Electromechanical physical resistance device

A method for controlling the operation of an exercise machine comprising:

• accepting certain input instructions from a user via a human machine interface;
• transmitting the input instructions to a processor;
• receiving the input instructions from the human machine interface into the processor;
• constraining the motion of at least one payload carriage carrying an accessory union with a removably affixed exercise accessory along a desired path on at least one stage of the exercise machine;
• controlling the motion of the payload carriage within the desired path on the at least one stage of the exercise machine with a driver mechanism;
• the at least one stage of the exercise machine comprising a frame, the at least one stage comprising a Y rod mounted on the frame for movement of the Y rod in a X coordinate direction and a X rod mounted on the frame for movement of the X rod in a Y coordinate direction, the Y rod and the X rod being connected to the payload carriage whereby the payload carriage is moved relative to the frame along the desired path in response to movement of the Y rod and the X rod;
• sensing data comprising any one or more of the position, velocity, acceleration, and force of the payload carriage at or near the position of the accessory union;
• receiving the sensed data into the processor;
• processing the data, outputting instructions based on the processed data to a controller;
• receiving the output instructions into the controller;
• and utilizing the instructions to control any one or both of the position of the payload carriage and the force profile of the payload carriage being applied to a user of the exercise machine.

An exercise machine, comprising:

• at least one stage, the at least one stage comprising a frame, the at least one stage comprising a Y rod having a configuration oriented in a Y coordinate direction, the Y rod being mounted on the frame for movement of the Y rod in a X coordinate direction, the Y coordinate direction and the X coordinate direction being mutually perpendicular, and the at least one stage comprising a X rod having a configuration oriented in the X coordinate direction, the X rod being mounted on the frame for movement of the X rod in the Y coordinate direction;
• at least one payload carriage, the Y rod and the X rod being connected to the at least one payload carriage with the at least one payload carriage being movable on the Y rod and the X rod relative to the frame in response to movements of the Y rod and the X rod on the frame;
• at least one accessory union, the at least one accessory union being securely affixed to the at least one payload carriage;
• at least one sensor, the at least one sensor comprises means for detecting any one or more of the position, velocity, acceleration, and force of the at least one accessory union;
• at least one human machine interface and at least one processor, the human machine interface comprises means to accept input instructions from a user and to transmit the input instructions to the processor, wherein the processor comprises means to receive the input instructions from the human machine interface, to receive data from the at least one sensor, to process received data, and to output instructions based on the processed data;
• and at least one controller, the at least one controller comprising means to receive the output instructions from the at least one processor and to utilize the output instructions to control any one or both of the position of the payload carriage and the force profile of the payload carriage being applied to a user of the exercise machine;
• and wherein the at least one payload carriage is movably affixed to the at least one stage by the Y rod and the X rod, the at least one stage comprising the Y rod and the X rod to constrain the motion of the at least one payload carriage along a desired path and at least one driver mechanism to control the motion of the payload carriage within the desired path;
• and wherein the exercise machine further comprises an exercise accessory removably affixed to the at least one accessory union.