; and FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of the spacing plate member 630. The housing 100 has a divided structure and includes a soundproof room 200, a first weight room 300, a second double room 350, and an actuator controller room 800, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. The chambers are constructed using plate members and fastening methods conventional in the art (eg, bolts and nuts, screws, adhesives). Each plate member may be of any material (eg, wood, plastic, metal and/or ceramic), as long as the enclosure can be constructed to support the device (eg, actuator, controller, driver, initializer, weight). ) Can be made.

The soundproof room 200 of FIGS. 9 to 12 and 14 is bounded by the top plate member 540, the second side plate member 560, the third side plate member 570, the back plate member 580, the front plate member 590, and the soundproof chamber bottom plate member 510. There is. The sound absorbing material 210 is attached to all or part of the plate member. As shown in FIGS. 11A and 14A, the main body portion 610 of the actuator (ie, linear step motor; electric cylinder) 600 is fixed to the front plate 590 via the actuator mounting plate 615. The actuator mounting plate 615 has four through holes into which the inner rubber stoppers 592b1 to b2 and 594b1 to b2 and the corresponding outer rubber stoppers 592a1 to a1 and 594a1 to a2 are inserted. Fix in each hole. These rubber plugs function as a vibration absorbing material as well as a sound absorbing material. As shown in FIG. 11A, the soundproof chamber bottom plate member 510 has an elongated hole 250. The foot portion of the actuator 600 extends downwardly from the body portion through the hole 250 and moves bidirectionally to depress and release the pedal. The spacer member 630 is attached to the bottom surface of the foot portion to avoid direct contact between the actuator and the pedal. FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of the spacing plate member 630. The spacer member can be made of any material so long as damage to the pedal can be avoided. Further, the spacing plate member 630 may be covered with a non-woven fabric, a woven fabric, or a rubber material shown by a broken line in the lower diagram of FIG. In summary, this configuration of soundproof room 200 can be used to reduce operational noise generated during operation of actuator 600.

The first weight chamber 300 of FIGS. 9-11 and 14B is bounded by a first side plate member 550, a second side plate member 560, a first horizontal plate member 520, a floor plate member 500, and a back plate member 580. The second double chamber 350 in FIGS. 9 to 11 is bounded by the first side plate member 550, the second side plate member 560, the first horizontal plate member 520, the second horizontal plate member 530, and the back plate member 580. The front side of each chamber is exposed to the outside air as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 9, in each of the first and second double chambers, a bolt (310 or 360) is fixed to and protrudes from the first side plate member 550, but the tip of each bolt has a second side plate member. It has not reached 560. Due to this configuration, removable weight(s) can be placed in each chamber. Each of the weights 700a1-n has a hole into which the bolt 310 is inserted and is installed in the first weight chamber 300. Further, each of the weights 750b1-n has a hole into which the bolt 360 is inserted, and is installed in the double weight chamber 350. The total weight of all weights must be sufficient to withstand the pedal reaction of the actuator during operation. The pedal reaction force was measured in Example 8. With reference to the values of Example 8, the total weight may be set to 8-10 kg. The portability of the housing can be improved by using the removable weight.

The actuator controller chamber 800 of FIGS. 9-11 and 14A is bounded by a first side plate member 550, a second side plate member 560, a second horizontal plate member 530, a top plate member 540, and a back plate member 580. The front side of this room is also exposed to the outside air. This chamber can house an initialization device 810 (regulator for pedal play offset value and operating range value), actuator controller 820, and driver unit (eg driver and power supply). These devices can be fixed or removable. The exposed front side of the chamber may further be provided with a plate member. This additional plate may improve the appearance of the housing. Because those devices are invisible from the outside.

The vibration prevention sheet 900 of FIGS. 9 to 11 can be attached to the bottom surface of the floor plate member 500 in order to reduce actuator-mediated vibration and stabilize the housing. Any material can be used for this sheet as long as the above object can be achieved.

As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 100 can be installed beside the pedal. When the sustain pedal is stepped on by the actuator 600, the housing may be installed on the right side of the pedal. When the soft pedal is stepped on by the actuator 600, the housing can be installed on the left side. The pedal may be a grand piano or an upright piano.

In order to further fix the housing 100 to the floor, an end of the floor plate member 500 may be fixed to the floor using an adhesive tape.

(2) Removable Weight Each of the removable weights may be a metal composed of iron, brass, bronze, and/or copper, or may be composed of concrete. Any type of weight is acceptable as long as it can withstand the reaction force of the desired pedal. In some pianos, two 5 kg weights or 20 400 g metal sheets are sufficient for this purpose. The number of weights is not limited as long as the housing can store the weights. For this purpose, the enclosure may have multiple rooms for weights. From the standpoint of portability of the housing, it may be preferable to provide separate weights rather than a single heavy weight.

(3) When the soundproof room actuator is driven in response to the detector signal, an actuator-related sound (noise) is generated. To minimize or nullify this noise, the enclosure has a soundproof room for the actuator. This chamber may have a sound absorbing material on the wall. The sound absorbing material may be an acoustic foam. The acoustic foam is an open cell foam used for acoustic treatment. It attenuates airborne sound waves by increasing air resistance, and thus reduces the wave magnitude. Acoustic foam can be applied to walls, ceilings, doors, and other equipment in the room to control noise levels, vibrations, and echoes. Examples of materials for this sound absorbing material include polyurethane and glass wool.

