Orientation and motion sensing in athletic training systems, physical rehabilitation and evaluation systems, and hand-held devices

A method of monitoring an orientation of an object in 3-dimensional space, comprising the steps of:

• in a positioning step, positioning a housing including a 3-axis sensor against said object;
• in a sensing step, sensing, by said 3-axis sensor, a magnitude of tilt along a first axis, a second axis, and a third axis;
• and
• in a determining step, determining an angle between each of said first, second, and third axes and a horizontal plane;
• in a selecting step, selecting two of said first, second, and third axes corresponding to two smallest angles between said first, second, and third axes and the horizontal plane;
• and
• in a first generating step, generating an indication of the orientation of said object based upon the sensed magnitude of tilt along the two selected axes.

A method of monitoring an orientation of a body part of a user in 3-dimensional space, comprising the steps of:

• in a positioning step, positioning said body part in a first orientation within the 3-dimensional space;
• in a first measuring step, measuring an apparent gravity force acting on said body part at the first orientation to obtain a first direction of said apparent gravity force;
• in a first causing step, causing a first angular displacement of said body part about at least one axis from the first orientation to a second orientation within the 3-dimensional space;
• in a second measuring step, measuring said apparent gravity force acting on said body part at the second orientation to obtain a second direction of said apparent gravity force;
• in a first determining step, determining a reference orientation of said user within the 3-dimensional space based upon the first and second directions of said apparent gravity force acting on said body part at the first and second orientations, respectively;
• and
• in a storing step, storing an indication of the reference orientation of said user.

A method of monitoring a range of motion of a body part, said body part being rotatable about a joint to which said body part is coupled, comprising the steps of:

• in a first positioning step, positioning a housing including a sensor against said body part;
• in a second positioning step, positioning said body part in a first orientation relative to the joint;
• in a first measuring step, measuring, by said sensor in 3-dimensional space, an apparent gravity force acting on said housing disposed against said body part at the first orientation to obtain a first direction of said apparent gravity force;
• in a third positioning step, positioning said body part in a second orientation relative to the joint;
• in a second measuring step, measuring, by said sensor in 3-dimensional space, said apparent gravity force acting on said housing disposed against said body part at the second orientation to obtain a second direction of said apparent gravity force;
• in a determining step, determining a magnitude of rotation of said body part from the first orientation to the second orientation based upon the first and second directions of said apparent gravity force;
• and
• in a providing step, providing an indication of the magnitude of rotation of said body part.

A method of initiating monitoring of an orientation of a body part in 3-dimensional space, said monitoring being performed using a sensor disposed against said body part, comprising the steps of:

• in a first positioning step, positioning said body part in a first orientation within the 3-dimensional space;
• in a first providing step, providing, by said sensor, data representing a first position of said body part at the first orientation;
• in a second positioning step, positioning said body part in at least one second orientation within the 3-dimensional space;
• in a second providing step, providing, by said sensor, data representing at least one second position of said body part at the at least one second orientation;
• and
• in an initiating step, in the event the first position of said body part at the first orientation and the at least one second position of said body part at the at least one second orientation correspond to a specified sequence of positions of said body part, initiating said monitoring of the orientation of said body part by said sensor.

An apparatus for monitoring an orientation of a body part, the apparatus being attachable to said body part, comprising:

• a sensor operative to sense at least one angular orientation of said body part, and to provide data representing the at least one sensed angular orientation;
• at least one memory operative to store data representing a plurality of words or phrases;
• an audio output system operative to generate an audible message in response to an electronic input;
• and
• at least one processor operative;
• to monitor the data provided by said sensor;
• to generate, based upon the data provided by said sensor, at least one quantitative value corresponding to the at least one sensed angular orientation of said body part;
• to access data stored in said memory corresponding to at least one word or phrase, said at least one word or phrase relating to said at least one quantitative value corresponding to the at least one sensed angular orientation of said body part;
• and
• to generate, in cooperation with said audio output system, an audible message corresponding to said at least one word or phrase.

An apparatus for monitoring an orientation of a body part of a user, the apparatus being attachable to said body part, comprising:

• a sensor configured to sense an angular orientation of said body part, and to provide data representing the sensed angular orientation;
• a memory operative to store data representative of a plurality of indications of the sensed angular orientation of said body part;
• an output system operative to generate a plurality of indications perceptible by the user;
• and
• at least one processor operative;
• to monitor data provided by said sensor;
• and
• to access data corresponding to at least one of said plurality of indications of the sensed angular orientation of said body part, and, in cooperation with said output system, to generate one of said indications perceptible by the user to provide the user with feedback pertaining to the orientation of said body part within the 3-dimensional space,
• wherein said output system comprises at least one vibrating transducer, and said indications perceptible by the user comprise a plurality of predetermined vibration patterns.