A cognitive/multisensory stimulation system for assessing, profiling, training, and improving performance of athletes and other populations is provided. Cognitive/multisensory training can be provided by: establishing with an athlete a sensory semantic language for relating a number of sensory signals to corresponding possible actions, the sensory semantic language being essentially new to the athlete; instructing the athlete to perform an athletic exercise involving skills and full body movement; providing during exercise sensory signals to the athlete to require rapid discernment by the athlete of the semantic meaning of the sensory signal to correctly chose one possible action; and determining whether the athlete correctly responds to the selected sensory signal during said exercise. The system simulates sports scenarios during real sports actions by stimulating different perceptive-cognitive and motor mechanisms typically experienced by athletes during real competition. The cognitive/multisensory stimulation provided elicits both low and high level cognitive processing.

A method is provided for the automatic control of cycling speed in a human. The method comprises: estimating the subject's actual cycling speed using one or more sensors to thereby obtain a measured speed; determining an error comprising a difference between a desired speed and the measured speed; and outputting, to the subject, a stimulus frequency signal wherein the stimulus frequency signal is based on the error in such a manner that when the subject pedals in a manner that matches a frequency of the stimulus frequency signal, the subject's actual speed controllably tracks the desired speed.

A method is provided for the automatic control of cycling speed in a human. The method comprises: estimating the subject's actual cycling speed using one or more sensors to thereby obtain a measured speed; determining an error comprising a difference between a desired speed and the measured speed; and outputting, to the subject, a stimulus frequency signal wherein the stimulus frequency signal is based on the error in such a manner that when the subject pedals in a manner that matches a frequency of the stimulus frequency signal, the subject's actual speed controllably tracks the desired speed.

A training device for the human or animal body comprises a balance body (40) with a movable centre of mass and holder means with which the balance body can be carried. The holder means comprise a harness (10,20,30) with connecting means (11, 12, 13) for connecting to a torso of the body and with a cavity (35) in which the balance body is at least partially received and fixed. The harness particularly comprises a first part (10) with the attaching means (11, 12) for attaching to a back of the user and a second part (20,30) connected releasably to the first part. The first part and the second part adjoin each other so as to form a cavity which is open on both sides and in which the balance part (40) is at least partially received in substantially fitting manner.

A ball launching apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a funnel residing at an upper end of a housing. The funnel includes a channel for gravitationally directing a ball into a launch point within an interior compartment of the housing. The apparatus includes a hammer that strikes a ball through a chute, thereby releasing the ball from the housing. Both the distance at which the ball travels and the angle at which the ball leaves the chute may be adjusted by the operator. A method of exercising a dog is also provided herein.

Implementations described and claimed herein provide systems, apparatuses, and methods for exercising and entertaining a pet. In one implementation, a pet exercise and entertainment device includes a launch funnel for launching projectiles for a pet to retrieve. The launch funnel has a feeder and a chute. The feeder is configured to receive a projectile and transport the projectile to an intake end of the chute. A sensor is configured to sense the projectile in the intake end of the chute and to command one or more motors to power up in response to sensing the projectile. An actuator is configured to release the projectile from the intake end of the chute into the launch end of the chute after a pre-determined time has elapsed. One or more wheels, rotated by the one or more motors, are configured to launch the projectile from the launch end of the chute.

A feeding and weight resistance apparatus for an animal that includes a platform configured to move in response to lifting force exerted by the animal onto the platform; a food repository configured to store food; and a feeding interface. The feeding interface may be configured to: impair food to be dispensed in response to retrieval force exerted by the animal, and regulate food dispensed from the food repository for a predetermined duration in response to the lifting force exerted by the animal toward the platform. A method of feeding and applying weight resistance for an animal. A method of diagnosing or evaluating an animal using the feeding and weight lifting apparatus and method for the study and application in the field of biomedicine, including but not limited thereto, the field of exercise physiology.

A method is provided for guiding locomotion speed in a human or other animal subject. The method comprises: estimating the subject's actual locomotion speed using one or more sensors to thereby obtain a measured speed; determining an error comprising a difference between a desired speed and the measured speed; and outputting, to the subject, a stimulus frequency signal wherein the stimulus frequency signal is based on the error in such a manner that when the subject ambulates in a manner that matches a frequency of the stimulus frequency signal, the subject's actual speed controllably tracks the desired speed.

Provided is a playing device which includes a spherical playing device body having a hollow interior, having a plurality of emission holes and one coupling hole on a surface thereof, and configured to be rolled and rotated by a pet, a core coupled to the interior of the playing device body through the coupling hole and having a plurality of vent holes on a surface thereof, a melody generating unit installed in the interior of the core and configured to generate a melody when the playing device is rolled and rotated, a light generating unit installed in the interior of the core and configured to generate light when the playing device is rolled and rotated, and a control unit installed in the interior of the core and configured to detect an impact generated when the playing device is rotated to operate the melody generating unit and the light generating unit.

A mobile image capture system, a system comprising: a sensing unit for attaching to a vehicle, the sensing unit having a camera constructed and arranged to view a participant on the vehicle, the camera capturing at least one image; and processing electronics for storing data representing the captured at least one image or for relaying data representing the captured at least one image to a computer or a network.