Embodiment 5
Pedal Operating Method One embodiment of the present invention provides a pedal operating method, which detects a movement of a user to generate a detection signal, and processes the detection signal to generate an actuator control signal. And a step of controlling a pedal according to the actuator control signal, wherein the movement involves head movement, the head movement having an offset range in which the actuator does not drive, and the actuator control signal is The method can be changed according to the user's preference. The technical features described above from Embodiment 1 to Embodiment 4 can be applied to this embodiment as well.

Embodiment 6
BFaaaP without actuator
An embodiment of the present invention provides an auxiliary pedal system, a detector for detecting a user's movement to generate a detection signal, and processing the detection signal to replace a pedal-mediated command signal. A controller for generating and transmitting an electronic device control command signal, the movement being involved in head movements, the head movement having an offset range in which the electronic equipment is not responsive to the head movement, and An auxiliary pedal system in which the electronic device control command signal can be changed according to the user's preference.

In this embodiment, the controller processes the detection signal to generate and communicate an electronics control command signal that replaces the pedal mediated command signal. This embodiment does not have an actuator that actually controls the pedal. Instead, in this embodiment, the electronics control command signal replaces the command signal generated by the pedal of the electronics and is input directly into the electronics controller that performs the desired function. Here, the controller may include a detector side control unit and an electronic device side control unit. This detector-side control unit alone or together with the electronics-side control unit may process the detector signal according to the features of the invention. The controller according to this embodiment preferably includes this detector-side controller, which can transmit the electronic device control command signal in a wired or wireless manner. This extends the invention even to various electronic devices with or without pedals. In this embodiment, the above features may be applicable.

Embodiment 7
Electronic Piano According to an embodiment of the present invention, the electronic device may be an electronic piano. Because each electronic piano has an electronic piano controller, the present invention may be more valuable with an electronic piano than with a mechanical piano. By simply sending an electronic device control command signal to the electronic piano controller, it is possible to realize a method of efficiently enhancing the piano playing by challenged children and children with foot disorders.

Embodiment 8
Electronic Device Operating Method An embodiment of the present invention provides an electronic device operating method, which includes a step of detecting a user's movement to generate a detection signal, processing the detection signal, and pedaling a command. Generating and transmitting an electronic device control command signal that replaces the signal, wherein the motion is involved in head motion, and the head motion has an offset range in which the electronic device does not respond to the head motion. And the electronics control command signal can be changed according to the user's preference. In this embodiment, the features described above are applicable to provide an efficient and universal way to control the electronic device by almost anyone, including challenged children and children with foot disorders.

Embodiment 9
Gaming Machine Controller One embodiment of the present invention provides a device controller, a detector that detects a user's movement to generate a detection signal, and an electronic device control command that processes the detection signal. A controller for generating and transmitting a signal, wherein the movement is involved in head movement, the head movement has an offset range in which the electronic equipment does not respond to the head movement, and the electronic equipment control command A device controller in which the signal is changeable according to the user's preference and the detector is mounted on the side frame of the spectacles.

The device controller may be a game console controller. In a sense, playing the piano can be like playing a game to some people. Using head movements can provide another way of entering user movements. This is because the present device controller is controlled by two factors related to the offset range and the magnification that can be changed according to the user's preference. This can provide different ways of controlling gameplay. Almost anyone, including challenged children with legs and children can use this controller, so a wide range of gamers can play various games with a new control method. The device controller is also capable of extending play control operations to provide new types of games.

Example 1
Overview of bFaaaP4 The bFaaaP4 is an auxiliary piano pedal system and was manufactured in consideration of the following points.
1) Depress the sustain pedal of the piano while detecting the movement of the upper body, that is, the movement of the head.
2) The operation of this system does not prevent the performer from playing the piano and singing a song during the performance.
3) bFaaaP4 can be constructed relatively easily.

Example 1-1
Configuration As shown in FIGS. 16 to 22, bFaaaP4 includes an angle sensor (1), a data processor (2), a transmitter (3), a receiver (4), an actuator controller (5), an actuator (6), and And the detector and actuator side power supplies (7) were included. 16 to 22 correspond to FIGS. 9 to 15, respectively, and the size of each component is displayed in mm.

Angle sensor First, a 6-axis sensor (a combination of an accelerometer and a gyroscope) and a 9-axis sensor (a combination of an accelerometer, a gyroscope and a geomagnetic sensor) were tested as angle sensors. The 9-axis sensor had less drift in detecting tilt angles, was commercially available and was relatively inexpensive. Therefore, MPU9250 (made by TDK) was used as an angle sensor. Since the MPU9250 was provided as a commercially available module, the module was housed in the case. The case was then removably attached to the side frame of the glasses.

A data processor ESP32 (manufactured by Espressif Systems) was used as a data processor. The reason is that program development is relatively easy. As shown in FIG. 3, the data processor was provided with an adjuster 1210 for the offset value (upper limit value of the offset range) and an adjuster 1220 for the magnification.

