Arm Exercise Device and System

Abstract

An arm exercise system ( 10 ) comprising an arm trolley ( 14 ) having one or more support wheels and which is arranged to support a user's arm for movement over a surface via the wheel(s). The arm trolley ( 14 ) also has an actuator(s) associated with one or more of the wheel(s) and which are operable to apply a level of braking to resist movement of the wheel(s). The system ( 10 ) further comprises a motion tracking system ( 16 ) that is arranged to sense and track movement of the trolley ( 14 ) over the surface and generate representative position data relating to the movement of the trolley. A computer system ( 18 ) is arranged to receive the representative position data to enable a user ( 12 ) to interact with a program running on the computer system via movement of the arm trolley ( 14 ) over the surface.

1 . An arm exercise system comprising:
 an arm trolley having one or more support wheels and which is arranged to support a user's arm for movement over a surface via the wheel(s), and an actuator or actuators associated with one or more of the wheel(s) of the arm trolley and which are operable to apply a level of braking to resist movement of the wheel(s);   a motion tracking system that is arranged to sense and track movement of the trolley over the surface and generate representative position data relating to the movement of the trolley; and   a computer system that is arranged to receive the representative position data to enable a user to interact with a program running on the computer system via movement of the arm trolley over the surface, and which is also arranged to control the actuator(s) to apply a level of braking to resist movement of the wheel(s) based on the user's interaction with the program.   
     
     
         2 . An arm exercise system according to  claim 1  wherein the arm trolley comprises a substantially elongate housing that comprises a forearm support part that is in the form of a substantially U-shaped channel within which a user's forearm is received and retained during use of the system, and wherein the housing of the arm trolley further comprises a hand support platform that extends from an end of the forearm support part and which is arranged to support a user's hand. 
     
     
         3 - 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . An arm exercise system according to  claim 1  wherein the arm trolley further comprises an associated fastening system that is operable to secure the user's forearm and/or hand to or within the arm trolley. 
     
     
         7 . An arm exercise system according to  claim 1  wherein the one or more support wheel(s) are arranged to support the arm trolley for movement in any direction over the surface. 
     
     
         8 . An arm exercise system according to  claim 1  wherein the wheels may comprise any one or more of the following types of wheels: caster wheels, ball casters, or omni-wheels. 
     
     
         9 . An arm exercise system according to  claim 1  wherein the arm trolley comprises a substantially elongate housing and in which there are one or more front support wheels are mounted underneath the housing at or toward the front end of the housing and one or more rear support wheels are mounted underneath the housing at or toward the rear end of the housing, and wherein the front support wheels comprise first and second omni-wheels that are arranged such that the rolling directions of each omni-wheel are perpendicular to each other, and wherein each omni-wheel has an associated operable braking actuator such that the level of braking applied to each omni-wheel is independently controllable. 
     
     
         10 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . An arm exercise system according to  claim 1  wherein the actuator(s) of the arm trolley is(are) a powered brake(s) that is(are) electronically controllable by the computer system. 
     
     
         14 . An arm exercise system according to  claim 13  wherein the powered brake(s) are electromagnetic brake(s) that are operatively coupled to a respective wheel and which are operable to apply a level of braking to resist rotation of the wheel via actuator control signals, and wherein each electromagnetic brake has an associated braking control circuit that is operable via actuator control signals to generate a driving current to drive the brake to apply a desired level of braking to the wheel, the level of braking being proportional to the level of the driving current. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . An arm exercise system according to  claim 1  wherein the level of braking applied by the actuator(s) is controllable between zero to allow free rotation of the associated wheel and a maximum effective resistance level that substantially restricts rotation of the wheel. 
     
     
         17 . An arm exercise system according to  claim 1  wherein the arm trolley further comprises one or more non-powered and manually operable brake(s) associated with one or more of the wheels. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . An arm exercise system according to  claim 1  wherein the computer system controls the actuator(s) onboard the arm trolley remotely over a wireless connection. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An arm exercise system according to  claim 1  wherein the arm trolley comprises an onboard controller that is arranged to generate actuator control signals for operating the one or more actuators to apply a desired level of braking to the wheel(s) and which generates the actuator control signals in response to desired level of braking signals received from the computer system. 
     
