DEVICE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EXERCISING A SEATED USER

Abstract

A method and a tilting device for exercising a spinal column of a seated user. The method may include activating a tilting device included in a controllable chair to provide at least one exercise scheme that includes two or more repeatable tilting movements of a seat of the controllable chair around at least two different axes, a number of repetitions for each tilting movement, speed and amplitude of each tilting movement and causing repeatable movements to the pelvis of the seated user as to stimulate movements of all the vertebrae throughout the spinal column of the seated user. The continuous repeatable seat movements may cause the user's spinal column to move between the body's natural vertical midline into a convex shape.

Claims

1. A method of exercising a spinal column of a seated user comprising: activating a controllable chair to provide at least one exercise scheme, wherein each exercise scheme comprises: two or more repeatable tilting movements of a seat of the controllable chair around at least two different axes, a number of repetitions for each tilting movement, speed and amplitude of each tilting movement; and causing repeatable movements to the pelvis of the seated user as to stimulate movements of all the vertebrae throughout the spinal column of the seated user, wherein the continuous repeatable seat movements cause the user's spinal column to move between the body's natural vertical midline into a convex shape such that each vertebra moves relatively to the next vertebra therefore, the two spine endpoint vertebrae remain stationary in their original natural vertical position, the entire spinal column changes into a convex shape based on these two endpoints, wherein the controllable chair comprises: a fixed portion, connectable to a base of a chair; a movable portion connectable to a seat of the chair; a joint; positioned between the fixed portion and the movable portion configured to allow relative movement of movable portion with respect to fixed portion around the at least two axes; at least two actuators, each of the actuators connected at one end to the fixed portion and at another end to the movable portion; wherein the actuators are located in an angle with respect to each other about the joint and configured to allow tilting of the movable portion with respect to the fixed portion, around at least two different axes; and a programmable controller wherein the programmable controller is configured to: receive and execute the exercise scheme; to modify programmable variables; communicate with the user and with the internet; control and manage the actuators.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the tilting movement comprises at least two tilting amplitudes for each of the at least two different axes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each tilting movement amplitude has a maximum range of between 10 millimeters to +10 millimeters from horizontal position of the seat.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the tilting movements includes any one of the following four cardinals: forward tilting, backward tilting, side-bending tilting and any combination of movements of these two.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the tilting movements includes a plurality of titling cardinals each being selected to tilt the pelvis of the seated user onto an imaginary hour on an imaginary clock.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the two or more of repeatable tilting movements are continuous movements.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the two or more tilting movements are selected to cause convex shape movement to the spinal column of the seated user.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising: a predetermined resting period of at least 10 minutes after completing any exercise scheme.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the total time of each exercise scheme is maximum 10 minutes.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of repetitions of each tilting movement is at least 3.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the tilting movements are modified based on at least one of: age, physiological condition, neurological conditions and mental state.

12. A tilting device for controlling an exercising chair and prompting a sequence of changes in a sitting position of a user as to cause convex shape movements of a spinal column of the user while sitting on the chair, the tilting device comprising: a fixed portion, connectable to a base of a chair; a movable portion connectable to a seat of the chair; a joint; positioned between the fixed portion and the movable portion configured to allow relative movement of movable portion with respect to fixed portion around at least two axes; at least two actuators, each of the actuators connected at one end to the fixed portion and at another end to the movable portion; wherein the actuators are located in an angle with respect to each other about the joint and configured to allow tilting of the movable portion with respect to the fixed portion, around at least two different axes; and a controller configured to: receive one or more exercise schemes, wherein each exercise scheme comprises: two or more repeatable tilting movements of a seat of the controllable chair around at least two different axes, a number of repetitions for each tilting movement, speed and amplitude of each tilting movement; and control at least one actuator to perform the one or more exercise schemes.

13. The device according to claim 12, further comprising at least one sensor, wherein the sensor is in active communication with the controller and the controller is configured to manage and control the tilting movements within the exercise scheme according to reading received from the sensor.

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein each tilting movement comprises at least two tilting amplitudes for each of the at least two different axes.

15. The device according to claim 12, wherein each tilting movement amplitude has a maximum range of between 10 millimeters to +10 millimeters from horizontal position of the seat.

16. The device according to claim 12, the tilting movements includes any one of: forward tilting, backward tilting, sideways tiling and any tilting direction in-between.

17. The device according to claim 12, wherein the tilting movements includes a plurality of titling directions each being selected to tilt the pelvis of the seated user onto an imaginary hour on an imaginary clock.

18. The device according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of repeatable tilting movements are continuous exercising movements.

19. The device according to claim 12, wherein the number of repetitions of each tilting movement is at least 3.

20. The device according to claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to: control the actuators to stop for a resting period of at least 10 minutes after completing any exercise scheme.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The subject matter regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. The invention, however, both as to organization and method of operation, together with objects, features, and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0024] FIG. 1A is schematic illustration of a chair and a tilting device according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] FIG. 1B is a detailed view of the tilting device of FIG. 1A according to embodiments of the present invention;

[0026] FIG. 1C is an illustration of a seat with an imaginary clock depicted on the surface of the seat for illustration of tilting schemes according to embodiments of the present invention;

[0027] FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C are illustrations of a tilting device in different positions, according to some embodiments of the present invention;

[0028] FIGS. 3A and 3B are illustrations of the effect of tilting of a device, according to some embodiments of the present invention, on the sitting position of a user;

[0029] FIG. 4 is a high-level block diagram of a system for controlling a seat and adjusting position according to some embodiments of the present invention;

[0030] FIG. 5 is a high-level block diagram of an exemplary computing device according to embodiments of the present invention;

[0031] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method of controlling a seat and adjusting posture according to embodiments of the present invention;

[0032] FIG. 7A is a flowchart of a method of exercising a spinal column of a seated user according to some embodiments of the invention; and

[0033] FIG. 7B is a flowchart of a method of controlling an exercising chair and prompting an exercise scheme in a sitting position according to some embodiments of the invention.