Transmitter and Receiver The transmitter used Bluetooth BLE to communicate with the receiver.

The actuator controller ESP32 (manufactured by Espessif Systems) was used as the actuator controller. The reason is that program development is relatively easy. As shown in FIG. 2, the actuator controller included an adjuster for the play offset value of the pedal and an adjuster for the operating range value.

An actuator electric cylinder (EAC4W-D05-AZAAD-1-G; manufactured by Oriental Motor) was used as an actuator, and a DC24V AZ-series α-step (EAC4-D05-AZAAD-1) was used as a driver. Also, MEXE02 (Oriental Motor Company) was used as setup software.

Example 1-2
Detector-side Controller Program A detector-side controller program was created according to the detector-side processing flowcharts of FIGS. 4-5 by using Arduino IDE 1.8.5 with the appropriate driver installed. The pitch angle data was subjected to Madgwick filter processing to reduce noise and drift, and further subjected to offset processing and magnification processing. Then, the processed value was converted into a control value in the range of 0 to 99. This control value was transmitted to the actuator controller via BLE.

Example 1-3
Actuator Side Controller Program An actuator side controller program was created according to the actuator side process flow charts of FIGS. 6-7 by using Arduino IDE 1.8.5 with the appropriate driver installed. The control value input to the actuator controller via the receiver was converted into an actuator command value (driving width) set in consideration of the pedal play value and the operating range value to control and operate the actuator.

Example 1-4
Construction of Portable Enclosure with Actuator (Step Motor) The bFaaaP4 enclosure was constructed according to the fourth embodiment. The size of each part or member of the housing is included in Figures 16-22. Prepare each part and each member (each plate member is made of wood and colored in black) and assemble by a conventional method in the art (screw each screw into the wooden plate member using an electric screwdriver). That). The actuator was the above linear step motor (manufactured by Oriental Motor). Also, twenty 400 g metal weights were placed in two separate weight chambers (each chamber had ten weights). The actuator controller and driver were placed in the actuator controller room. The side edges of the bottom of the enclosure were attached to the floor using normal adhesive tape to further stabilize the enclosure.

Example 1-5
Operation method of bFaaaP4 bFaaaP4 was operated according to the operation procedure described in the embodiment (1-D-2).

Example 2
bFaaaP4W
In bFaaaP4W, a cable was used for communication between the transmitter and the receiver. Therefore, BLE communication was not used. Because some reports showed BLE failure in ESP32. The control program was substantially the same as that of bFaaaP4. The response of the actuator to the movement of the user's head was improved. Part of the reason is that the communication speed between the transmitter and receiver has increased.

Example 3
bFaaaP3
bFaaaP3 had substantially the same structure as bFaaaP4. Differences from bFaaaP4 are noted to avoid duplication.
There were three major differences between the two. The first difference was related to the detector side controller. The controller on the detector side of bFaaaP3 had substantially the same configuration as bFaaaP4, but the adjuster for the head angle tilt angle offset value and the adjuster for the magnification each have visible adjuster buttons. There was no such scale. Therefore, the offset value and the scaling factor could be adjusted by each user, but the actual value could not be accurately determined.
The second difference was related to the soundproof room. The bFaaaP4 had a soundproof chamber for accommodating the actuator, but the actuator of the bFaaaP3 was attached to the side wall member using bolts and nuts and exposed to the outside without a cover. Therefore, the noise from the actuator was not attenuated.
The third difference relates to weight. Instead of using 20 400 g metal plates, 2 5 kg cement blocks were placed in the weight chamber.
The operating procedure was the same as that of bFaaaP4.

Example 4
bFaaaP2
bFaaaP2 had substantially the same structure as bFaaaP3. Differences from bFaaaP3 are noted to avoid duplication.
There was one major difference between the two. This difference was related to the detector side controller. The M5Stack_Gray (purchased from SWITCH SCIENCE) containing the MPU9250 was used as the angle sensor and data processor. The program was virtually identical to that of bFaaaP3 or bFaaaP4. The M5Stack was placed in a pocket attached to a rimless hat and the M5Stack was placed on the head of each user wearing the hat. Although it is attached to the head, it was difficult to install an angle detector horizontally in order to accurately detect the tilt angle of the head. Using the M5Stack button, the head tilt angle offset value and the magnification could be easily input.

Example 5
bFaaaP1
bFaaaP1 had substantially the same structure as bFaaaP2. Differences from bFaaaP2 are noted to avoid duplication.
There were three major differences between the two. The first difference was related to the actuator. The actuator of bFaaaP1 was a step motor VESTA UOK 5141 (not manufactured by a linear cylinder) (manufactured by Oriental Motor Co.). I operated this step motor from the right side of the piano.
The second difference was related to the actuator controller. The actuator controller for bFaaaP1 was ESP32 (http://akizukidenshi.com/catalog/g/gM-11819/) on an Arduino substrate. The adjuster for the play offset value of the pedal and the adjuster for the operating range value were substantially the same as those of bFaaaP2.
The third difference was related to the program for the detector side controller. It was the above M5Stack that was used as the detector side controller. However, the program detected the Z-axis rotational speed of each user's head and generated a detector signal. The detector signal was converted to a binary control value and either pedaled or released. The offset range for head movement was set in the program. However, the magnification was not set by each user.