     
         22 . An arm exercise system according to  claim 1  wherein the computer system comprises a resistance control system that is operable in either a manual mode in which the user can manually adjust the level of braking applied by the actuator(s) to their respective wheel(s) or an automatic mode in which the resistance control system automatically adjusts the level of braking applied by the actuator(s) to their respective wheel(s) during the user's interaction with the program running on the computer based on predetermined configuration settings. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . An arm exercise system according to  claim 22  wherein the resistance control system in automatic mode automatically adjusts the level of braking applied by the actuator(s) to one or more of the wheels based on the speed of movement of the arm trolley as determined from the position data received from the motion tracking system. 
     
     
         25 . An arm exercise system according to  claim 22  wherein the resistance control system in automatic mode automatically adjusts the level of braking applied by the actuator(s) to one or more of the wheels based on the position of the arm trolley on the surface as determined from the position data received from the motion tracking system. 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . An arm exercise system according to  claim 22  wherein the resistance control system in automatic mode automatically adjusts the level of braking applied by the actuator(s) to one or more of the wheels based on the distance of the arm trolley relative to a reference point as determined from the position data received from the motion tracking system. 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . An arm exercise system according to  claim 1  wherein the arm trolley further comprises one or more drive actuators associated with one or more of the wheel(s) and which are operable to drive the wheels to rotate at a desired speed to assist the user move the arm trolley over the surface. 
     
     
         30 . An arm exercise system according to  claim 1  wherein the motion tracking system is an absolute motion tracking system that is arranged to generate position data indicative of the actual position of the arm trolley on the surface. 
     
     
         31 - 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . An arm exercise system according to  claim 1  wherein the arm trolley comprises a hand grip device that the user's hand may grip when moving the trolley over the surface, and wherein the position and orientation of the hand grip device is adjustable. 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . An arm exercise system according to  claim 1  wherein the arm trolley comprises a hemispherical grip surface upon which the user may rest their hand when moving the trolley over the surface. 
     
     
         36 . An arm exercise system according to  claim 1  wherein the arm trolley comprises one or more operable switches located in the vicinity of the user's hand and which are operable by the user to generate a switch actuation signal(s) that are sent to the computer system to enable the user to interact with the program running on the computer system, and wherein the position of the one or more switches is adjustable. 
     
     
         37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . An arm exercise system according to  claim 1  wherein the program is a game that is presented on a display screen of the computer system and the computer system is arranged such that movement of the arm trolley over the surface by the user causes a corresponding movement of a game cursor on the game screen so as to enable the user to interact with the game. 
     
     
         39 . An arm exercise device comprising:
 an arm trolley having one or more support wheels and which is arranged to support a user's arm for movement over a surface via the support wheels;   an actuator or actuators associated with one or more of the support wheels of the arm trolley and which are operable to apply a level of braking to resist movement of the one or more support wheels; and   a control system for generating actuator control signals and controlling the actuator(s) with the actuator control signals to apply a level of braking to resist movement of the support wheels.   
     
     
         40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . An arm exercise device according to  claim 39  wherein the actuator or actuators of the arm trolley is or are a powered brake or brakes that is or are electronically controllable and the control system is an onboard controller that is operable to generate the actuator control signals for controlling the actuator or actuators to apply a level of braking to resist movement of the one or more support wheels. 
     
     
         42 . An arm exercise device according to  claim 39  wherein the arm trolley comprises a substantially elongate housing that comprises a forearm support part that is in the form of a substantially U-shaped channel within which a user's forearm is received and retained during use of the system, and wherein the housing of the arm trolley further comprises a hand support platform that extends from an end of the forearm support part and which is arranged to support a user's hand. 
     
     
         43 - 45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . An arm exercise device according to  claim 39  wherein the arm trolley further comprises an associated fastening system that is operable to secure the user's forearm and/or hand to or within the arm trolley. 
     