[0034] It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity. Further, where considered appropriate, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0035] In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the present invention.

[0036] Some aspects of the invention may be related to a method and a tilting device for a controllable chair for exercising a spinal column of a seated user. Such a method and a tilting device may utilize the fact that a user is sitting straight looking at an electronic screen and naturally wants to keep his/her head focused directly forward looking at the screen immoveable but not locked in that position. The controllable chair may tilt the pelvis of the user at specific rates that may cause the spine to move around the body's midline and flex the spine vertebrae by vertebrae going up the column all the way to the back of the head. Then a seat of the controllable chair may reverse its direction and the flexing may start moving in the opposite direction all while the head stays in its straightforward position. This process may continue back and forth for a predetermined period and creates a convex shape movement through the spinal column. This exercise can be repeated in all 360 degrees directions while the user stays sitting in upright position working in their workstation.

[0037] In some embodiments, the tilting movements of the device may cause the convex shape through the spinal column. As used herein the convex shape movement of the spinal column includes any movement or movements that causes each vertebra to move relatively to the next vertebra therefore, the two spine endpoint vertebrae remain stationary in their original natural vertical position, the entire spinal column changes into a convex shape based on these two endpoints, as will discuss in details with respect to FIGS. 3A and 3B.

[0038] Reference is now made to FIG. 1A which is a schematic illustration of a controllable chair 10 (e.g., an exercising chair) with a tilting device 100 according to embodiments of the present invention and to FIG. 1B which is a detailed view of tilting device 100 of FIG. 1A according to embodiments of the present invention. Tilting device 100 may include a fixed portion, such as fixed surface 104 and a movable portion, such as movable surface 102. As may be seen in FIG. 1A, according to one embodiment of the present invention, movable portion 102 may be detachably connected to a seat 12 of chair 10, and fixed portion 104 may be detachably connected to a chair base, such as center post 14 of chair 10. It should be appreciated that other chair bases may be used.

[0039] According to some embodiments of the present invention, movable portion 102 may be tiltable with respect to the fixed portion 104, around a joint 108 configured to allow movement of movable portion 102 around at least two axes. Titling device 100 may further include a joint 108, that may be positioned, according to one embodiment, between fixed portion 104 and movable portion 102, and substantially in the center of both fixed portion 104 and movable portion 102, for example, along a longitudinal axis Z of center post 14. According to some embodiments joint 108 may be a spherical joint.

[0040] Joint 108 may be designed to allow movement of movable portion 102 with respect to fixed portion 104 around at least two orthogonal imaginary axes X and Y which are parallel to the surface of movable portion 102 and run through joint 108. Axes X and Y may also be orthogonal to longitudinal axis Z of chair base, such as central post 14.

[0041] As may be seen in FIGS. 1A and 1B, tilting device 100 may include two or more actuators 206A, 206B connected to movable portion 102 and to fixed portion 104. According to one embodiment of the present invention, each one of actuators 206A, 206B may be connected to movable portion 102 via an arm 106a. According to one embodiment actuators 206A, 206B and/or arms 106a may be connected to movable portion 102 in an angle of 90 degrees about joint 108, around the Z axis between actuators 206A, 206B or arms 106a. According to another embodiment the angle between actuators 206A, 206B and/or arms 106a may be 120 degrees. It should be appreciated that other relative angles may be used. According to some embodiments, each actuator 206 may be configured to tilt movable portion 102 around one axis X or Y.

[0042] In some embodiments, tilting device 100 may further include a controller 105. In some embodiments, controller 105 may be configured to control actuators 206A, 206B to tilt seat 12 according to at least one exercise scheme. In some embodiments, controller 105 may be configured to receive one or more exercise schemes, each exercise scheme may include: two or more repeatable tilting movements of a seat of the controllable chair around at least two different axes, a number of repetitions for each tilting movement, speed and amplitude of each tilting movement, as discussed below herein with respect to the flowcharts of FIGS. 7A and 7B. In some embodiments, controller 105 may be configured to execute methods according to any embodiment of the invention.

[0043] As may be seen in FIG. 1B, tilting device 100 may further include one or more sensors 120. Each of sensors 120 may be for example a gyroscope with an accelerometer board, a load cell, or any other sensor known in the art, that is suitable for or configured to provide an indication to a controller 105, when pressure or movement is applied to one or more of sensors 120. For example, according to one embodiment, one or more sensors 120 may provide signals (e.g., to controller 105) that may indicate that a user is sitting on seat 12, and the weight of the user sitting on seat 12. According to some embodiments, the signals received from each sensor 120 may indicate the weight distribution of the user over the seat and may thus be used in order to determine the users sitting posture or position. For example, when a user is sitting on seat 12 leaning towards one side, e.g. to the right, the pressure sensed by a sensor 120 located on that side of the seat would indicate higher pressure than the sensor on the left, while when the user is sitting in an upright position the measurements by sensors 120 on both sides of seat 12, would provide substantially identical or very close measurements.