Example 6
Auxiliary pedal effect evaluation test (APEE test)
The auxiliary pedal system was evaluated in Class I-III subjects. Here, 7 class I subjects, 5 class II subjects, and 3 class III subjects participated in this auxiliary pedal effect evaluation test (APEE test). Class II test subject was a student of Kyoko Yamaguchi Piano Class Fleur (https://www.fleur-pianok.com/).

Test Method First, all subjects read the piano pedal test procedure, and note the piano notes of the score of FIG. I am instructed to practice 4 units).

The test procedure is shown below.
1. Read the test score and imagine pedal operation.
2. Practice the notes in the test score without using bFaaaP.
3. Practice the notes using bFaaaP.
4. Adjust the offset value and magnification and select them according to their own preference (Class II subjects (children) set the offset value to 5 degrees and the magnification to 20 or 30).
5. Start recording and play a note.
5-1. Say your name, the date of this recording, the selected offset value and the scaling factor.
5-2. Play notes without using the pedal.
5-3. Play a note with pedal pattern 1 using bFaaaP.
5-4. Play a note with pedal pattern 2 using bFaaaP.
5-5. Stop recording.
6. Fill out the questionnaire.

FIG. 24 shows a questionnaire.

Upright piano K132 (serial number 599580; manufactured by Steinway & Sons in Hamburg), grand piano GC1 (serial number 6198885; manufactured by YAMAHA in 2007), and upright piano UX (serial number 2424245; manufactured by YAMAHA in 1977). Used for this APEE test. The sustain pedal was depressed according to pedal pattern 1 or 2 using bFaaaP (bFaaaP2, bFaaaP3, bFaaaP4, or bFaaaP4W). Each bFaaaP was arranged on the right side of the front surface of the sustain pedal. Next, each subject selected the head tilt angle offset value and the magnification by adjusting the lever and dial of the detector side controller. Then, the selected offset value and magnification were recorded. After that, a note was played with or without pedal operation controlled by bFaaaP. The piano performance was recorded as a wav file in a smartphone (iPhone (registered trademark)). In contrast, Class I subjects were asked to play the note with their feet. After the test, each subject completed a test sheet and provided written non-disclosure consent and comments.

Analysis Each wav file was imported into Sonic Visualizer Release 3.0.3 and the region of interest was exported as a png file. Each png file was then opened with ImageJ 1.51j8. The image type and threshold were set to 8 bits and 200, respectively. After selecting each note portion with or without pedal actuation (ie, no pedal, pattern 1 or pattern 2), the area of each portion was calculated as the Tonal Vibration Area (TVA) by the "Analyze Particles" command. The data of test number 17 is shown in FIG. 25A. If a note segment contained more than 4 repeat units, the first 4 repeat units were used for analysis. Also, when a note portion contained only three repeating units, the TVA was calculated using only three repeating units for the other note portions. Then, as shown in FIG. 25B, the area of the part without pedal movement (ie TVA0) is set to 1, and the other area with pedal movement (pattern 1 or pattern 2) (ie TVA1 or TVA2). The area of each part (ie, TVA0, TVA1, and TVA2) was compared with each as a score (ratio to TVA0).

Results and Statistics Table 1 shows the results for class I subjects in the APEE test. Table 2 shows the results for Class II and III subjects.

When bFaaaP3 was used in the test, the offset value and magnification were not determined in Tables 1 and 2 (ND). For bFaaaP3, they were adjustable, but the exact values were not shown because the scale was not displayed. The term “NA” in Table 1 means “not applicable”. The reason is that the corresponding user uses his own foot to step on the pedal. Test numbers 2, 39, and 43 used bFaaaP2 (M5Stack). Subject number 15 had a good score (ie relative ratio), while the other two scores were relatively low. The reason for this is that the bFaaaP2 uses the M5Stack, which was put in a pocket attached to the rimless cap, thus maintaining a more offset angle than when the detector was mounted on the side frame of the glasses. Because it was more difficult. Also, how much you practiced bFaaaP may have influenced your score. Therefore, in the following statistics, the results using bFaaaP2 were excluded from the statistics. In the statistics below, the results using bFaaaP3, bFaaaP4, and bFaaaP4W were used as bFaaaP scores.

Difference in score between pedal patterns played with or without bFaaaP Results for pedal pattern 0 (without pedal) results for pedal pattern 1 or 2 (obtained by using each bFaaaP) Compared with. First, a paired two-tailed t-test was performed on the score (relative ratio) between pedal pattern 0 and pedal pattern 1. A paired two-tailed t-test was then performed on the score between pedal pattern 0 and pedal pattern 2. A paired two-tailed t-test was then performed on the score between pedal pattern 1 and pedal pattern 2. The results are shown in Table 3.

