Method and apparatus to provide haptic and visual feedback of skier foot motion and forces transmitted to the ski boot

A method for analysis of changes in location of Center of Pressure (COP), and location and distribution of Center of Force (COF) transmitted to ski boot insoles, and to provide instructions of timing, the location of COP must be applied for successful termination of turn, wherein said method comprises:

• estimating skis current trajectory and phase of turn by sampling the motion and rotational vectors;
• estimating the location of COP and the distribution of COF in relation to the motion and rotational vectors;
• estimating skier's Center of Mass (COM) by analyzing current ski trajectory, location of COP and COF in relation to skier kinematic model;
• estimating skis future trajectory by analyzing the phase of turn, the motion and rotational vectors and the location of COP and the distribution of COF in relation to skiing bio-mechanical model;
• instructing on the timing when the location of COP must be changed;
• and
• displaying numerical results of said analysis, and wherein said numerical results are overlaid on 3D map generated form GPS coordinates obtained during the ski run and wherein said numerical and visual results are displayed on a selected user smart-phone or on a dedicated remote terminal.

A non-transitory computer accessible memory medium for storing program instructions pertaining to a system to analyze motion and balance of a skier by analyzing changes in location of Center of Pressure (COP), and changes in location and distribution of Center of Force (COF) applied to ski boot insoles, and using said analysis to provide estimation of location of the skier's Center of Mass (COM), and an estimation of past and future ski trajectories, and to provide instructions to the skier on location the COP must be applied for successful termination of a current turn and to obtain optimal position for next turn, wherein the program instructions execute all of the following:

• maintaining communication with a motion and force processing element embedded in the ski boot insoles and with a remote server;
• obtaining system's global and local coordinates by analyzing data obtained from motion processing element;
• obtaining skis' current trajectory and phase of turn by integrating motion and rotational vectors received form the motion processing element;
• obtaining location of Center of Pressure (COP), by monitoring timing and values recorded by the motion and force processing element;
• obtaining location and distribution of COF by monitoring timing of change in the location of COP in relation to motion vectors;
• obtaining location of Center of Mass (COM), by monitoring the location and distribution of COF in relation to the skier's body kinematic model;
• obtaining skis future trajectory by applying ski technical parameters data and the skis' current trajectory, and the location of COP and COF to skiing bio-mechanical model;
• providing instructions about location the COP must be applied and timing of said application which is required for successful termination of turn by applying control signals to haptic actuators embedded in the ski boot insoles;
• obtaining the skier location GPS coordinates;
• transmitting motion and force vectors and location GPS coordinate data to a remote server and receiving instructions and 3D maps from the remote server using smart-phone cellular radio interface;
• receiving instructions from a remote and applying said instructions as control signals to the haptic actuators embedded in the ski boot insoles;
• performing calibration procedures to obtain reference values of force during static and dynamic test conditions;
• estimating skis' current trajectory and phase of turn by sampling the motion and rotational vectors;
• estimating the location of COP and the distribution of COF in relation to the motion and rotational vectors;
• estimating skiers Center of Mass (COM) by analyzing current ski trajectory, location of COP and COF in relation to skier's kinematic model;
• estimating skis' future trajectory by analyzing the phase of turn, the motion and rotational vectors and the location of COP and the distribution of COF in relation to skiing bio-mechanical model;
• instructing on the timing the location of COP must be changed;
• and
• providing visual and numerical results of skis' pitch, roll and heading in relation to changes in location and distribution of COP and COF applied by feet to the ski boot insoles.