[0044] According to another example, when one or more of sensors 120 are a gyroscope with an accelerometer, a signal received from sensor 120 may be indicative of the sitting position of a user, regardless of the location of the gyroscope and accelerometer. The indications received from sensors 120 at controller 105 may be used in order to control operation of tilting device 100 (e.g. start tilting scheme or exercise schemes when a user is sited and stop when a user stands up), determine the appropriate tilting scheme or exercise schemes, for example, when the signals received from sensors 120 indicate that a user is sitting leaning to the left for more than a predefined time period, such as for example, over 10 minutes. In situation such as described a tilting scheme or an exercise schemes may be initiated and adapted to tilt the seat to the right so that the user would be prompted to change his sitting position. It should be appreciated that a user may set or provide inputs to tilting device 100 and/or system 40 (in FIG. 4) not to prompt change of sitting position in such scenarios, or even to determine in which specific cases to prompt a position change and in which cases not to prompt such change. Setting or providing input may be done via a user interface of computing device 500 (e.g., FIGS. 4 and 5). In another example, the weight distribution between different sensors 120 may indicate that the user is leaning backwards on backrest 16 or having one of his arms or both arms resting on armrests 18. A tilting scheme, sequence, movement sequence, or arrangement may include one or more sets of information describing the position of the various components of the chair, and possibly when, how, and how fast to move the components from one set of positions to another. When used herein, a tilting scheme, sequence, movement sequence, or arrangement may be the actual physical movements of the components and also may be the data or instructions that cause such movements.

[0045] According to some embodiments, signals received from sensors 120 may indicate the user's weight and/or weight distribution. Accordingly, tilting speed may be adjusted for example by controlling the power supplied to actuators 206A, 206B and thus control the speed of actuators 206A, 206B based on the user's weight distribution.

[0046] According to some embodiments, the tilting speed may be kept substantially constant throughout an exercise scheme or treatment cycle. The tilting speed may be maintained slow, such as, for example, no more than 3 millimeters (mm) per second, or in terms of angular velocity no more than 3.0/R radians per second, where R is the edge of the apparatus' distance from the center of tilting (e.g. the edge of movable portion 102 from joint 108). While it should be appreciated that when an exercise scheme or treatment cycle is initiated and ended some acceleration and deceleration are required, it may be a very slow linear acceleration and deceleration, such as, for example an acceleration or deceleration of no more than 3 mm/s.sup.2, or even 2 mm/s.sup.2, an equivalent of 3.0/R radians/s.sup.2 or 2.0/R radians/s.sup.2 of angular acceleration, respectively, where R is as defined above. Other speeds and accelerations may be used. This may allow the user's body to get adapted and organized to the changes in the lower body and may create and maintain calm and safe environment so the movement is predictable and repeatable for the brain. Furthermore, such substantially constant speed may ensure better adaptation toward natural body movement, may decrease or eliminate interferences to the work or any other activity the user may be doing while sited, may reduce resistance of the body (muscles) to the movement and thus, may reduce muscles tension and the like. It should be further appreciated that the slow and controlled acceleration/deceleration may prevent or reduce mechanical damage to the actuators and other moving parts. For example, according to some embodiments of the present invention a typical linear tilting movement may have the following time duration characteristics: 1.5 seconds acceleration of 1-2 mm/s.sup.2, 2 seconds constant speed of 1.5-3 mm/s, 1.5 seconds deceleration of 1-2 mm/s.sup.2. Other characteristics may be used.

[0047] In some embodiments, each tilting movement may include at least one tilting amplitude for each of the at least two different axes. In some embodiments, each tilting movement may include at least two tilting amplitudes for each of the at least two different axes. In some embodiments, each tilting movement amplitude may have a maximum range of between 10 millimeters to +10 millimeters from horizontal position of the seat.

[0048] It should be further appreciated that the user's weight indication may be used by controller 105 of device 100 and/or by controller 505 of computing device 500 (e.g. FIG. 5) to determine the identity of the user, from a list of users associated with chair 10, and thus adapt the tilting scheme to the needs, preferences, and characteristics of each identified user. According to another embodiment, a user may logon for example via input device (e.g., 535 in FIG. 5) of computing device 500. According to yet another embodiment, when weight-based identification is inapplicable, for example when the measured weight is associated with more than one user, or with no user, the user may be requested by computing device 500 to identify himself. Such identification request may be presented on output device 540 of computing device 500, such as a monitor or a screen. It should be appreciated that the needs, preferences and characteristics of each user of tilting device 100 may be pre-obtained and pre-stored in storage (such as storage 530 of computing device 500 in FIG. 5 and/or of server 400 of system 40 in FIG. 4). According to some embodiments, a memory or storage may be integral to controller 105 of tilting device 100.

[0049] According to some embodiments, tilting device 100 may include positioning or orientation sensors 121, such as, for example, a gyroscope or potentiometer, to provide controller 105 with feedback regarding the position, orientation and/or angle of movable portion 102. It should be appreciated that the amplitude and angle of tilting of movable portion 102 may be limited within a predefined range such as for example 5 in each direction around each axes X and Y. According to some embodiments, the range of the tilting angle may be different around each axis. For example, the maximum tilting angle around the X axis may be, for example 5 while around the Y axis the maximum tilting angle may be 20. According to other embodiments, a different tilting range may be set to each direction of tilting around a single axis. For example, around the Y axis, when tilting seat 12 forward the maximum tilting angle may be 10 while when tilting seat 12 backwards around axis y, the maximum tilting angle may be 20. It should be appreciated that other tilting angle limits or ranges may be used. Orientation sensor or sensors 121 may indicate, according to some embodiments, when the position of movable portion 102 reaches a limit and may cause controller 105 to stop actuators 206A, 206B. According to some embodiments, tilting device 100 may further include limit switches in addition to or instead of orientation sensor 121. It should be appreciated that the limit switch or switches may stop operation of one or more actuators 206A, 206B when the maximum tilting angle is reached. It should be appreciated that limit switch or switches may protect actuators 206A, 206B from electrical current or mechanical overload. According to some embodiments, tilting device 100 may further include a power cord 107, a power source such as battery 111, and a communication inlet or port such as a USB connection port 112.

