Wearable device comprising one or more impact sensors

Abstract

Wearable device having one or more impact sensors and at least one unit transmitting a detected signals to a remote station, the device being composed of an inner glove wearable under a martial art glove.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wearable device comprising:
 an inner glove ( 1 ) wearable under a martial art glove;   one or more impact sensors ( 2 ) provided on the inner glove ( 1 ); and   at least one unit ( 51 ) transmitting signals detected by the one or more impact sensors ( 2 ) to a remote station.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising one or more inertial sensors ( 3 ) coupled to the inner glove. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising one or more biometric sensors ( 4 ) coupled to the inner glove. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more fingers of the inner glove ( 1 ) are truncated, such that the inner glove ( 1 ), in a worn condition, covers only a first phalange of one or more of corresponding fingers of a user. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said impact sensors ( 2 ) are piezoelectric sensors. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of said impact sensors ( 2 ) is provided, the impact sensors being arranged to form an array. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of impact sensors ( 2 ) are provided at a forefinger, middle finger, ring finger and little finger respectively. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 7 , wherein there are provided three impact sensors ( 2 ) for each one of the forefinger, middle finger, ring finger and little finger. 
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 7 , wherein the unit transmitting the signals transmits the signals to the remote station in real-time. 
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device is powered by a rechargeable battery, there being provided a recharging circuit comprising an inductive charging system. 
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a central processing unit ( 5 ), to which said sensors ( 2 ,  3 ,  4 ) are connected, the processing unit ( 5 ) being composed of a flexible electronic card. 
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 4 , wherein said one or more inertial sensors comprise an accelerometer,. and wherein the device is switched to stand-by consequently to an inactivity period as detected by the accelerometer, and the device is switched on again once a movement is detected. 
     
     
         13 . A wearable device comprising:
 a plurality of impact sensors ( 2 ); and   at least one unit ( 51 ) transmitting signals detected by the plurality of impact sensors ( 2 ) to a remote station,   wherein the plurality of impact sensors are arranged to form an array.   
     
     
         14 . The wearable device according to  claim 13 , wherein the device is composed of a glove or an inner glove ( 1 ). 
     
     
         15 . The wearable device according to  claim 13 , wherein the device is composed of a shin guard, a vest, a knee-pad, an elbow guard, a helmet, or a shoe. 
     
     
         16 . The wearable device according to  claim 13 , further comprising one or more biometric sensors coupled thereto. 
     
     
         17 . A method of measuring power of an impact of a wearable device comprising one or more impact sensors ( 2 ) and at least one accelerometer, wherein the method comprises the following steps:
 (a) acquiring signals of acceleration from the accelerometer;   (b) obtaining a velocity vector along a predetermined direction by integrating the acceleration signals;   (c) obtaining a force vector of the impact from the impact sensors, said impact sensors being positioned in such a way that the force vector is along the predetermined direction of the velocity vector; and   (d) calculating the power of the impact as a dot product of the force vector and the velocity vector.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the velocity vector is taken into account for calculation of the power of the impact only in a time period when velocity is decreasing during the impact. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein a low-pass filter is applied to the acceleration signals before step (b). 
     
     
         20 . (canceled)