Ski instruction and simulation device and methods of using same
Disclosed herein are embodiments of a ski simulation and training device that can include a base support assembly, a left and right foot support unit adapted to receive and support a user's left and right foot, respectively. The foot support units are translatable relative to the base support assembly in at least two directions so that the user can move his or her left foot in the at least two directions about the base support assembly in at least two directions. Further, in some embodiments, the foot support portions can be rotatable relative to the base support assembly so that the user can rotate his or her left foot in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction relative to the base support assembly. In some embodiments, the foot supports can also be tilted so that the user can tilt his or her feet relative to the base assembly.
1 . A ski simulation and training device for a user, the user having a left foot and a right foot, the ski simulation and training device comprising:
a base support assembly comprising a left base portion and a right base portion;
a left foot support unit adapted to receive and support the user's left foot; and
a right foot support unit adapted to receive and support the user's right foot;
a position measuring unit;
a computing device; and
a video display;
wherein:
the left foot support unit is adapted to move independently of the right foot support unit;
the left foot support unit is translatable relative to the left base portion in at least two directions about a left upper support surface of the left base portion so that the user can move their left foot in the at least two directions about the left upper support surface of the left base portion;
the left foot support unit is rotatable relative to the left base portion so that the user can rotate their left foot in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction relative to the left base portion;
the left foot support unit is tiltable so that the user can tilt their left foot in a leftward direction or in a rightward direction relative to a first plane that is perpendicular to the left upper support surface of the left base portion;
the right foot support unit is translatable relative to the right base portion in at least two directions about a right upper support surface of the right base portion so that the user can move his or her right foot in the at least two directions about the right upper support surface of the right base portion;
the right foot support unit is rotatable relative to the right base portion so that the user can rotate their right foot in the clockwise or counter-clockwise direction relative to the right base portion;
the right foot support unit is tiltable so that the user can tilt their foot in the leftward direction or in the rightward direction relative to a second plane that is perpendicular to the right upper support surface of the right base portion;
the position measuring unit is adapted to, in an operable state, collect data that can be used by the computing device to determine at least the following:
a distance that the user's left foot is spaced apart in a lateral direction from the user's right foot;
a rotational orientation of the user's left foot;
a tilt angle of the user's left foot relative to the first plane that is perpendicular to the left upper support surface of the left base portion;
a rotational orientation of the user's right foot;
a tilt angle of the user's right foot relative to the second plane that is perpendicular to the right upper support surface of the right base portion; and
the computing device is adapted to determine at least the following using the data from the position measuring unit: the distance that the user's left foot is spaced apart in the lateral direction from the user's right foot, the rotational orientation and the tilt angle of the user's left foot, and the rotational orientation and the tilt angle of the user's right foot.
2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is adapted to cause the video display to display a visual depiction of at least a portion of a left ski and a portion of a right ski and wherein the computing device is adapted to illustrate a visual depiction of the rotational orientation and the tilt angle of the user's left foot and the user's right foot on the video display.
3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is adapted to illustrate a visual depiction on the video display of a first virtual object in a rotational orientation and a tilt angle that corresponds to the rotational orientation and the tilt angle of the user's left foot or the user's right foot and a second virtual object, such as a ski or a portion of a ski, in a rotational orientation and a tilt angle that corresponds to the rotational orientation and the tilt angle of the other of the user's left foot or the user's right foot.
4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is adapted to cause the video display to display a visual depiction that comprises at least a portion of a left ski that moves in response to and is consistent with a movement of the user's left foot and right ski that moves in response to and is consistent with a movement of the user's right foot.
5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the video display depicts at least the portion of a left ski in a rotational orientation that simulates the rotational orientation of the user's left foot, the computing device depicts at least a portion of the right ski in a rotational orientation that simulates the rotational orientation of the user's right foot, and the computing device depicts at least the portion of the left ski at a distance from at least the portion of the right ski that corresponds to the distance that the user's left foot is spaced apart in the lateral direction from the user's right foot.
6 . The device of any one of claim 5 , wherein the video display depicts at least the portion of the left ski at a tilt angle that simulates the tilt angle of the user's left foot or left lower leg, and the computing device depicts at least the portion of the right ski at a tilt angle that simulates the tilt angle of the user's right foot or right lower leg.
7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the left base portion is separate from and independently movable relative to the right base portion so that the left base portion can be moved relative to the right base portion and/or spaced apart from the right base portion.
8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the left base portion comprises a left base support bottom member and a left base support cover coupled to the left base support bottom member and the right base portion comprises a right base support bottom member and a right base support cover coupled to the right base support bottom member, wherein the left base support bottom member has a perimeter wall around a perimeter of the left base support bottom member that is adapted to limit a range of movement of the left foot support unit in the lateral direction and in a longitudinal direction and wherein the right base support bottom member has a perimeter wall around a perimeter of the right base support bottom member that is adapted to limit a range of movement of the right foot support unit in the lateral direction and in the longitudinal direction, wherein the left base support cover comprises an opening in a top surface thereof through which a portion of the left foot support unit extends and the right base support cover has an opening in a top surface thereof through which a portion of the right foot support unit extends.