[0050] According to some embodiments, a safety or emergency stop button or switch 170 (in FIG. 1A) may be connected to controller 105, via wired or wireless connection, and may be configured to stop operation of tilting device 100.

[0051] As may be seen in FIG. 1B, actuators 206A and 206B may have a motor and gear section 106b and an arm 106a. Arm 106a may be a piston, a screw or any other mechanism that may change the distance between a first end of the mechanism and a second end thereof. Other structures may be used for actuators.

[0052] It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that tilting device 100 according to embodiments of the present invention, allows tilting movable portion 102 around two axis X and Y, and thus provides for tilting of seat 12 forward, backward, sideways and to any direction in-between. For example, if seat 12 is marked, for illustration purposes, with an imaginary clock as seen in FIG. 1C, so that the twelve O'clock is at the front of the seat, the six O'clock is at the back of the seat (proximal to the seat backrest) the three O'clock is at the right side of the seat (proximal to the right armrest 18) and the nine O'clock is on the left side of seat 12, and actuator 206A is located, for example, at the twelve O'clock while actuator 206B is located, for example, at the hour nine O'clock, tilting movable portion 102, and thus seat 12, for example, forward, to the twelve O'clock, refers to a position of movable portion 102 in which the twelve O'clock is at a lowered position, e.g. actuator 206A is contracted (e.g. arm 106a is contracted) and actuator 206B is idle. Similarly, when movable portion 102 is tilted to the hour nine O'clock (so that the lower point of movable portion 102 is at the left side of movable portion 102), actuator 206B is contracted and actuator 206A is idle. It should be appreciated that the above tilting device allows tilting movable portion 102 towards any imaginary hour of the imaginary clock by a combination of extraction and/or contraction of actuators 206A and 206B located, for example at the front of movable portion 102 and the left side of movable portion 102. For example, tilting movable portion 102 towards the one hour and half hour may be achieved by contracting actuator 206A and extracting actuator 206B. As may be understood, according to embodiments of the present invention, a full circular motion may be achieved (clockwise or counter-clockwise) by changing the extraction and/or contraction of each of actuators 206A, 206B in a coordinated manner According to some tilting schemes, only an arc tilting scheme (for example from hour three O'clock to nine O'clock through twelve O'clock and vice versa, from one O'clock to eleven O'clock through twelve O'clock, from five O'clock to seven O'clock through six O'clock and the like) may be programmed and used in some cases. According to another scheme, a linear tilting scheme may be used. A linear tilting scheme is a scheme in which movable portion 102 tilts from a first position (e.g. from three O'clock) to a second position (e.g. to nine O'clock) directly, around an axis perpendicular to a line connecting the imaginary hours on the face of the imaginary clock. It should be appreciated that according to some embodiments, a tilting scheme may be a combination of arc, circular and linear tilting movements.

[0053] Reference is now made to FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C illustrating tilting device 100 in different positions. As seen in FIG. 2A tilting device 100 may be in a neutral position (e.g. in a position substantially parallel to the surface on which a chair to which the tilting device is connected, is positioned) when all actuators 206, such as for example, actuators 206A and 206B are idle. In FIG. 2B actuator 206B is extracted while actuator 206A is idle. FIG. 2C shows tilting device 100 in another tilting position in which actuator 206A is extracted and actuator 206B is idle, thus a different position of movable portion 102 relative to fixed portion 104 may be reached. It should be appreciated that other combinations of extraction or contraction of at least actuators 206A and 206B, may result in other tilting position of movable portion 102 with respect to fixed portion 104. A tilting scheme, sequence, movement sequence, or arrangement may include one or more sets of information describing the position of the various components of the chair, and possibly when, how, and how fast to move the components from one set of positions to another. When used herein, a tilting scheme, sequence, movement sequence, or arrangement may be the actual physical movements of the components and also may be the data or instructions that cause such movements. According to embodiments of the present invention, a tilting scheme may include for example a sequence of instructions to controller (e.g. 105 in FIG. 1A) to move, extract and/or contract actuators, motors, servos, latches, etc., at least one of actuators 206A and 206B. For example, a sequence of instructions to controller 105 for example, to repeatedly extract and contract actuator 206A while maintaining actuator 206B idle, may result in a linear tilting scheme. A different sequence of instructions to extract and/or contract one or more of actuators 206A and 206B may result in different tilting schemes as described herein.

[0054] FIGS. 3A and 3B are illustrations of the effect of tilting of tilting device 100, according to some embodiments of the present invention, on the sitting position and spinal movement of a user. In some embodiments, an exercise scheme may include two or more tilting movements that aims to cause convex shape movement or position of the spinal column. Examples of various exercise scheme are given herein with respect to FIGS. 7A-7B. A Spinal Convex Shape may be defined by straight rod like shape (e.g., the spinal column) positioned vertically that is curved or rounded outward in an arc shape between its two ends (e.g., the head and the pelvis). As seen in FIGS. 3A and 3B, tilting of tilting device 100 may cause a user to curve his or her back around a user's body midline 300.

[0055] Body's midline 300 is an imaginary line that divides the body into halves. It is known that the brain and the Central Nerve System (CNS) organize the body subconsciously around midline 300 to keep it balanced. However, the modern life style (primarily sitting for long time periods), injuries, pain, etc. causes the brain and the CNS to lose this natural ability to a certain degree. Thus, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that slow and graduate tilting of the pelvis, may prompt a user of tilting device 100 to gradually organize his body around the natural midline 300, and may move all 24 vertebrae of the spine. The natural response of the brain to the pelvis tilt is to maintain the body on its vertical midline 300 by moving all the vertebrae in the spine column outward and form the convex shape of the spine while keeping the two end vertebrae on the original midline. By doing so, the convex shape of the spine is located between the two ends that remain on the midline 300.

