A multifunctional self-contained system that wirelessly integrates actual sports equipment with a computer providing critical feedback to improve all aspects of a player's game, and also allows players to play an actual competitive real and or visually simulated game or sports with one or more players. Therefore, an individual player may opt to play solo or practice to improve basic golfing skills and techniques. The system employs specially developed sports computer software to process player performance data, control game play, communicate game information and status to players, generate and control visual simulations, and display player performance information for standalone and multiplayer game play both on and off the Internet. The system includes sport implements that include, but are not limited to, smart golf clubs, a golf ball receptacle and a golf club motion sensing device, among other sports implements, all containing circuits with contact sensors and or motion sensors coupled with signal processing and radio frequency transmitter and or receiver circuitry to wirelessly communicate game status and performance parameters to a remote receiver and computer. The computer then optionally displays important parameters such as proximity of a sports implement contact face to an object, the impact of a sports equipment item with a sports implement, wherein the contact force, contact time, impact location, face angle, the spatial orientation of a sports implement in motion, and the subsequent energy, velocity, and trajectory of a game projectile such as a golf ball. The sports implements can be further equipped with motion sensing devices, and its motion and or swing trajectory is visually simulated on the computer display. Standard sport implements which include, but are not limited to, golf clubs may be retrofitted with the device sensors and associated electronic circuitry to convert such clubs into smart clubs for use with the system.

An interactive gaming toy is provided for playing a game having both physical and virtual gameplay elements. The gaming toy comprises a physical toy, such as a toy wand, doll or action figure, having an RFID tag pre-programmed with a unique identifier that identifies the toy within an associated computer-animated game. The RFID tag stores information describing certain attributes or abilities of a corresponding virtual character or object in the computer-animated game. Additional information may be stored on the RFID tag as the corresponding virtual character evolves or changes over time based on player performance and/or gameplay progression. The interactive gaming toy thus allows developed character attributes and the like to be stored and easily transported to other games and compatible gaming platforms. One or more optional auxiliary components may be attached to the gaming toy to selectively create a modified gaming toy having additional desired functionality and/or aesthetics.

A gaming controller includes a pedal system, and a communications interface. The pedal system is disposed on a rear facing portion of the gaming controller. The pedal system includes a pedal disposed along the rear facing surface of outer portions or wings of the gaming controller. The pedal has a first end proximate the elongated portion and an opposing second end spaced from the elongated portion. The pedal is coupled to a pivot point within the controller such that the pedal is selectively pivotable between a nominal position, a first position, and a second position. The communications interface is configured to facilitate transmitting inputs to the portable gaming device based on a current position of the pedal.

A gaming controller includes a pedal system, and a communications interface. The pedal system is disposed on a rear facing portion of the gaming controller. The pedal system includes a pedal disposed along the rear facing surface of outer portions or wings of the gaming controller. The pedal has a first end proximate the elongated portion and an opposing second end spaced from the elongated portion. The pedal is coupled to a pivot point within the controller such that the pedal is selectively pivotable between a nominal position, a first position, and a second position. The communications interface is configured to facilitate transmitting inputs to the portable gaming device based on a current position of the pedal.

A multifunctional self-contained system that wirelessly integrates actual sports equipment with a computer providing critical feedback to improve all aspects of a player's game, and also allows players to play an actual competitive real or visually simulated game or sports with one or more players. Therefore, an individual player may opt to play solo or practice to improve basic golfing skills and techniques. The system includes sport implements that include, but are not limited to, smart golf clubs, a golf ball receptacle and a golf club motion sensing device, all containing circuits with contact sensors and or motion sensors coupled with signal processing and radio frequency transmitter circuitry to wirelessly communicate game status and performance parameters to a remote receiver and computer. The computer then optionally displays important parameters such as proximity of a sports implement contact face to an object, the impact of a sports implement with a sports equipment item, wherein the contact force, contact time, impact location, face angle, spatial orientation of a sports implement in motion, and the subsequent energy, velocity, and trajectory of game projectile such as a golf ball. The sports implements can be further equipped with motion sensing devices, and its motion and swing trajectory is visually simulated on the computer display. Standard sport implements which include, but are not limited to, golf clubs may be retrofitted with the device sensors and associated electronic circuitry to convert such clubs into smart clubs for use with the system. The system employs specially developed computer software to process player performance data, control game play, communicate game information to players, generate and control real-time audio-video visual simulations, and display player performance information.