In Table 3, when the score of pedal pattern 0 is set to 1.00, the score of pedal pattern 1 is 1.50±0.32 (average ±SD) and the score of pedal pattern 2 is 1.80. It was ±0.44. The scores between pedal pattern 0 and pedal pattern 1 and between pedal pattern 0 and pedal pattern 2 were significantly different (each p-value was <0.01) and each bFaaaP was used by the test subject. The case proved to be effective in extending the sound. The scores between pedal pattern 1 and pedal pattern 2 are also significantly different (p=0.00023 (<0.01)), suggesting that different pedal patterns have different effects.

In order to verify whether the score obtained using bFaaaP vs. paw bFaaaP is different from the score obtained using one's own paw, these scores were first subjected to an F-test (the two groups were statistically equal). It was tested for having variance) and then a t-test (testing if the two groups were statistically different). First, the F-test was applied to the score (relative ratio) of the pedal pattern 1 or 2 using each bFaaaP and the score of the pedal pattern 1 or 2 using the own foot. The results show that the null hypothesis is not rejected (p>0.05), so statistical equivariance between them can be assumed. After that, a two-tailed t-test assuming equal variance was performed. The results are shown in Table 4.

Table 4 shows that there was no statistically significant difference in the score between each bFaaaP and its own paw (p>0.05), which means that each bFaaaP uses its own paw. It is suggested that the same effect as obtained can be obtained.

Was the piano experience important?
In this study, different subjects had different piano experiences. Compare the scores of subjects with more than 5 years of piano experience (Group I) with those with less than 5 years of piano experience (Group II) to see if each subject's piano experience affected the score. did. First, the F-test was applied to the scores of Group I and Group II. The results show that the null hypothesis is not rejected (p>0.05), so statistical equivariance between them can be assumed. After that, a two-tailed t-test assuming equal variance was performed. The results are shown in Table 5.

Table 5 shows that there is no statistically significant difference in scores between Group I and Group II (p>0.05), which indicates that the piano experience is statistically at least for the APEE test. Suggest that it was not important.

Differences Between Classes One-way ANOVA (ANOVA) was performed to examine whether there was a difference between subject classes. The results are shown in Table 6.

Table 6 shows that there was no statistically significant difference between Class I, II, and III for both pedal patterns 1 and 2 (ie, both p-values were greater than 0.05). Therefore, the null hypothesis was not rejected), which suggests that the pedal extension effect exerted by using each bFaaaP was not statistically significant between classes.

Differences Between Pianos To examine whether there was a difference between the pianos used, a one-way ANOVA (ANOVA) was performed. The results are shown in Table 7.

Table 7 shows that there was a statistically significant difference between the pianos for both pedal patterns 1 and 2 (one of the p values was less than 0.01 and the other p values Was less than 0.05, so the null hypothesis was rejected), which was demonstrated by using each bFaaaP, where the pedal extension effect was statistically significant between pianos. Suggest.

Questionnaire All subjects were asked to fill out the form in FIG. The results are shown in Table 8. The number of votes obtained is shown below each evaluation item regarding impressions.

A relatively large number of test subjects enjoyed the bFaaaP experience and thought the device naming was good. Further, more than half of the subjects considered that bFaaaP was easy to use and looked good.

Comments from the test subject Some of the comments from the test subject are as follows.
(1) The eyeglass-mounted sensor may be compact.
(2) There is noise in the actuator, but the noise may inform the user of the pedal ON/OFF timing.
(3) The operation of releasing the pedal is more difficult than the operation of depressing the pedal.
(4) The actuator follows head movements more naturally than expected.
(5) Using the horizontal movement of the head is also an option.
(6) I think that the more you practice, the easier you can use the device.

Discussion As evidenced in Table 3, bFaaaP has been demonstrated to be effective in extending tone. Also, different pedal patterns played using each bFaaaP produced statistically different scores accordingly (ie, pedal pattern 1 vs. pedal pattern 2 (p=0.00023)). This suggests that the pedal control performed by each bFaaaP is precise. Moreover, the scores obtained using each bFaaaP were not statistically significantly different from the scores obtained using their own paw (ie, their p-values were 0.33 and 0.43( >0.05)). This suggests that pedal control between each bFaaaP and its foot is equivalent (see Table 4). However, each TVA varies from subject to subject. Because the subject had a favorite piano key touch. Also, how much you practiced bFaaaP may have influenced your score.

User-selected offset angle values ranged from 3 to 19 degrees, with 5 or 10 degrees being preferred by many users (see Tables 1 and 2). Also, the magnification selected by the user was in the range of 8 to 50, but when bFaaaP4 was used, the range of 10 to 50 was selected by the user. Also, the range of 20-40 was preferred by many users. That is, in many cases, the user selected 5 to 10 degrees as the offset angle, and then used a further 2.5 to 5 or 10 degrees from that offset angle to fully pedal.

In the case of subject number 14, she had a tracheotomy with a partial foot injury, but chose an offset value of 5 or 3 and a magnification of 40 or 50 (maximum), respectively. The reason for this is that her head movements were restricted due to tracheostomy. The lower the Osset value and the higher the magnification, the better for her. By setting both values above, she successfully played the note using bFaaaP, which was demonstrated in the case of pedal pattern 2 of test number 42.