[0056] In some embodiments, a controllable chair that includes tilting device 100 may cause the convex of the spine by creating two or more tilting movements of seat 12. In some embodiments, the two or more tilting movement of seat 12 may tilt the pelvis of the seated user correspondingly, and in turn the pelvis may cause the spine to move. The movement of the spine may than trigger chain reaction movements of the vertebrae from bottom to top throughout the entire spine column.

[0057] As seen in FIG. 3A, which includes three side view illustrations, tilting movable portion 102 of tilting device 100 forward, as seen in illustration (3) may cause a user to curve his back backwards (e.g. to arch his or her back), neutral position of movable portion 102 prompts the user to sit in an upright position, as illustrated in illustration (2), and tilting movable portion 102 backwards (as seen in illustration (1)), may prompt the user to curve his or her back forward (e.g. to a humped position). As may be seen in illustration (1) on the left side of FIG. 3A the back side of the seat is tilted down, causing the body to round (from the back's viewpoint) along the spine, counter-balancing the backward tilting of the pelvis; on the center of FIG. 3A (illustration (2)) the seat is leveled horizontally, the spine remains in its upright position; on the right side of FIG. 3A (illustration (3)) the front side of the seat is tilted down, causing the body to arch along the spine counter-balancing the forward tilting of the pelvis. Similarly, as seen in FIG. 3B, different tilting position of movable portion 102 may prompt a user to curve his or her back to the right or to the left.

[0058] As seen on the left side of FIG. 3B (illustration (1)), which is a back view of a user of tilting device 100, the left side of the seat is tilted up, causing the pelvis to tilt to the right toward a side-bending, and the body responds along the spine by counter-balancing the side-bending tilting of the pelvis by creating a C-like curve to the right; on the center of FIG. 3B (illustration (2)) the seat is leveled horizontally, the spine remains in its upright position; on the right side of FIG. 3B (illustration (3)) the right side of the seat is tilted up, causing the pelvis to tilt to the left toward a side-bending, and the body responds along the spine by counter-balancing the side-bending tilting of the pelvis by creating a C curve to the left. Other tilting positions may prompt the user to change his sitting position in other directions.

[0059] Reference is now made to FIG. 4 which is a high-level block diagram of a system 40 for controlling a seat and prompting change in sitting position according to some embodiments of the present invention. System 40 may include at least one chair 10 with a tilting device 100, tilting device 100 may be in active communication with computing device 500 as described herein with respect to FIG. 5, such as a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet, a smartphone, a handheld wireless or wired control unit, and the like. Computing device 500 may, according to some embodiments, communicate with a remote server 400, such as a cloud server, via a network 450 such as the Internet. Server 400 may be a computing device as described with reference to FIG. 5 herein. While computing device 500 and server 400 are illustrated as separate devices, according to some embodiments, tilting device 100 may be in communication with a remote computing device via a network, and computing device 500 may be a cloud server

[0060] According to some embodiments, computing device 500 may include an output device 540, such as a display or a screen. According to some embodiments, animation may be presented to the user on output device 540 to show the effect the tilting scheme may have on the user's spine, sitting position and the like. Computing device 500 may further include input device(s) 535 to allow the user to manually control and change setting of system 40. For example, a user may program the neutral position (which may define, in some embodiments, a starting position) of tilting device 100, and/or create a tilting scheme according to the user's preferences and/or according to a prescribed scheme provided by a therapist (e.g. physiotherapist). In addition, or alternatively, a user may provide, via, for example input device 535, identifying information to allow system 40 to identify the user, from a list of predefined users associated with chair 10. A tilting scheme may include definitions of the extent of the tilting angles on both axes of titling and both ends of movement, the relative timing of change of each angle of tilting, the duration of activation of the scheme, and the like.

[0061] Reference is made to FIG. 5, showing a high-level block diagram of an exemplary computing device according to embodiments of the present invention. Computing device 500 may include a controller 505 that may be, for example, a central processing unit processor (CPU), a chip or any suitable computing or computational device, an operating system 515, a memory 520, an executable code 525, a storage 530, input devices 535 and output devices 540. Controller 505 may be configured to carry out methods described herein, and/or to execute or act as the various modules, units, etc. More than one computing device 500 may be included, and one or more computing devices 500 may act as the various components, for example some components shown in FIG. 4. For example, the server described herein may be, or may include components of, computing device 500. For example, by executing executable code 525 stored in memory 520, controller 505 may be configured to carry out a method of controlling a seat and adjusting sitting position as described herein. For example, controller 505 may be configured to receive signals from one or more sensors 120 in tilting device 100 in FIG. 1A and use the received signals to control the operation of tilting device 100 as described herein.

[0062] Operating system 515 may be or may include any code segment (e.g., one similar to executable code 525 described herein) designed and/or configured to perform tasks involving coordination, scheduling, arbitration, supervising, controlling or otherwise managing operation of computing device 500, for example, scheduling execution of software programs or enabling software programs or other modules or units to communicate. Operating system 515 may be a commercial operating system.

[0063] Memory 520 may be or may include, for example, a Random-Access Memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a Dynamic RAM (DRAM), a Synchronous DRAM (SD-RAM), a double data rate (DDR) memory chip, a Flash memory, a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, a cache memory, a buffer, a short term memory unit, a long term memory unit, or other suitable memory units or storage units. Memory 520 may be or may include a plurality of, possibly different memory units. Memory 520 may be a computer or processor non-transitory readable medium, or a computer non-transitory storage medium, e.g., a RAM.