9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the left base portion is mirror image of the right base portion.
10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least two directions that the left foot support unit is adapted to move about the left upper support surface of the left base portion include a longitudinal direction and in the lateral direction and the at least two directions that the right foot support unit is adapted to move about the right upper support surface of the right base portion includes the longitudinal direction and in the lateral direction.
11 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the left foot support unit is adapted to rotate relative to the left upper support surface of the left base portion, said rotation relative to the left upper support surface of the left base portion being about a first axis that is perpendicular to the left upper support surface of the left base portion and wherein the right foot support unit is adapted to rotate relative to the right upper support surface of the right base portion, said rotation relative to the right upper support surface of the right base portion being about a second axis that is perpendicular to the right upper support surface of the right base portion.
12 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the left foot support unit is adapted to receive and/or couple with the user's left foot, a user's left shoe, or a user's left ski boot and the right foot support unit is adapted to receive or couple with the user's right foot, a user's right shoe, or a user's right ski boot.
13 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the left foot support unit is a mirror image of the right foot support unit.
14 . The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the left foot support unit comprises:
a left base plate configured to be supported against the left upper support surface of the left base portion; and
a left tilt element coupled to the left base plate;
the right foot support unit comprises:
a right base plate configured to be supported against the right upper support surface of the right base portion; and
a right tilt element coupled to the right base plate.
15 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the tilt element of the left foot support unit and the right foot support unit comprises a tilt base coupled to the base plate of the left foot support unit and a tilting member coupled to the tilt base, wherein:
the tilt base comprises an elongated channel along at least a portion of a length of an upper portion of the tilt base, the elongated channel facing generally upwardly when the tilt base is in an operable position;
the elongated channel comprises a semi-circular curved surface along a length of the elongated channel;
the tilting member has an elongated projection along at least a portion of a length of a lower portion of the tilting member, the elongated channel facing generally downwardly when the tilting member is in an operable position, wherein the elongated projection is configured to be received by the elongated channel of the tilt base in an operable position;
a shape of the elongated projection is complementary to a shape of the elongated channel; and
the elongated projection of the tilting member is configured to slidably rotate within the elongated channel of the tilt base to permit the tilting member to tilt relative to the tilt base.
16 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the left foot support unit and the right foot support unit each comprises a ski binding adapted to receive a ski boot and wherein the left foot support unit is independently movable relative to the right foot support unit.
17 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the left foot support unit comprises a left sliding base portion adapted to translate about the left upper support surface of the left base support and a left tilting member coupled to the left sliding base portion, the left tilting member being adapted to tilt about ana first axis that is parallel to the left upper support surface of the left base portion, and wherein the right foot support unit comprises a right sliding base portion adapted to translate about the right upper support surface of the right base support and a right tilting member coupled to the right sliding base portion, the right tilting member being adapted to tilt about ana second axis that is parallel to the right upper support surface of the right base portion.
18 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the position measuring unit comprises a first marker tag positioned on the left foot support unit, a second marker tag positioned on the right foot support unit, and a camera, wherein the computing device is adapted to measure the position, the rotational orientation, and the tilt angle of the user's left foot based on a position, a rotational orientation, and a tilt angle of the first marker tag and is adapted to measure the position, the rotational orientation, and the tilt angle of the user's right foot based on a position, a rotational orientation, and a tilt angle of the second marker tag.
19 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the position measuring unit is further adapted to measure a position of the user's left foot and a position of the user's right foot.
20 . A ski simulation and training device, comprising:
a base support assembly comprising a left base portion and a right base portion;
a left foot support unit adapted to receive and support a user's left foot; and
a right foot support unit adapted to receive and support a user's right foot;
a position measuring unit;
a computing device; and
a video display;
wherein:
the left foot support unit is adapted to move independently of the right foot support unit;
the left foot support unit is movable relative to the left base portion in four or more degrees of freedom of movement relative to a ground support surface;
the right foot support unit is movable relative to the right base portion in four or more degrees of freedom of movement relative to a ground support surface;
the degrees of freedom comprise a first degree of freedom, a second degree of freedom, a third degree of freedom, and a fourth degree of freedom;
the first degree of freedom is a translation or freedom of movement in a lateral direction of either or both of the left foot support unit and the right foot support unit relative to the ground support surface;
the second degree of freedom is a translation or freedom of movement in a longitudinal direction of either or both of the left foot support unit and the right foot support unit relative to the ground support surface;
the third degree of freedom is a rotational degree of freedom or a rotational movement of either or both of the left foot support unit and the right foot support unit about an axis that is perpendicular to a ground support surface; and
the fourth degree of freedom is a rotational degree of freedom or a rotational movement of either or both of the left foot support unit and the right foot support unit about an axis that is parallel to a ground support surface.