     
         47 . An arm exercise device according to  claim 39  wherein the one or more support wheel(s) are arranged to support the arm trolley for movement in any direction over the surface. 
     
     
         48 . An arm exercise device according to  claim 39  wherein the wheels may comprise any one or more of the following types of wheels: caster wheels, ball casters, or omni-wheels. 
     
     
         49 . An arm exercise device according to  claim 39  wherein the arm trolley comprises a substantially elongate housing and in which there are one or more front support wheels are mounted underneath the housing at or toward the front end of the housing and one or more rear support wheels are mounted underneath the housing at or toward the rear end of the housing, and wherein the front support wheels comprise first and second omni-wheels that are arranged such that the rolling directions of each omni-wheel are perpendicular to each other, and wherein each omni-wheel has an associated operable braking actuator such that the level of braking applied to each omni-wheel is independently controllable. 
     
     
         50 - 53 . (canceled) 
     
     
         54 . An arm exercise device according to  claim 41  wherein the powered brake(s) are electromagnetic brakes that are operatively coupled to a respective wheel and which are operable to apply a level of braking to resist rotation of the wheel via actuator control signals, and wherein each electromagnetic brake has an associated braking control circuit that is operable via the actuator control signals to generate a driving current to drive the brake to apply a desired level of braking to the wheel, the level of braking being proportional to the level of the driving current. 
     
     
         55 . (canceled) 
     
     
         56 . An arm exercise device according to  claim 41  wherein the onboard controller is remotely operable by an external device over a wireless connection to generate the actuator control signals for controlling the actuator(s) to apply a desired level of braking to resist movement of one or more of the wheels. 
     
     
         57 . An arm exercise device according to  claim 39  wherein the level of braking applied by the actuator(s) is controllable between zero to allow free rotation of the associated wheel and a maximum effective resistance level that substantially restricts rotation of the wheel. 
     
     
         58 . An arm exercise device according to  claim 39  wherein the arm trolley further comprises one or more drive actuators associated with one or more of the wheel(s) and which are operable to drive the wheels to rotate at a desired speed to assist the user move the arm trolley over the surface. 
     
     
         59 . An arm exercise device according to  claim 39  wherein the arm trolley comprises a hand grip device that the user's hand may grip when moving the trolley over the surface and wherein the position and orientation of the hand grip device is adjustable. 
     
     
         60 . An arm exercise device according to  claim 39  wherein the arm trolley comprises a hemispherical grip surface upon which the user may rest their hand when moving the trolley over the surface. 
     
     
         61 . An arm exercise device according to  claim 39  wherein the arm trolley comprises one or more operable switches located in the vicinity of the user's hand and which are operable by the user to generate a switch actuation signal(s) that are received by the onboard controller and sent to an external device, and wherein the position of the one or more switches is adjustable. 
     
     
         62 . (canceled) 
     
     
         63 . An arm exercise system comprising:
 an arm trolley comprising: one or more support wheels and which is arranged to support a user's arm for movement in any direction over a surface via the wheel(s); a powered brake or powered brakes associated with one or more of the wheel(s) of the arm trolley and which are electronically controllable via actuator control signals to apply a level of braking to resist movement of the wheel(s); and an onboard controller that is operable to generate the actuator control signals for controlling the level of braking applied by the powered brake(s);   an absolute motion tracking system that is arranged to sense and track movement of the trolley over the surface and generate representative position data indicative of the actual position of the arm trolley on the surface; and   a computer system that is arranged to receive the representative position data from the absolute motion tracking system to enable a user to interact with a program running on the computer system via movement of the arm trolley over the surface, and the computer system being in signal communication with the onboard controller of the arm trolley and being arranged to control the powered brake(s) to apply a level of braking to resist movement of the wheel(s) based on the user's interaction with the program.   
     
     
         64 . An arm exercise device according to  claim 39  or  41  further comprising one or more non-powered and manually operable brake(s) associated with one or more of the support wheels.