[0064] Executable code 525 may be any executable code, e.g., an application, a program, a process, task or script. Executable code 525 may be executed by controller 505 possibly under control of operating system 515. For example, executable code 525 may be an application that determines the posture of a user sitting on seat 10 (in FIG. 1A) based on input received from one or more sensors of tilting device 100 (in FIG. 1B), select a tilting scheme, based on, for example, the input received from the one or more sensors and the identity of a user sitting on seat 10, and/or based on an input received from a user, and send instructions to tilting device 100 to change tilt of seat according to the selected scheme for example as described herein. Although, for the sake of clarity, a single item of executable code 525 is shown in FIG. 5, a system according to embodiments of the invention may include a plurality of executable code segments similar to executable code 525 that may be loaded into memory 520 and cause controller 505 to carry out methods described herein. For example, units or modules described herein (e.g., tilting device 100) may be, or may include, controller 505 and executable code 525.

[0065] In some embodiments, executable code 525 may be executed by controller 505 or controller 105 and may include instructions to control a tilting device, such as tilting device 100 of an exercising chair (e.g., a controllable chair 10) and prompting an exercise scheme in a sitting position, as to cause movements of a spinal column of a user while sitting on the chair. Executable code 525 may include instructions to receive one or more exercise schemes according to embodiments of the invention and control at least one actuator 206A and/or 206B to perform the one or more exercise schemes, as discussed in details with respect to the methods of FIGS. 7A and 7B. Storage 530 may be or may include, for example, a hard disk drive, a floppy disk drive, a Compact Disk (CD) drive, a CD-Recordable (CD-R) drive, a Blu-ray disk (BD), a universal serial bus (USB) device, Flash memory or other suitable removable and/or fixed storage or memory unit. In some embodiments, some of the components shown in FIG. 5 may be omitted. For example, memory 520 may be a non-volatile memory having the storage capacity of storage 530. Accordingly, although shown as a separate component, storage 530 may be embedded or included in memory 520. Memory 520 and/or storage 530 may store, according to some embodiments, at least one of: tilting schemes, users' weights, users' exercise scheme preferences, users' treatment needs, users' identification information and the like.

[0066] Input devices 535 may be or may include a mouse, a keyboard, a touch screen or pad, sensors or any suitable input device. It will be recognized that any suitable number of input devices may be operatively connected to computing device 500 as shown by block 535. Output devices 540 may include one or more displays or monitors, speakers and/or any other suitable output devices. It will be recognized that any suitable number of output devices may be operatively connected to computing device 500 as shown by block 540. Any applicable input/output (I/O) devices may be connected to computing device 500 as shown by blocks 535 and 540. For example, a wired or wireless network interface card (NIC), a printer, a universal serial bus (USB) device or external hard drive may be included in input devices 535 and/or output devices 540.

[0067] Embodiments of the invention may include an article such as a computer or processor non-transitory readable medium, or a computer or processor non-transitory storage medium, such as for example a memory, a disk drive, or a USB flash memory, encoding, including or storing instructions, e.g., computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by a processor or controller, carry out methods disclosed herein. For example, an article may include a storage medium such as memory 520, computer-executable instructions such as executable code 525 and a controller such as controller 505.

[0068] The storage medium may include, but is not limited to, any type of disk including, semiconductor devices such as read-only memories (ROMs) and/or Random-Access memories (RAMs), flash memories, electrically erasable programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs) or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions, including programmable storage devices. For example, in some embodiments, memory 520 is a non-transitory machine-readable medium.

[0069] A system according to embodiments of the invention may include components such as, but not limited to, a plurality of central processing units (CPU) or any other suitable multi-purpose or specific processors or controllers (e.g., controllers similar to controller 505), a plurality of input units, a plurality of output units, a plurality of memory units, and a plurality of storage units. A system may additionally include other suitable hardware components and/or software components. In some embodiments, a system may include or may be, for example, a personal computer, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a workstation, a server computer, a network device, or any other suitable computing device. For example, a system as described herein may include one or more devices such as computing device 500 and tilting device 100.

[0070] Reference is now made to FIG. 6 which is a flowchart of a method of controlling a seat and prompting change of sitting position according to one embodiment of the present invention. As may be seen in block 6000, when the tilting device is turned on, a controller of the tilting device (that may be integral to the tilting device or may be part of a computing device associated with the tilting device) may verify that the movable portion of the tilting device is horizontal (also referred to as in neutral position), e.g. that the movable portion of tilting device is parallel to the surface on which a chair to which the tilting device is connected, is positioned. According to some embodiments, the neutral position may be programmed by a user to be different from the horizontal position.

[0071] As seen in block 6010 a signal may be received by a controller of a tilting device, such as the tilting device described above, from one or more sensors, such as load cells, indicating that a user is sitting on a chair such as chair 10 in FIG. 1A. According to some embodiments, the controller of the tilting device or the controller of a computing device to which the tilting device is connected or in communication with, may determine the weight of the user sitting on the chair, the sitting posture of the user, for example, based on signals received from two or more sensors, and according to some embodiments the identity of the user from a list of users of the chair stored in a memory. According to some embodiments the identity of the user may be determined for example, based on the weight of the user indicated by the sensors, the sitting posture of the user received from the sensors and the like, and based on a comparison of the indications received from the sensors to pre-stored data associated with each registered user, such as each registered user's weight, and each registered user's weight distribution over the seat when the seat is in a neutral position. In some embodiments the identity may be determined by comparing the indications received from the sensors to the pre-stored data of a list of registered users. A registered or associated user may be, for example, a user that completed a registration process in which the user provided identifying information, such as for example weight, height, name, gender, and the like, or other information. The registration process may include receiving for example via one or more input device (e.g. 535 in FIG. 5) and storing in storage (e.g. 530 in FIG. 5) identification information. The information may include, according to some embodiments, name, weight, height, weight distribution over the seat when the tilting device is in a neutral position, gender, and the like, or other information. Some of the information may be received from a user providing the information via a keyboard, a touchscreen or any other input device. Other identification data may be received from the sensors of the tilting device during registration process, for example the distribution of weight over the seat during the registration process, when the seat is in a neutral position.

