Wearable fitness apparatus using elastic cable
A wearable fitness/exercise/assistance apparatus using at least an elastic cable. The wearable apparatus may include a base plate to be worn on the back of a user, a wearing band connected to the base plate, a driving module including a module case provided to the base plate to be detachable, a motor disposed inside the module case, an inelastic cable connected to the motor, and an elastic cable connected to the inelastic cable, and a wearing part to be worn on the body of the user and connected to the elastic cable, wherein the elastic cable may have a length that changes when the inelastic cable is moved by the motor. In addition, various embodiments are possible.
1 . A wearable fitness apparatus comprising:
a base plate configured to be worn at least on a back of a user;
a driving module, comprising a module case and a motor, the motor disposed inside the module case, the module case detachably connectable to the base plate, and, while attached, translatable along and rotatable relative to the base plate;
a cable pair including an inelastic cable driven by the motor and an elastic cable;
a wearing part configured to be worn on at least a limb of the user, the wearing part being connected to the cable pair, wherein the elastic cable is connected in series between the inelastic cable and the wearing part;
a plurality of sensors including at least an inertial measurement unit, a pulse sensor, and a tension sensor configured to sense a state of the user and measure tension applied to the elastic cable; and
a controller, comprising processing circuitry, configured to identify a type of an exercise performed by the user based on information regarding the sensed state and information regarding the measured tension, and to perform force feedback control of the motor so that tension in the elastic cable follows a selected load profile corresponding to the identified type of the exercise.
2 . The wearable fitness apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the module case comprises:
a plate body disposed on the back of the user; and
a plate guide configured to guide sliding of the module case relative to the plate body.
3 . The wearable fitness apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the module case is rotatable with respect to the base plate.
4 . The wearable fitness apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the elastic cable has a length configured to change when the module case rotates with respect to the base plate.
5 . The wearable fitness apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising:
a high level controller, comprising circuitry, configured to receive a signal sensed from the sensors; and
a lower-level controller, comprising circuitry, configured to receive the signal from the high level controller and control the motor.
6 . The wearable fitness apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the driving module further comprises a tension measurement sensor configured to measure tension applied to the elastic cable.
7 . The wearable fitness apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to control the motor based on information received from a plurality of body sensors and the tension measurement sensor.
8 . The wearable fitness apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the inelastic cable is configured to be wound around the motor as the motor rotates.
9 . The wearable fitness apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the inelastic cable is configured to be slidable.
10 . The wearable fitness apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the elastic cable is configured to have a length that changes when the inelastic cable is moved by the motor.
11 . The wearable fitness apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
the pulse sensor is configured to measure a BPM of the user.
12 . The wearable fitness apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a wearing band connected to the base plate and configured to at least partially surround a part of the body of the user.
13 . A wearable fitness apparatus comprising:
a base plate configured to be worn at least on a back of a user;
a driving module comprising a module case and a motor, the motor disposed inside the module case, the module case detachably connectable to the base plate and, while attached, translatable along and rotatable relative to the base plate;
a cable pair including an inelastic cable driven by the motor and an elastic cable;
a wearing part, comprising a band and/or strap, configured to be worn on at least a limb of the user, wherein the wearing part is connected to the elastic cable and is connected in series between the inelastic cable and the wearing part;
a plurality of sensors including at least an inertial measurement unit, a pulse sensor, and a tension sensor configured to sense a state of the user and measure tension applied to the elastic cable; and
a controller, comprising processing circuitry, configured to identify a type of an exercise performed by the user based on information regarding the sensed state and information regarding the measured tension, and to perform force feedback control of the motor so that tension in the elastic cable follows a selected load profile corresponding to the identified type of the exercise.
14 . A method of operating a wearable fitness apparatus comprising a motor disposed in a module case detachably connectable to a base plate worn on a back of a user, an inelastic cable driven by the motor and an elastic cable, a wearing part comprising a band and/or strap worn on at least a limb of the user, wherein the elastic cable is connected in series between the inelastic cable and the wearing part, and a plurality of sensors configured to sense a state of the user and measure tension applied to the elastic cable, the method comprising:
identifying a type of an exercise performed by the user based on information regarding the sensed state and information regarding the measured tension, and
controlling the motor to adjust tension in the elastic cable so that the user is provided with a load profile corresponding to the identified type of exercise.