Apparel based dynamic movement scoring

Abstract

A system for dynamic movement scoring comprising an article of footwear or apparel and a processor in networked wireless communication with the article of footwear or apparel. The article includes at least one accelerometer or inertial measurement unit operative to monitor spatial motion of at least a portion of the article of footwear or apparel, and to generate a data stream indicative of the monitored spatial motion. The processor is configured to receive the data stream from the article of footwear or apparel, identify at least one motion primitive from the received data stream; and determine an accuracy metric representing a correspondence between the monitored spatial motion of the article of footwear or apparel and the ordered number of motion primitives.

1 . A system for dynamic movement scoring comprising:
 an article of footwear or apparel comprising at least one accelerometer or inertial measurement unit operative to monitor spatial motion of at least a portion of the article of footwear or apparel, and to generate a data stream indicative of the monitored spatial motion;   a processor in networked wireless communication with the article of footwear or apparel, the processor configured to:
 receive the data stream from the article of footwear or apparel; 
 identify at least one motion primitive from the received data stream; 
 compare the at least one identified motion primitive to a predefined, ordered number of motion primitives; 
 determine, an accuracy metric representing a correspondence between the monitored spatial motion of the article of footwear or apparel and the ordered number of motion primitives; and 
 display the accuracy metric to the user via a display device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is in digital communication with a distributed computing network, the processor further configured to:
 receive a challenge from the distributed computing network, the challenge comprising the ordered list of motion primitives; and   display the challenge to a user via a display device;   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the challenge is received from a second user on the distributed computing network. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive an accuracy metric from the second user and to display it to the user via the display device. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is in digital communication with a distributed computing network; the processor further configured to transmit the accuracy metric to a server on the distributed computing network. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the ordered number of motion primitives form a choreographed dance. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the article of footwear or apparel further comprises a haptic transducer operative to transmit a tactile sensation to the body of the user; and
 wherein the processor is further configured to cause the haptic transducer to convey a beat or tactile timing signal to the user.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the haptic transducer includes a motor operative to selectively and periodically tension at least one lace or closure mechanism of the article. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to trigger the playback of an audio sample or a visual effect in response to the identified at least one motion primitive. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the identified at least one motion primitive includes a first motion primitive and a second motion primitive, and the audio sample or visual effect is a first audio sample or first visual effect and is triggered in response to the first motion primitive; and
 the processor further configured to:
 trigger the playback of a second audio sample or a second visual effect in response to the second identified motion primitive; and 
 wherein the first audio sample or first visual effect is different than the second audio sample or second visual effect. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a user input device and a display in communication with the processor, and further wherein the processor is further configured to:
 maintain a library of a plurality of audio samples;   associate, on the basis of a received input from the user input device, a selected audio sample from the plurality of audio samples with a predefined motion primitive;   match the identified motion primitive with the predefined motion primitive; and   wherein the triggering of the playback of the audio sample or the visual effect in response to the identified motion primitive comprises outputting the selected audio sample in response to the matching of the identified motion primitive with the predefined motion primitive.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to alter a behavior or motion of an avatar in a virtual environment on the basis of the received data stream. 
     
     
         13 . A method of dynamic movement scoring comprising:
 receiving a data stream from an article of footwear or apparel, the received data stream being representative of a spatial motion of the article;   identifying a plurality of motion primitives from the received data stream;   comparing the at least one identified motion primitive to a predefined, ordered number of motion primitives;   determining, an accuracy metric representing a correspondence between the monitored spatial motion of the article of footwear or apparel and the ordered number of motion primitives; and   displaying the accuracy metric to the user via a display device.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 receiving a challenge from a distributed computing network, the challenge comprising the ordered number of motion primitives;   displaying the challenge to a user via the display device;   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising transmitting the challenge to a second user on the distributed network. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising transmitting the accuracy metric to a server on a distributed computing network. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising triggering the playback of an audio sample or a visual effect in response to each of the identified motion primitives. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein triggering the visual effect comprises illuminating at least one light on the article of footwear or apparel.