Jump height measuring device and method of use
A jump height measuring device for measuring vertical jump height of a user includes a detector and a microphone, which are communicatively engaged to a microcontroller. The detector is positionable on a surface so it can detect feet of a user upon the surface and communicate a first signal to the microcontroller upon the feet leaving the surface. The microphone is attached to a landing mat, which is positionable on the surface proximate to the detector. The microphone detects a sound of the feet of the user landing upon the landing mat and communicates a second signal to the microcontroller. The microcontroller is programmed to calculate a height of a jump based upon a difference in time between receipt of the first signal and receipt of the second signal. The device also can be used as a timer and to assess Explosive Leg Power Force and response time.
1. A jump height measuring device comprising:
a microcontroller;
a detector communicatively engaged to the microcontroller and being positionable on a surface such that it can detect feet of a user upon the surface, the detector being configured to communicate a first signal to the microcontroller upon the feet of the user leaving the surface;
a landing mat positionable on the surface proximate to the detector;
a microphone attached to the landing mat and being communicatively engaged to the microcontroller, the microphone being configured to detect a sound of the feet of the user landing upon the landing mat and to communicate a second signal to the microcontroller; and
the microcontroller being programmed to calculate a height of a jump based upon a difference in time between receipt of the first signal and receipt of the second signal.
2. The jump height measuring device of claim 1 , wherein the detector comprises a tactile switch.
3. The jump height measuring device of claim 1 , wherein the detector comprises a proximity sensor.
4. The jump height measuring device of claim 3 , wherein the detector comprises an infrared emitter-receiver device.
5. The jump height measuring device of claim 1 , further including an indicator operationally engaged to the microcontroller and being configured to notify the user when the detector is detecting the feet of the user.
6. The jump height measuring device of claim 3 , further including an indicator operationally engaged to the microcontroller and being configured to notify the user when the proximity sensor is detecting the feet of the user, the indicator comprising a set of light emitting diodes.
7. The jump height measuring device of claim 1 , further including one or more signaling cables extending between the microcontroller, the detector, and the microphone, such that the detector and the microphone are communicatively engaged to the microcontroller.
8. The jump height measuring device of claim 1 , further including the tactile switch being mounted to a launch mat.
9. The jump height measuring device of claim 1 , wherein the landing mat comprises rigid or semirigid plastic, the landing mat being nonplanar, such that at least a portion of the landing mat is separated from the surface and such that contacting of the at least a portion of the landing mat with the surface upon landing of the feet of the user upon the landing mat generates the sound detected by the microphone.
10. The jump height measuring device of claim 1 , further including:
a housing defining an interior space, the microcontroller being attached to the housing and positioned in the interior space;
a battery attached to the housing, positioned in the interior space, and operationally engaged to the microcontroller; and
display attached to the housing and operationally engaged to the microcontroller, wherein the display is configured to present the height of the jump.
11. The jump height measuring device of claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller is programmed to calculate Explosive Leg Power Force for a user from heights of a series of jumps and times on the surface between the jumps.
12. The jump height measuring device of claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller is programmed to accept a third signal from the microphone generated by a command and to calculate a response time for the user to respond to the command, the response time being calculated as a difference between the third signal and the first signal.
13. A method of measuring vertical jump height of a user, the method comprising providing the jump height measuring device of claim 1 , and:
positioning the detector and the landing mat on the surface;
positioning one's feet such that the feet are detected by the detector;
jumping from the surface, such that the feet of the user leaving the surface is detected and the first signal is sent to the microcontroller;
landing on the landing mat, such that the sound of the landing is detected by the microphone and the second signal is sent to the microcontroller; and
calculation by the microcontroller of the height of the jump based upon the difference in time between the receipt of the first signal and the receipt of the second signal.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the detector comprises a tactile switch.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the detector comprises a proximity sensor.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the detector comprises an infrared emitter-receiver device.
17. The method of claim 13 , further including the tactile switch being mounted to a launch mat.
18. The method of claim 12 , further including one or more signaling cables extending between the microcontroller, the detector, and the microphone, such that the detector and the microphone are communicatively engaged to the microcontroller.
19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the landing mat comprises rigid or semirigid plastic, the landing mat being nonplanar, such that at least a portion of the landing mat is separated from the surface and such that contacting of the at least a portion of the landing mat with the surface upon landing of the feet of the user upon the landing mat generates the sound detected by the microphone.