Here, a lower magnification is preferred to provide precise control of the pedal. The reason is that the drive width of the pedal can be controlled by increasing the range of the head tilt angle. However, faster pedaling is achievable by using a larger magnification. Also, the offset value differs depending on the subject. The reason is that different subjects have different offset values according to their own preference. That is, some want their heads to move violently, while others want their heads to move slightly. This bFaaaP enables pedal operation in either way by selecting those offset values and magnifications. The effect of bFaaaP is not regarded as an additive effect exerted by the offset value and the magnification, but is a synergistic effect exerted by the combination of the offset value and the magnification as demonstrated above.

In this APEE study, there was no statistically significant difference in scores between Group I (subjects with more than 5 years of piano experience) and Group II (subjects with less than 5 years of piano experience) (ie, Each p-value was greater than 0.05) (see Table 5). Similarly, scores were statistically significant between subject classes (ie, Class I: adults (those who can pedal with their feet); Class II: children; and Class III; challenged). There was no difference (ie, each p-value was greater than 0.05) (see Table 6). This indicates that bFaaaP can be used regardless of piano experience and among a variety of people, including children and challenged. However, the p-value obtained by one-way ANOVA for pedal pattern 1 between these classes was 0.068, which suggests a potential difference between these classes.

On the other hand, Table 7 shows that there was a statistically significant difference in score between the pianos used. In this one-way ANOVA, the p-value for pedal pattern 1 was 0.0012 (<0.01) and the p-value for pedal pattern 2 was 0.032 (<0.05). Comparing the average scores, K132 and GP1 showed almost the same value. Therefore, the difference may be due to UX. It's unclear what made the difference. One factor may be the structure of each piano and the damper mechanism. Another factor may be tuning. The K132 and GP1 pianos were tuned regularly, but the UX wasn't tuned for longer than eight years.

Taken together, bFaaaP can be used by a wide variety of users as an alternative to their own foot, and allows precise control of the pedal to their tastes. The idea and concept of the present detector and the present controller (processor) can be applied to any electronic device with or without a pedal, in particular to a controller for an electronic piano or a game console.

Example 7
Measurement of Pedal Play The pedal play of each of the pianos used in the present specification was measured with a digital caliper (manufactured by Shinwa Measuring Co., Ltd.). I manually set the point where the sound starts to grow when I depress the pedal. The distance from the initial pedal position to the above point was measured and set as the pedal play displayed in mm. The results are shown in Table 9.

The result is that the three types of pianos used herein had different pedal play values. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust and initialize each bFaaaP according to each piano.

Example 8
Measurement of Reaction Force The reaction force of the pedal of each of the above pianos used in this specification was measured manually. For the measurement, a mechanical force gauge NK-100 (push pull gauge; manufactured by Hanchen JP) was used according to the manufacturer's manual. The pedal force when the pedal was depressed to the play point of the pedal and the pedal force when the pedal was fully depressed were measured. The results are shown in Table 10.

Table 10 shows that the reaction force was different for each piano. This difference may be due to the structure of the damper mechanism. However, the maximum value was 8.0 kg. Therefore, a sufficient weight (which is installed in the main body) may be 8 to 10 kg or more.

Example 9
Measuring head tilt angle during piano performance Ludwig van Beethoven composed the second movement of Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13 (Sonata Tragedy), Class III Subject No. 15 played on September 19, 2018 did. The piano performance was analyzed by the bFaaaP controller program as follows. (1) The head tilt angle during piano performance is detected by bFaaaP4; (2) The tilt angle is output to a PC via the USB port over time; (3) The obtained data is statistically analyzed. did. The results are shown in Table 11 and FIG.

As a result, the maximum tilt angle was 19.13 degrees and the minimum tilt angle was -15.02. The histogram analysis in Table 11 and FIG. 26 demonstrated that a tilt angle range of 2.5 degrees or less accounted for 61% of all detected events; a tilt angle range of 5.0 degrees or less accounted for 86%. The tilt angle range of 7.5 degrees or less occupies 95%; and the tilt angle range of 10.0 degrees or less occupies 99%. Therefore, from the viewpoint of voluntary head movement, the head tilt angle offset range is preferably 2.5 degrees (3 degrees) or less, more preferably 5.0 degrees or less, and further preferably 7.5 degrees or less. , And more preferably 10.0 degrees or less.

All drawings were designed and created by Otaki Architecture Office (https://anity.ootaki.info/) (also known as Anity Design; https://scrapbox.io/ootaki/). All programs cited herein will be available on the bFaaaP website (which will be opened after filing this patent application).

The above embodiments and examples are merely examples of the present invention. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. This is because the present invention can be implemented in various embodiments without departing from the spirit and main features of the present invention.

The present invention is applicable to any device having a pedal and any musical instrument (eg, piano). Further, the present invention can be applied to any electronic device (eg, electronic piano, controller for game console), and can be universally used by almost anyone including challenged children and children with foot disorders. is there.

