Motion-based media creation

Abstract

A system for motion-based media creation includes an article of footwear or apparel having 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 generate a data stream indicative of the monitored spatial motion. The system further includes a processor in networked wireless communication with the article of footwear or apparel. 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 trigger the playback of an audio sample or a visual effect in response to the identified at least one motion primitive.

1 . A system for motion-based media creation 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; and 
 trigger the playback of an audio sample or a visual effect in response to the identified at least one motion primitive. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , 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. 
   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , 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.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , 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 visual effects;   associate, on the basis of a received input from the user input device, a selected visual effect from the plurality of visual effects 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 visual effect in response to the matching of the identified motion primitive with the predefined motion primitive.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the article of footwear or apparel further comprises at least one light; and
 wherein outputting the selected visual effect comprises illuminating the at least one light on the article of footwear or apparel.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to trigger the playback of the audio sample or the visual effect in a virtual environment. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the playback of the audio sample or the visual effect is the movement of an avatar within the virtual environment. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to trigger the playback of the audio sample or the visual effect as an overlay on a video feed. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a distance between the article of footwear or apparel and a predetermined location and wherein the processor is configured to trigger the playback of an audio sample or a visual effect only if the distance is below a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the article of footwear or apparel further comprises a vibration transducer operative to transmit a tactile sensation to the body of the user; and
 wherein the processor is further configured to cause the vibration transducer to convey a beat or tactile timing signal to the user.   
     
     
         11 . A method of creating an entertainment experience from user motion, the method comprising:
 receiving a plurality of data streams, each data stream from a different article of footwear or apparel and representative of a spatial motion of the respective article; and   triggering the playback of an audio sample or a visual effect in response to each of the received plurality of data streams.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising identifying a plurality of motion primitives from the plurality of data streams; and
 wherein triggering the playback of an audio sample or a visual effect includes triggering the playback of a different audio sample or visual effect for each different one of the identified plurality of motion primitives.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising mapping a plurality of predefined motion primitives to a plurality of different audio samples or visual effects. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the mapping includes mapping each of the plurality of motion primitives to a different one of the plurality of different audio samples or visual effects. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein triggering the playback of an audio sample or a visual effect in response to each of the received plurality of data streams includes displaying a visual effect or initiating the motion of an avatar within a virtual environment. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 maintaining a library of a plurality of audio samples and a library of a plurality of predefined motion primitives;   associating, on the basis of a received input from a user input device, a different selected audio sample from the plurality of audio samples with each of the plurality of predefined motion primitives;   identifying a plurality of motion primitives from the plurality of data streams;   matching each of the identified motion primitives with one of the predefined motion primitives; and   wherein the triggering the playback of the audio sample or visual effect comprises outputting the audio sample associated with each predefined motion primitive that is matched with an identified motion primitive.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 maintaining a library of a plurality of visual effects and a library of a plurality of predefined motion primitives;   associating, on the basis of a received input from a user input device, a different selected visual effect from the plurality of visual effects with each of the plurality of predefined motion primitives;   identifying a plurality of motion primitives from the plurality of data streams;   matching each of the identified motion primitives with one of the predefined motion primitives; and   wherein the triggering the playback of the audio sample or visual effect comprises outputting the visual effect associated with each predefined motion primitive that is matched with an identified motion primitive.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein outputting the visual effect comprises illuminating at least one light on the article of footwear or apparel. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein receiving the plurality of data streams includes receiving the data streams via a wireless digital communication protocol. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising identifying a first motion primitive from a first data stream of the plurality of data streams and identifying a second motion primitive from a second data stream of the plurality of data streams, wherein the first motion primitive and the second motion primitive are the same; and
 wherein triggering the playback of an audio sample or a visual effect includes triggering the playback of a first audio sample or visual effect in response to the identifying of the first motion primitive and triggering the playback of a second audio sample or visual effect in response to the identifying of the second motion primitive; and   wherein the first audio sample or visual effect is different than the second audio sample or visual effect.