[0072] After receiving an indication that a user is sitting on the chair, and in some embodiments after the weight, posture, and/or identity of the user is determined by the controller, the controller of either the tilting device or of the computing device may select a tilting scheme, for example, based on the determined sitting posture of the user and/or based on pre-stored program requirements or preferences of an identified user (block 6020), and start tilting the tilting device according to the selected scheme (block 6030). It should be appreciated that a user may select a scheme manually through an input device, such as a keyboard, a touchscreen, or any other input device of the computing device described with reference to FIG. 5 above, or of the tilting device. For example, according to one embodiment, the computing device may be a smartphone which may be in active communication with the tilting device via, for example, Bluetooth or any other short-range wireless communication protocols, or via, for example, wired communication, and the user may provide his selection of a scheme manually through a dedicated application on the smartphone.

[0073] According to one embodiment of a method according to the present invention, the method may further include determining, by the controller, the duration a user is sitting in the same posture based on signals received from one or more sensors in tilting device (block 6040) and tilting the seat of the chair, by actuators of tilting device, to prompt the user to change his sitting position (block 6050).

[0074] According to some embodiments, after a tilting scheme has ended (e.g. a predefined number of repetitions of a tilting movement has been completed, such as for example 15 cycles of tilting the seat of the chair backwards and forwards, around the X axis in FIG. 1A), the tilting may be stopped (block 6060). According to some embodiments, when a tilting scheme has been completed, the user may select via the input device another scheme. According to some embodiments, a user may stop a scheme while the scheme is running by pressing a stop button, a safety break or the like. In some embodiments, the user may select to tilt the seat to a specific tilt position via an input device, such as via the user interface of an application on the user's smartphone, tablet, computer and the like.

[0075] According to yet another embodiment, the controller may present on an output device, such as a touchscreen of a smartphone, a display of a computer and the like, one or more proposed tilting schemes, arrangements, or movement sequences for the user to select from. According to some embodiments, the proposed schemes may be presented if no selection was received from the user within a predefined time period from the end of the previous scheme.

[0076] According to some embodiments, as seen in block 6070, each tilting session may end with returning the tilting device, and thus the seat, to a neutral position, for example a position in which the movable portion of the tilting device, and thus the seat, are parallel or substantially parallel to the surface on which the chair is positioned. According to some embodiments, a minimum rest time may be set, preventing a user from starting a new tilting session before a predefined rest time has elapsed since the end of the previous session ended. The rest time may be for example a 1 minute rest time, a 5 minute rest time or any other predefined rest time. It should be appreciated that the duration of the rest time may be determined by the controller according to the identity of the user, the user's weight, user's exercise scheme preferences, and user's treatment needs.

[0077] Reference is now made to FIG. 7A which is a flowchart of a method of exercising a spinal column of a seated user according to some embodiments of the invention. The user may be seated in a controllable chair (e.g., an exercising chair) 10 having a tilting device 100. In box 710, controllable chair 10 may be activated to provide at least one exercise scheme. For example, one or more exercise schemes may be stored and programed in controller 105, for example, in storage unit such as storage 530. In some embodiments, each exercise scheme may include: two or more repeatable tilting movements of a seat of the controllable chair around at least two different axes, a number of repetitions for each tilting movement, speed and amplitude of each tilting movement. In some embodiments, the user may select a specific exercise scheme(s) for example, via a user interface such as input device 535. In some embodiments, the exercise scheme may be preprogramed not to be selected by the seated user, for example, by a professional (e.g., a physiotherapist) providing therapy sessions to the user. In some embodiments, the seated user may activate titling device 100 or controllable chair 10 by pressing a button or a key, using a voice command, touching a touchscreen and the like.

[0078] In some embodiment, controllable chair 10 may be automatically and/or autonomically activated, for example, at the first time the user is seating on chair 10. In some embodiments, a sensor (e.g., sensor 120) may sense the presence (e.g., weight, pressure, etc.) of the user and activate a preprogramed exercise scheme. The preprogramed exercise scheme may continue as long as tilting mechanism 12 is fed by a power source (e.g., battery 111). In some embodiments, controllable chair 10 may be activated manually by the user, for example, by pressing a button or a key, using a voice command, touching a touchscreen and the like.

[0079] In some embodiments, each repeatable tilting movement may include repeatable tilting movement of seat 12 of controllable chair 10 around at least two different axes, for example, axes X and Y illustrated in FIG. 1A. In some embodiments, each repeatable tilting movement may include one or more (e.g., two or more) tilting amplitudes for each of the at least two different axes. The tilting amplitude may be measured in degrees or millimeter/inches and the like. For example, each tilting movement amplitude may have a maximum range of between 10 millimeters to +10 millimeters from horizontal position of seat 12 in the X and/or Y directions. In some embodiments, the tilting movements may include any one of the following four cardinals: forward tilting, backward tilting, side-bending tilting and any combination of movements of these two. In some embodiments, tilting device 100 may allow tilting movable portion 102 around two axis X and Y, and thus may provide tilting of seat 12 forward, backward, sideways and to any direction in-between, as disclosed herein above with respect to FIG. 1A, FIGS. 3A and 3B. In some embodiments, the continuous repeatable seat movements may cause the user's spinal column to move between the body's natural vertical midline into a convex shape such that each vertebra moves relatively to the next vertebra therefore, the two spine endpoint vertebrae remain stationary in their original natural vertical position, the entire spinal column changes into a convex shape based on these two endpoints.