100 Housing 200 Soundproof Chamber 210 Sound Absorbing Material 250 Hole 300 First Weight Chamber 310 Bolt 350 Second Duplex Chamber 360 Bolt 500 Floor Plate Member 510 Soundproof Chamber Bottom Plate Member 520 First Horizontal Plate Member 530 Second Horizontal Plate Member 540 Top Plate Member 550 First side plate member 560 Second side plate member 570 Third side plate member 580 Rear plate member 590 Front plate member 592b1-b2 Inner rubber plug 592a1-a2 Outer rubber plug 594b1-b2 Inner rubber plug 594a1-a2 Outer rubber plug 595 Plug bolt 600 Actuator (motor)
610 body part 615 actuator mounting plate 620 foot part 630 spacing plate member 700a1 to n weights 750b1 to n weights 800 actuator controller room 810 initialization device (adjuster for pedal play offset value and working range value)
820 Actuator controller 830 Driver unit (driver and power supply)
900 Anti-vibration sheet 1000 Detector
1010 Case 1020 Slit or Groove 1050 Sensor Module (MPU9250)
1100 Side Frames of Eyeglasses 1200 Detector-side Controller 1210 Adjuster for Offset Range Value 1220 Adjuster for Magnification 1230 On/Off Switch

Claims (39)

