Arrangement for Gait Training

Abstract

Arrangement for training the gait, comprising an endless belt guided over at least two rollers and serving as a treadmill, the one surface of which serves as a walking surface, a sensor system for determining a pressure/force distribution on a force measurement plate located underneath the walking surface, which is provided with a plurality of pressure/force sensors on the side facing the endless belt, an analyzing unit connected, on the input side, to the pressure/force sensors, which detects pressure distributions generated by a walking or running subject on the walking surface, a processing unit connected, on the input side, to the analyzing unit, which generates from the pressure distributions values or signals, respectively, that characterize the gait of the subject, optical display means for displaying images in the area of the walking surface, which are connected to image signal generating means and a display process controller for the generation and the position control in terms of time and space of images or image elements, and a synchronization and adaptation stage for synchronizing and adapting the processing of the pressure distribution images with/to the image representation in the area of the walking surface.

1 . Arrangement for training the gait, comprising:
 an endless belt guided over at least two rollers and serving as a treadmill, the one surface of which serves as a walking surface,   a sensor system for determining a pressure/force distribution on a force measurement plate located underneath the walking surface, which is provided with a plurality of pressure/force sensors on the side facing the endless belt,   an analyzing unit connected, on the input side, to the pressure/force sensors, which detects pressure distributions generated by a walking or running subject on the walking surface,   a processing unit connected, on the input side, to the analyzing unit, which generates from the pressure distributions values or signals, respectively, that characterize the gait of the subject,   optical display means for displaying images in the area of the walking surface, which are connected to image signal generating means and a display process controller for the generation and the position control in terms of time and space of images or image elements, and   a synchronization and adaptation stage for synchronizing and adapting the processing of the pressure distribution images with/to the image representation in the area of the walking surface.   
     
     
         2 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the display means are provided with an image projector for the projection of images onto the walking surface of the treadmill. 
     
     
         3 . Arrangement according to  claim 2 , wherein, in the usage position of the arrangement, the projector is arranged in front of or in the front portion of and/or laterally above the same in such a way that the direction of projection encloses with the plane of the walking surface an acute angle. 
     
     
         4 . Arrangement according to  claim 3 , wherein the projector is received in a holder, which is adjustable with respect to angles, to adjust a direction of projection and an image signal distortion correcter is connected upstream thereof, which effects a distortion correction of images or image elements supplied by the image signal generating means in dependence on the adjusted angle between the direction of projection and the walking surface. 
     
     
         5 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the endless belt is formed of a transparent material at least in essential sections and an image display surface is provided underneath its, in the usage position, upper section. 
     
     
         6 . Arrangement according to  claim 5 , wherein the image display surface is formed by at least one display screen of an electro-optical display device, particularly of the LCD, plasma or OLED type, and optionally with touchscreen properties. 
     
     
         7 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the image signal generating means comprise an image element storing unit for storing a plurality of predefined image elements and, optionally, an image element mixer for mixing image elements retrieved from the storing unit according to a plurality of stored first mixing programs. 
     
     
         8 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the image signal generating means comprise a video memory for storing image sequences and, optionally, a video image element mixer for mixing image sequences read out from the video memory optionally with image elements read out from the image element storing unit according a plurality of stored second mixing programs. 
     
     
         9 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the display process controller comprises a program memory for storing a plurality of predetermined display processes and/or speed and/or relative position adjusting means for adjusting the speed of a display process and for predefining relative positions between image elements of a display. 
     
     
         10 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the display process controller comprises a random generator for the random-controlled provision of image signals, specifically for the random-controlled compilation of image elements loaded from the image element storing unit and/or of image sequences loaded from the video memory. 
     
     
         11 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , comprising a feedback unit for detecting contacts of the walking surface by the subject at the place where predetermined image elements are displayed, or at places where no predetermined image element is displayed, and for outputting a warning or information signal in response thereto. 
     
     
         12 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein an array of actuators acting on the endless belt for the local deformation of the belt surface in order to produce irregularities and/or a local resilience and elasticity of the walking surface is provided underneath the walking surface, or the treadmill as a whole is mounted on actuators for generating a global resilience and elasticity of the entire walking surface. 
     
     
         13 . Arrangement according to  claim 12 , wherein the array of actuators is assigned a profile control unit which outputs control signals for actuating the actuators in order to form a predetermined dynamic profile of the walking surface, and the processing unit comprises a control signal receiver for receiving the control signals, outputted by the profile control unit, as position assignment signals, and a processing algorithm is implemented in the processing unit by means of which the pressure distribution images are assigned to the dynamic profile of the walking surface. 
     
     
         14 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein a front section of the walking surface, where the or a display surface is provided, is inclined in an upward direction in the usage position of the arrangement. 
     
     
         15 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , comprising a user guide unit for the visual and/or audible output of display-accompanying instructions, particularly by means of earphones and/or text insertions in the area of the walking surface. 
     
     
         16 . Arrangement according to  claim 1 , comprising additional optical display means for displaying images on another image display surface, outside of the walking surface and especially at eye level of the person doing the workout, wherein the additional display means are likewise connected to the image signal generating means and the display process controller, and are specifically used for an additional visualization of the walking surface and/or the walking environment.