The invention relates to social activities typically based on physical manipulation of objects to achieve an objective common to the participants or to allow participants to engage in distinct activities on a shared field of play, part of which is physical and part of which is virtual and rendered on one or more displays. The invention provides a system and method to enable multiple participants (users) to engage in the activity sequentially or simultaneously, based on the context and objectives of the game. The activity includes one or many shared physical environments modeled on a computing system and displayed, in high fidelity, by one or more projectors or screens.

The punching bag having two sections is a physical training apparatus. The punching bag having two sections is adapted for use in training participants in combat sports. The punching bag having two sections presents a plurality of targets that are struck during training activities. The punching bag having two sections incorporates a plurality of punching bags, an internal fastener, and a harness. The internal fastener interconnect the plurality of punching bags. The harness limits the motion of a first punching bag selected from the plurality of punching bags relative to a second punching bag selected from the plurality of punching bags. Each of the plurality of punching bags forms a target selected from the plurality of targets.

An alternate reality training system for tennis is operationally coupled to a head assembly, a stand assembly, and a vertical polymer flexible rod assembly connecting the substantially polymer head assembly to the stand assembly. The vertical polymer flexible rod assembly oscillates when a ball member held in the head assembly is hit by a racket. An alternate reality software system is adapted to synchronize with oscillations to present substantially simultaneous cues for hitting a physical ball member coupled to the head member and convert associated data to a virtual ball member adapted to visually present data from hitting the physical ball member and associated user data. Data includes variables of power, accuracy, timing, trajectory, spin, and impact sweet spot from which to calculate virtual ball flight.

According to one exemplary embodiment, an apparatus, system, method and/or computer program product may provide an electronically and programmably controlled remote virtual spectator/viewer device enabling viewer interaction with an entertainment participant in an entertainment forum via an exemplary digital video camera, digital audio microphone, speaker system, and display device system coupled via at least one communications interface to a communications network to allow a remote viewer to virtually interact with and communicate with the entertainment participant in the entertainment forum. Embodiments may include a graphical user interface configured to allow control of a digital video camera, and digital microphone in the entertainment forum, by a remote user from a remote location.

A punch-and-cycle exercise device is described. The device includes a cycling mechanism, a frame to which a punch pad is attached, a plurality of delineated target zones arranged on the punch pad, a sensor unit that includes an impact sensor, accelerometer, a single or plurality of hall effect sensors, each communicatively connected to the target zones. A control unit communicatively connects with the sensors, and a display. Gloves with built in magnets interact with the sensors and provide data to the controller to track user success at responding to illuminated and sequenced punching programs while cycling. Output can be displayed locally or on any paired device.

A device includes a signaling means and a motion sensor, and logic for activating or controlling the signaling means in response to a sensed motion according to an embedded logic. The device may be used as a toy, and may be shaped like a play ball or as a handheld unit. It may be powered from a battery, either chargeable from an AC power source directly or contactless by using induction or by converting electrical energy from harvested kinetic energy. The embedded logic may activate or control the signaling means, predictably or randomly, in response to sensed acceleration magnitude or direction, such as sensing the crossing of a preset threshold or sensing the peak value. The visual means may be a numeric display for displaying a value associated with the count of the number of times the threshold has been exceeded or the peak magnitude of the acceleration sensed.

A device includes a signaling means and a motion sensor, and logic for activating or controlling the signaling means in response to a sensed motion according to an embedded logic. The device may be used as a toy, and may be shaped like a play ball or as a handheld unit. It may be powered from a battery, either chargeable from an AC power source directly or contactless by using induction or by converting electrical energy from harvested kinetic energy. The embedded logic may activate or control the signaling means, predictably or randomly, in response to sensed acceleration magnitude or direction, such as sensing the crossing of a preset threshold or sensing the peak value. The visual means may be a numeric display for displaying a value associated with the count of the number of times the threshold has been exceeded or the peak magnitude of the acceleration sensed.

An exercise treadmill is disclosed. The treadmill can include one or more sensors to acquire input data. A computer system can trigger one or more actions based on the input data. The input data can correspond to a lengthwise position of the user along a length of a usable surface of the platform and/or a lateral position of the user on the belt. The action(s) can include providing feedback to the user and/or adjusting rotation of the belt and/or a resistance of rotation of the belt. The adjustment can be performed in response to input from a user control requesting the adjustment.

A sports pad for use in estimating a force exerted by an external object on the sports pad is provided. The sports pad comprises: an array of sensors, the sensors being spaced apart from one another across a grid of sensor positions of the sports pad, each sensor being configured to independently collect data indicative of the force acting on the respective sensor; and a data receiver configured to receive the collected data from each of the array of sensors such that data from a plurality of the sensors may be used to estimate a force.

This patent describes devices and methods to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of protective equipment in providing protection to players of contact sports, and to determine if a given protective product (pad) is compliant with a specified performance standard. To simulate the impacts experienced by these players, a pad-protected specially modified and instrumented manikin is impacted with solid loads of various weights at various speeds. The impacts are designed to model the impact forces and impact times encountered in typical game collisions. For each impact, measurements are made of the force exerted onto the pad, and the parts of this force that are transmitted through the pad onto various locations on the manikin, as a function of time. Five numbers that quantify the ability of each pad to protect the user are extracted from these measured force verses time data: (1) the maximum force applied on the pad, (2) the average applied force, (3) the maximum force measured under the pad, (4) the sum of the maximum forces measured under the pad, and (5) the ratio of the rebound load speed and the incident load speed. For a given impact, the pad that reduces the magnitudes of these quantities the most is the pad that provides the greatest measure of safety for the game players.