Rocking-type exercise device

Abstract

A rocking-type exercise device includes a seat on which a user can sits, a seat rocking unit for reciprocating the seat at least in one direction, a control unit for controlling the seat rocking unit so as to reciprocate the seat, and a detector unit for detecting a user's exercise posture to obtain detected information. The control unit includes a feedback stimulus output unit for comparing the detected information obtained by the detector unit with a target value and for outputting, if a difference exits between the detected information and the target value, a feedback stimulus by which to make the detected information come close to the target value.

1 . A rocking-type exercise device comprising:
 a seat on which a user can sits;   a seat rocking unit for reciprocating the seat at least in one direction;   a control unit for controlling the seat rocking unit so as to reciprocate the seat; and   a detector unit for detecting a user's exercise posture to obtain detected information,   wherein the control unit includes a feedback stimulus output unit for comparing the detected information obtained by the detector unit with a target value and for outputting, if a difference exits between the detected information and the target value, a feedback stimulus by which to make the detected information come close to the target value.   
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the feedback stimulus outputted by the feedback stimulus output unit is kept unchanged in meaning but changed in expression over time. 
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the feedback stimulus output unit is configured to redefine the target value or the feedback stimulus based on the detected information, if the detected information fails to come close to the target value for a predetermined time period in spite of the selecting and outputting of the feedback stimulus by which to make the detected information come close to the target value. 
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein, if the detected information is kept smaller than the target value for a predetermined time period, the feedback stimulus output unit reduces the target value or outputs a safety-purpose feedback stimulus in order for the seat to safely make the reciprocating movement. 
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the feedback stimulus output unit is configured to stop outputting the feedback stimulus, if the detected information fails to come close to the target value for a predetermined time period in spite of the selecting of the feedback stimulus by which to make the detected information come close to the target value. 
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the detector unit includes a plurality of posture detector units for detecting postures of different bodily parts of the user to get a plurality of detected posture information, and wherein the feedback stimulus output unit is configured to output feedback stimuli reflecting the difference between the detected posture information and the target value in the order of greater deviation of the detected posture information from the target value. 
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the detector unit includes a plurality of posture detector units for detecting postures of different bodily parts of the user, the posture detector units being given a priority order, and wherein the feedback stimulus output unit is configured to output feedback stimuli in the priority order. 
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the feedback stimulus output unit includes a notification unit through which to notify the user of the feedback stimulus or the feedback stimuli by at least one of a voice and an image, and wherein the feedback stimulus output unit is configured to output, when notification is performed by the notification unit, the feedback stimulus or the feedback stimuli together with incidental effects varying with the difference between the detected information and the target value. 
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the feedback stimulus output unit is configured to output the feedback stimulus or the feedback stimuli after altering the emotion-appealing information contained in the feedback stimulus or the feedback stimuli depending on the difference between the detected information and the target value. 
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the feedback stimulus output unit is configured to output the feedback stimulus or the feedback stimuli in such a way as to remind the user of the moving images of the bodily parts.