Ergonomic systems which provide medical therapy, comfort and enhanced function are provided. Surfaces are provided with adjustable contour, transient force damping and temperature. The technologies are applied to footwear, seating surfaces an cryotherapy devices. The cooling and cryotherapy system employ an evaporator in close proximity to skin, and therefore employ methods to reduce risk of frostbite. Advanced control and power supply options are disclosed.
CONTINUING DATA
This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 09/853,097, filed May 10, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,865,825, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/303,585, filed May 3, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,501, issued May 15, 2001, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/911,261, filed Aug. 14, 1997, now abandoned, which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety.
A system designed to assist with the therapeutic treatment of subjects who have difficulty in walking, specifically those with a lack of sensation due to nerve damage or amputation, who are unable to tell when the foot makes contact with the floor. The system comprises a removable insole placed inside the shoe with proportionally senses touchdown; a miniature wireless transmitter which can be worn unobtrusively on the shoe; a miniature wireless receiver with tone generator which feeds an earpiece worn by the user; and a separate wireless receiver used by the therapist to monitor the same signal receiver by the user, in order to facilitate initial set-up and adjustments.
An improved sole and upper for use with all types of footwear which provides adjustable shoe sizing, adjustable sole firmness for differing activities, allows the wearer to view and touch the technology contained in the footwear, while aiding in the facilitation of exercise and healthful movement, according to the use of the footwear for the purpose of comfortable standing, pleasurable walking, steadier running, safer cross-training, while adding extra comfort for the foot during all activities.
The present invention provides a lightweight and cushioned shoe's outsole having a pneumatic air tube swirled inside the outsole.Shoe's outsole of present invention becomes extremely lightweight and cushioning when the pneumatic air tube inside the outsole is inflated.The present invention provides an air mattress type inflatable bladder of shoe's insole having honeycomb-like construction by using tuft inside the insole.Shoe's insole of present invention becomes extremely bouncing and cushioning when the bladder of the insole is inflated.The present invention provides an air pressure alert system having an air compressive and expandable device and a liquid capillary.The air pressure of the shoe's outsole and shoe's insole of present invention is able to track through the functions of air pressure alert system of present invention.
An interface system including a manipulandum adapted to be moveable according to a manual gesture imparted by the user; a sensor adapted to detect a characteristic of the manual gesture imparted to the manipulandum and to generate a sensor signal representing the detected characteristic of the manual gesture; a microphone adapted to detect a characteristic of an utterance spoken by the user and to generate an audio signal representing the detected characteristic of the spoken utterance; and a control system adapted receive the generated sensor and audio signals and to transmit a command signal to an electronic device via a communication link, the command signal being based on the generated sensor and audio signals and the time synchronization between them.
