Exercise system and controller
An exercise system/device for exercising a user's upper limb is described. The exercise system/device is intended for use in rehabilitating patients suffering hemiparesis that causes one upper limb to be at least partially paralyzed. For example, the exercise system/device can be used for neuroplastic retraining rehabilitation techniques for enabling patients to regain control of their paralyzed upper extremities, including shoulders, elbows, wrists and fingers, but primarily their shoulders and elbows via larger arm movements. This is achieved through the use of an elongate handle and a motion sensing device associated with the handle for communicating the user's movements of the handle to a gaming system. Although the exercise system/device is primarily for rehabilitation of patients suffering hemiparesis, it may also be used by any person for bilateral training and exercising upper limbs.
1. A bilateral upper limb rehabilitation exercise device for bilateral exercising of a user's upper limbs, comprising:
an elongate handle member having a length that extends between spaced-apart first and second ends, wherein the elongate handle member is untethered such that it is freely movable in 3D space by a user into any position and orientation;
a hand grip provided at or toward the first end of the handle member for gripping by a first hand of the user, the hand grip extending from the handle member at a transverse orientation relative to a longitudinal axis extending between the ends of the handle member; and
a mounting system provided at or toward the second end of the handle member that is configured to releasably couple a motion-sensing game controller at or toward the second end of the handle member for gripping by a second hand of the user in use,
wherein the mounting system comprises a mounting aperture that is configured to releasably receive and retain a complementary portion of the game controller to couple it to the handle member such that the game controller extends out of the mounting aperture at a substantially transverse orientation relative to the longitudinal axis extending between the ends of the handle member for gripping by the second hand of the user, and wherein the mounting aperture is shaped to retain the complementary portion of the game controller in a plurality of selectable orientations relative to the handle member such that the orientation that the game controller is coupled to the handle member can be selectively adjusted relative to a rotation axis extending substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis extending between the ends of the handle member,
the motion-sensing game controller being configured to generate motion signals representing motion of the game controller in 3D space as the handle member is moved in 3D space,
wherein the hand grip and mounting system are spaced-apart on the handle member by approximately a shoulder-width of the user such that the user's first and second hands are linked by the handle member and spaced approximately a shoulder-width apart when gripping the hand grip at the first end of the handle member with their first hand and the game controller coupled at the second end of the handle member with their second hand, and such that the user can perform bilateral upper limb exercises with linked hands via movement of the handle member in 3D space.
2. A bilateral upper limb rehabilitation exercise device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising one or more hand securing systems that are operable to secure one or each hand of the user to the hand grip and/or game controller.
3. A bilateral upper limb rehabilitation exercise device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the handle member is adjustable in length.
4. A bilateral upper limb rehabilitation exercise device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising one or more removable weight elements for altering the weight of the extension handle.
5. A bilateral upper limb rehabilitation exercise device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mounting aperture is configured to retain the complementary portion of the game controller via a friction fit hold.
6. A bilateral upper limb rehabilitation exercise device as claimed in claim 5 wherein the mounting aperture comprises an inner surface comprising a resiliently deformable material that is configured to hold the complementary portion of the game controller in place with a friction fit hold.
7. A bilateral upper limb rehabilitation exercise device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mounting system further comprises an operable clamp that is configured to clamp the complementary portion of the game controller within the mounting aperture.
8. A bilateral upper limb rehabilitation exercise device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the motion-sensing game controller is operatively connected to an electronic gaming system that is configured to provide a visual interactive game for the user on a display screen and which receives and processes the motion signals from the motion-sensing game controller such that the user may interact with the gaming system by moving the handle member in 3D space.