Force measurement system

A treadmill system with biofeedback, comprising, in combination:

• a treadmill configured to receive a person, the treadmill including:
• one or more displaceable components, the one or more displaceable components having one or more respective surfaces for receiving one or more respective limbs of the person;
• and
• one or more actuator mechanisms coupled to the one or more displaceable components, the one or more actuator mechanisms configured to displace the one or more displaceable components;
• a body position measurement system, the body position measurement system configured to measure a position of a body portion of the person on the treadmill and output one or more signals that are representative of the position of the body portion of the person on the treadmill;
• a data processing device operatively coupled to the body position measurement system, the data processing device configured to receive the one or more signals that are representative of the position of the body portion of the person, to convert the one or more signals into one or more body position values, and to determine one or more gait parameters for the person from the one or more body position values, the one or more gait parameters determined for the person including a center of gravity for the person, the data processing device further configured to compare the one or more gait parameters determined for the person to one or more respective predetermined values or to compare a first of the one or more gait parameters for the person to a second of the one or more gait parameters for the person, the data processing device additionally configured to determine how closely the one or more gait parameters determined for the person conform to the one or more respective predetermined values or to determine how closely the first of the one or more gait parameters for the person conforms to the second of the one or more gait parameters for the person, the data processing device further configured to generate a sensory output signal based upon the conformity of the one or more gait parameters of the person to the one or more respective predetermined values or to generate a sensory output signal based upon the conformity of the first of the one or more gait parameters of the person to the second of the one or more gait parameters of the person;
• and
• a sensory output device operatively coupled to the data processing device, the sensory output device configured to receive the sensory output signal from the data processing device, to generate at least one of a visual indicator, an audible indicator, and a tactile indicator that is based upon the sensory output signal, and to output the at least one of the visual indicator, the audible indicator, and the tactile indicator to the person in order to provide real-time sensory stimuli biofeedback to the person as to conformity of the one or more gait parameters of the person to the one or more respective predetermined values or biofeedback as to conformity of the first of the one or more gait parameters of the person to the second of the one or more gait parameters of the person, thereby enabling the subject to receive real-time biofeedback regarding his or her performance while he or she exercises on the treadmill so that the subject is able to make improvements to his or her gait based upon the real-time biofeedback received.

A force measurement system comprising, in combination:

• an instrumented treadmill configured to receive a subject, the instrumented treadmill including:
• one or more displaceable components, the one or more displaceable components having one or more respective surfaces for receiving one or more respective limbs of the subject;
• and
• at least one force transducer, the at least one force transducer configured to sense one or more measured quantities and output one or more load signals that are representative of one or more loads being applied to the one or more respective surfaces of the one or more displaceable components by the subject;
• a data processing device operatively coupled to the at least one force transducer of the instrumented treadmill, the data processing device configured to receive the one or more load signals that are representative of the one or more loads being applied to the one or more respective surfaces of the one or more displaceable components by the subject, to convert the one or more load signals into one or more output load components, and to determine one or more gait parameters for the subject from the one or more output load components, the data processing device further configured to generate at least one sensory output signal based upon the one or more gait parameters for the subject;
• and
• a sensory output device operatively coupled to the data processing device, the sensory output device configured to receive the at least one sensory output signal from the data processing device, to generate at least one of a visual indicator, an audible indicator, and a tactile indicator that is based upon the at least one sensory output signal, and to output the at least one of the visual indicator, the audible indicator, and the tactile indicator to the subject in order to provide real-time sensory stimuli biofeedback to the subject as to a manner in which the one or more gait parameters of the subject change over time, thereby enabling the subject to receive real-time biofeedback regarding his or her performance while he or she exercises on the instrumented treadmill so that the subject is able to make improvements to his or her gait based upon the real-time biofeedback received.