Apparatus and method for assessment and biofeedback training of body coordination skills critical and ball-strike power and accuracy during athletic activitites

A device for the assessment or biofeedback training of coordination skills of a subject in connection with a movement task, such task including the use of a striking object and an object to be struck, the success of which is dependent upon the subject's motion at a critical phase of the task, such device comprising:

• a body movement sensor, providing a first output indicative of the motion of the subject's center of gravity over a period of time including the one of the critical phase;
• a contact-status sensor, providing a second output indicative of the state of contact between the striking object and the object to be struck;
• signal means for providing a signal at onset of the critical phase;
• a display;
• and
• a computer, in communication with the body movement sensor, the contact-status sensor, the signal means, and the display, to cause the display to show both a trajectory of the subject's center of gravity, and the onset of the critical phase in relation to a region of the trajectory.

A method for the assessment or biofeedback training of coordination skills of a subject critical to maximizing the power and accuracy of an athletic ball-strike activity, the method comprising:

• (a) tracking the movement of the subject's center of gravity and providing a movement output signal indicative of the motion of the subject's center of gravity over a period of time including the moment of ball strike;
• (b) waiting for ball-strike and providing, upon ball-strike, an output signal indicative of the ball-strike;
• and
• (c) calculating and outputting a display signal, on the basis of the movement output signal and the ball-strike output signal, so as to cause a display to show both a trajectory of the subject's center of gravity, and the moment of ball strike in relation to a region of the trajectory.

A method for the assessment or biofeedback training of coordination skills of a subject critical to maximizing the power and accuracy of an athletic ball-strike activity, the method comprising:

• (a) tracking the movement of the subject's center of gravity and providing a movement output signal indicative of the motion of the subject's center of gravity over a period of time including the moment of ball strike;
• (b) waiting for ball-strike and providing a ball-strike output signal indicative of ball-strike;
• (c) calculating and outputting a display signal so as to cause a display to show, on the basis of the movement output signal and the ball-strike output signal, both a trajectory of the subject's center of gravity, and the moment of ball strike in relation to a region of the trajectory;
• and;
• wherein the step of providing the movement output signal includes providing motion data in at least two dimensions and step (c) includes the step of calculating and outputting a display signal so as to cause the display to show the trajectory in at least two dimensions.

A method for the assessment or biofeedback training of coordination skills of a subject in connection with a movement task, such task including the use of a striking object and an object to be struck, the success of which is dependent upon the subject's motion at a critical phase of the task, the method comprising:

• (a) tracking the movement of the subject's center of gravity and providing a movement output signal indicative of the motion of the subject's center of gravity over a period of time including the onset of the critical phase;
• (b) determining onset of the critical phase;
• (c) calculating and outputting a display signal, on the basis of the movement output signal and the results of step (b), so as to cause a display to show both a trajectory of the motion of the subject's center of gravity and the onset of the critical phase in relation to a region of the trajectory;
• and
• (d) determining a state of contact between the striking object and the object to be struck.

A method for the assessment or biofeedback training of coordination skills of a subject critical to maximizing the power and accuracy of an athletic ball-strike activity, the method comprising:

• (a) tracking the movement of the subject's center of gravity and providing a movement output signal indicative of the motion of the subject's center of gravity over a period of time including the moment of ball strike;
• (b) waiting for ball-strike and providing a ball-strike output signal indicative of ball-strike;
• (c) calculating and outputting a display signal so as to cause a display to show, on the basis of the movement output signal and the ball-strike output signal, both a trajectory of the subject's center of gravity, and the moment of ball strike in relation to a region of the trajectory;
• and;
• wherein the step of tracking the movement of the subject's center of gravity body includes the step of having the subject stand on a single forceplate which supports the subject's entire weight.