An auxiliary pedal system,
A detector that detects the user's movement and produces a detection signal;
A processor for processing the detection signal to generate an actuator control signal,
An actuator for controlling a pedal according to the actuator control signal,
The movement is involved in head movements,
An auxiliary pedal system, wherein the head movement has an offset range in which the actuator is not driven, and the actuator control signal is changeable according to the user's preference. The auxiliary pedal system of claim 1, wherein the detector is mounted on eyeglasses. The auxiliary pedal system according to claim 2, wherein the detector is mounted on a side frame of the spectacles, and a case of the detector has a groove or a slit that fits into the side frame. The head motion is involved in the head tilt angle,
The auxiliary pedal system according to claim 1, wherein the offset range of the head tilt angle is defined by the user, and the upper limit of the offset range is 10 degrees or less. The head motion is involved in the head tilt angle,
The auxiliary pedal system according to claim 1, wherein the offset range of the head tilt angle is defined by the user, and the upper limit of the offset range is 7.5 degrees or less. The head motion is involved in the head tilt angle,
The auxiliary pedal system according to claim 1, wherein the offset range of the head tilt angle is defined by the user, and the upper limit of the offset range is 5 degrees or less. The head motion is involved in the head tilt angle,
The auxiliary pedal system according to claim 1, wherein the offset range of the head tilt angle is defined by the user, and the upper limit of the offset range is 3 degrees or less. The head motion is involved in the head tilt angle,
The auxiliary pedal system according to claim 2, wherein the offset range of the head tilt angle is defined by the user, and the upper limit of the offset range is 10 degrees or less. The head motion is involved in the head tilt angle,
The auxiliary pedal system according to claim 2, wherein the offset range of the head tilt angle is defined by the user, and the upper limit of the offset range is 7.5 degrees or less. The head motion is involved in the head tilt angle,
The auxiliary pedal system according to claim 2, wherein the offset range of the head tilt angle is defined by the user, and the upper limit of the offset range is 5 degrees or less. The head motion is involved in the head tilt angle,
The auxiliary pedal system according to claim 2, wherein the offset range of the head tilt angle is defined by the user, and the upper limit of the offset range is 3 degrees or less. The actuator control signal is modifiable by multiplying a value obtained by subtracting the upper bound of the offset range from the head tilt angle by a scaling factor; and
5. The head is maximally depressed by the actuator using a head tilt angle of 2 to 10 degrees from the upper limit of the offset range, since the scaling factor is 10 to 50 selected by the user. Auxiliary pedal system described in. The actuator control signal is modifiable by multiplying a value obtained by subtracting the upper bound of the offset range from the head tilt angle by a scaling factor; and
8. The pedal is maximally depressed by the actuator using a head tilt angle of 2 to 10 degrees from the upper limit of the offset range, since the magnification is 10 to 50 selected by the user. Auxiliary pedal system described in. The actuator control signal is modifiable by multiplying a value obtained by subtracting the upper bound of the offset range from the head tilt angle by a scaling factor; and
9. The head is fully depressed by the actuator using a head tilt angle of 2 to 10 degrees from the upper limit of the offset range, since the scaling factor is 10 to 50 selected by the user. Auxiliary pedal system described in. The actuator control signal is modifiable by multiplying a value obtained by subtracting the upper bound of the offset range from the head tilt angle by a scaling factor; and
12. The pedal is maximally depressed by the actuator using a head tilt angle of 2 to 10 degrees from the upper limit of the offset range since the magnification is 10 to 50 selected by the user. Auxiliary pedal system described in. The auxiliary pedal system according to claim 12, wherein the pedal is a piano pedal. 14. The auxiliary pedal system according to claim 13, wherein the pedal is a piano pedal. 15. The auxiliary pedal system of claim 14, wherein the pedal is a piano pedal. 16. The auxiliary pedal system according to claim 15, wherein the pedal is a piano pedal. 18. The auxiliary pedal system of claim 16, wherein the pedal play is offset so that the pedal moves in response to the actuator control signal without delay. 18. The auxiliary pedal system of claim 17, wherein the pedal play is offset so that the pedal moves in response to the actuator control signal without delay. 19. The auxiliary pedal system of claim 18, wherein the pedal play is offset so that the pedal moves in response to the actuator control signal without delay. 20. The auxiliary pedal system of claim 19, wherein the pedal play is offset so that the pedal moves in response to the actuator control signal without delay. The auxiliary pedal system,
Further comprising a portable housing having a weight detachable from the actuator,
21. The auxiliary pedal system of claim 20, wherein the removable weight resists a reaction force of the actuator so that the housing does not move, and the housing has a soundproof chamber containing the actuator. The auxiliary pedal system,
Further comprising a portable housing having a weight detachable from the actuator,
22. The auxiliary pedal system of claim 21, wherein the removable weight resists a reaction force of the actuator so that the housing does not move, and the housing has a soundproof chamber containing the actuator. The auxiliary pedal system,
Further comprising a portable housing having a weight detachable from the actuator,
23. The auxiliary pedal system of claim 22, wherein the removable weight resists a reaction force of the actuator so that the housing does not move, and the housing has a soundproof chamber containing the actuator. The auxiliary pedal system,
Further comprising a portable housing having a weight detachable from the actuator,
24. The auxiliary pedal system of claim 23, wherein the removable weight resists the reaction force of the actuator so that the housing does not move, and the housing has a soundproof chamber that includes the actuator. A pedal operation method,
Detecting the user's movement and generating a detection signal,
Processing the detection signal to generate an actuator control signal,
Controlling the pedal in accordance with the actuator control signal,
The movement is involved in head movements,
The pedal operating method, wherein the head movement has an offset range in which the actuator is not driven, and the actuator control signal is changeable according to the user's preference. An auxiliary pedal system,
A detector that detects the user's movement and produces a detection signal;
A controller for processing the detection signal to generate and transmit an electronic device control command signal that replaces the pedal mediated command signal;
The movement is involved in head movements,
An auxiliary pedal system, wherein the head movement has an offset range in which the electronic device does not respond to the head movement, and the electronic device control command signal is changeable according to the user's preference. The detector is worn on spectacles and the head movement contributes to the head tilt angle;
The offset range of the head tilt angle is defined by the user, and the upper limit of the offset range is 10 degrees or less;
The electronic device control command signal is modified by multiplying a value obtained by subtracting the upper limit of the offset range from the head tilt angle by a scaling factor; and
30. The electronic device is maximally operated using a head tilt angle of 2 to 10 degrees from the upper limit of the offset range, since the magnification is 10 to 50 selected by the user. Auxiliary pedal system described. The detector is worn on spectacles and the head movement contributes to the head tilt angle;
The offset range of the head tilt angle is defined by the user, and the upper limit of the offset range is 3 degrees or less;
The electronic device control command signal is modified by multiplying a value obtained by subtracting the upper limit of the offset range from the head tilt angle by a scaling factor; and
30. The electronic device is maximally operated using a head tilt angle of 2 to 10 degrees from the upper limit of the offset range, since the magnification is 10 to 50 selected by the user. Auxiliary pedal system described. 31. The auxiliary pedal system according to claim 30, wherein the electronic device is an electronic piano. 32. The auxiliary pedal system according to claim 31, wherein the electronic device is an electronic piano. A method for operating an electronic device,
Detecting the user's movement and generating a detection signal,
Processing the detection signal to generate and communicate an electronic device control command signal that replaces the pedal mediated command signal.
The movement is involved in head movements,
An electronic device operating method, wherein the head motion has an offset range in which the electronic device does not respond to the head motion, and the electronic device control command signal can be changed according to the preference of the user. A device controller,
A detector that detects the user's movement and produces a detection signal;
A controller for processing the detection signal to generate and communicate a device control command signal,
The movement is involved in head movements,
The head movement has an offset range in which the device does not respond to the head movement, and
A device controller, wherein the device control command signal is changeable according to the user's preference. The detector is worn on spectacles and the head movement contributes to the head tilt angle;
The offset range of the head tilt angle is defined by the user, and the upper limit of the offset range is 10 degrees or less;
The device control command signal is modified by multiplying a value obtained by subtracting the upper limit of the offset range from the head tilt angle by a scaling factor; and
36. Since the scaling factor is 10 to 50 selected by the user, a head tilt angle of 2 to 10 degrees from the upper limit of the offset range is used to maximize operation of the device. Device controller. The detector is worn on spectacles and the head movement contributes to the head tilt angle;
The offset range of the head tilt angle is defined by the user, and the upper limit of the offset range is 3 degrees or less;
The device control command signal is modified by multiplying a value obtained by subtracting the upper limit of the offset range from the head tilt angle by a scaling factor; and
36. Since the scaling factor is 10 to 50 selected by the user, a head tilt angle of 2 to 10 degrees from the upper limit of the offset range is used to maximize operation of the device. Device controller. 37. The device controller according to claim 36, wherein the device controller is a game machine controller. 38. The device controller according to claim 37, wherein the device controller is a controller for a game console.

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