A multifunctional self-contained system that wirelessly integrates actual sports equipment with a computer providing critical feedback to improve all aspects of a player's game, and also allows players to play an actual competitive real or visually simulated game or sports with one or more players. Therefore, an individual player may opt to play solo or practice to improve basic golfing skills and techniques. The system includes sport implements that include, but are not limited to, smart golf clubs, a golf ball receptacle and a golf club motion sensing device, all containing circuits with contact sensors and or motion sensors coupled with signal processing and radio frequency transmitter circuitry to wirelessly communicate game status and performance parameters to a remote receiver and computer. The computer then optionally displays important parameters such as proximity of a sports implement contact face to an object, the impact of a sports implement with a sports equipment item, wherein the contact force, contact time, impact location, face angle, spatial orientation of a sports implement in motion, and the subsequent energy, velocity, and trajectory of game projectile such as a golf ball. The sports implements can be further equipped with motion sensing devices, and its motion and swing trajectory is visually simulated on the computer display. Standard sport implements which include, but are not limited to, golf clubs may be retrofitted with the device sensors and associated electronic circuitry to convert such clubs into smart clubs for use with the system. The system employs specially developed computer software to process player performance data, control game play, communicate game information to players, generate and control visual simulations, and display player performance information.

A system that wirelessly integrates actual game equipment with a computer and the internet to allow players remotely located from one another to play a competitive real or simulated sports game such as golf. An individual player may opt to play solo or practice to improve basic sports techniques. The system includes, but is not limited to, golf clubs, and motion sensing devices, all containing circuits, contact and or noncontact motion sensors coupled with signal processing and radio frequency transmitter circuitry to wirelessly communicate game data performance information to a remote receiver-computer. The computer displays player information and visually simulates and controls a game between one or more local players or via the internet having similar equipment and remotely located from each other. This invention uses the electric field of a capacitive plate for sensing object proximity, motion, and geometry. More particularly, the invention relates to a system wherein the physical geometry in part of an object, and or its spatial orientation, motion, and an environmental change of state can be detected due to signal variances and or from a change in the dielectric of a capacitor array. The invention also uses the coupling of sports equipment and a computer to communicate information wirelessly to a remote computer, and thereby, if desired, to the internet. Standard golf clubs may be retrofitted with the sensors and associated circuitry to convert such clubs into smart clubs for use with the system. The system employs specially developed computer software to process player performance data, control game play, communicate game information between local and remote players, generate and control visual simulations, and display player performance information and dynamic motion parameters.

A configurable manual controller for manipulating images or symbols on a display is adapted for construction with matable building elements arranged by a user. The user forms the manual controller to exhibit a customized ornamental appearance reflecting the user's creative design preferences.

A force measurement system is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the system includes a force measurement assembly configured to receive a subject; a data processing device operatively coupled to the force measurement assembly, the data processing device configured to determine a center of pressure for the subject using output forces and/or moments from the force measurement assembly; and a mobile device configured to determine one or more parameters indicative of the body sway for the subject. In this embodiment, a fall risk of the subject is assessed based upon a combination of the center of pressure and the one or more parameters indicative of the body sway determined for the subject.

A system that wirelessly integrates actual golf equipment, game apparatus, or gaming tool, with a computer and the internet to allow players remotely located from one another to play a competitive real or simulated game. An individual player may opt to play solo or practice to improve basic golfing or sports techniques. The system includes any sports implement or smart golf clubs, a golf ball receptacle and a golf club motion sensing devices, all containing circuits and contact and or noncontact motion sensors coupled with signal processing and radio frequency transmitter circuitry to wirelessly communicate game performance information to a remote receiver-computer. The computer display screen displays player information and visually simulates and controls a game between one or more local computer players or via the internet having similar equipment and remotely located from each other. The computer displays player information such as anatomical motion or data, game apparatus, gaming tool, or sports implement information simultaneously, and visually simulates and controls a game between two players via the internet having sports equipment remotely located from each other, providing graphics animation and graphics to learn and compete by. Standard sports implements may be retrofitted with the sensors and associated circuitry to convert such implements as clubs into smart dubs for use with the system. The system employs specially developed computer software to process player performance data, control game play, communicate game information between players, generate and control visual simulations and display player performance information and dynamic motion parameters.