[0080] In some embodiments, the tilting movements includes a plurality of titling directions (cardinals) each being selected to tilt the pelvis of the seated user onto an imaginary hour on an imaginary clock, for example, a first tilting movement may include leaning forward by 3 mm around the X axis and +5 mm around the Y axis which may result in the pelvis of the seated user tilting onto ten O'clock on the imaginary clock. In yet another example, leaning sideway by 3 mm around the Y axis and by 0 mm around the X axis may result in tilting the pelvis onto the three O'clock. Accordingly, by providing various tilting amplitudes to the tilting movements performed by actuators 206A and 206B, controllable chair 10 may cause the pelvis of the seated user to title in various directions.

[0081] For example, an exercise scheme according to embodiments of the invention may a combination of tilting movements that may result is a complete circular movement of the pelvis, a partial (e.g., and arc) circular movement of the pelvis, for example, from three O'clock to nine O'clock, or at any desired combination. In some embodiments, the two or more tilting movements may be selected to cause convex shape movement to the spinal column of the seated user, as discussed with respect to FIGS. 3A and 3B.

[0082] In some embodiments, the two or more of repeatable tilting movements may be continuous movements, such as to cause a continuous movement of the pelvis throughout the exercise scheme. In some embodiments, the tilting speed may be selected and maintained slow, such as, for example, no more than 3 millimeters (mm) per second, or in terms of angular velocity no more than 3.0/R radians per second, where R is the edge of the apparatus' distance from the center of tilting (e.g. the edge of movable portion 102 from joint 108). In some embodiments, the total time of each exercise scheme may be maximum 10 minutes, for example, 5-7 minutes. In some embodiments, the number of repetitions of each tilting movement may be at least 3, for example, 5, 10, 20 and more. For example, an exercise scheme may include a slow circular movement of the pelvis repeated for 20 times during 5 minutes of exercise.

[0083] In some embodiments, at least some of the tilting movements are modified based on at least one of: age, physiological condition, neurological conditions, mental state or any other relevant data. For example, the speed and number of repetitions may be determined based on the user's age, the older the user the slower the tilting movements and the lower the number of repetitions.

[0084] In box 720, repeatable movements to the pelvis of the seated user may be caused as to stimulate movements of all the vertebrae throughout the spinal column of the seated user. In some embodiments, the exercise scheme may be executed by controlling actuators 206A and 206B (e.g., by controller 105) to be tilted at predetermined amplitudes according to the exercise scheme.

[0085] In box 730, a predetermined resting period of at least 10 minutes may be provided after completing any exercise scheme. In order to allow the soft tissues in the back of the user to relax a resting period may be provided. In some embodiments, the resting period may be provided even if the user did not complete the exercise scheme, for example, if sensor 120 detects that the user left the chair before the completing of the exercise scheme. In such case controller 105 may control actuators 206A and 206B to stop and may initiate a new exercise scheme only if sensor 120 detects that the user is reseating on chair 10 and at least 10 minutes have gone since the user left the chair. Even if the user left the chair after completing the exercise scheme controller 105 may initiate a new exercise scheme only if sensor 120 detects that the user is reseating on chair 10 and at least 10 minutes have gone since the completing of the previous exercise scheme.

[0086] Reference is now made to FIG. 7B which is a flowchart of a method of controlling an exercising controllable chair and prompting an exercise scheme in a sitting position, as to cause movements of a spinal column of a user while sitting on the chair according to some embodiments of the invention. The method of FIG. 7B may be executed by a controller such as controller 105 or 505 or by any other suitable controller. Instructions or code for performing the method of FIG. 7B may be stored in a memory, such as memory 520 and my be included in an executable code, such as executable code 525. In box 740, the controller may receive at least one exercise scheme. The exercise scheme may be received from a storage unit such as storage 530, may be programed by the seated user or any other user, may be received from remote site (e.g., an application running on the user's mobile phone) and the like. The at least one exercise scheme may include two or more repeatable tilting movements of a seat of the controllable chair around at least two different axes, a number of repetitions for each tilting movement, and a speed of each tilting movement. In some embodiments, the at least one exercise scheme may include all the embodiments as disclosed herein, for example, with respect to box 710 of the flowchart of FIG. 7A or elsewhere.

[0087] In box 750, at least two actuators included in a titling device connected to the chair may be controlled to perform the exercise scheme. For example, actuators 206A and 206B may be controlled by controller 105 or 505 to tilt seat 12 according to the exercise scheme, for example, in order to perform 5 complete circles (as disclosed above) and two semi-circles, form hour three O'clock to hour nine O'clock.

[0088] In box 760, the actuators may be controlled to stop for a resting period of, for example, at least 10 minutes after completing any exercise scheme. In some embodiments, the resting periods may change to be for example, 15 minutes or less. In box 760, the actuators may be controlled to stop for a resting period of, for example, at least 5 (e.g., 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9) minutes after completing any exercise scheme. In some embodiments, the resting period may be provided even if the user did not complete the exercise scheme, for example, if sensor 120 detects that the user left the chair before the completing of the exercise scheme. In such case controller 105 may control actuators 206A and 206B to stop and may initiate a new exercise scheme only if sensor 120 detects that the user is reseating on chair 10 and the resting period is over since the user left the chair. Even if the user left the chair after completing the exercise scheme controller 105 may initiate a new exercise scheme only if sensor 120 detects that the user is reseating on chair 10 for the resting period is over since completing of the previous exercise scheme.

[0089] While certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes, and equivalents will now occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.