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A computer interactive isometric exercise system includes an effector, a sensor coupled at a selected location on the effector to measure a force applied by a user to the effector, where the applied force effects a strain on the effector, and control circuitry. The control circuitry includes a processor that receives and processes data corresponding to applied force information measured by the sensor for transference to a host computer. The processed data is transferred in a format compatible with the host computer and facilitates user interaction with the host computer in response to effector manipulation by the user. A plurality of effectors may further be combined together to form a system frame that provides a variety of isometric exercises for the user in combination with user interaction with the host computer.
1. An isometric exercise system serving as a peripheral to manipulate a virtual reality scenario of a host processing system in accordance with user exercise, comprising:
a frame to support a user;
an effector to provide an isometric exercise for said user, wherein said effector is fixedly secured to said frame and includes an elongated rod;
at least one sensor coupled to said rod and responsive to at least one force applied by said user to said effector to perform said isometric exercise, wherein said applied force effects a measurable deformation of said rod that is measured by said at least one sensor; and
a processor coupled to said at least one sensor and including a data processing module to receive and process data corresponding to applied force information measured by said at least one sensor and to transfer information to said host processing system to control said virtual reality scenario of said host processing system in accordance with performance of said isometric exercise and manipulation of said effector by said user.
2. The system of
3. The system of
4. The system of
5. The system of
a display controlled by said processor to output information relating to effector manipulation by said user during system operation.
6. The system of
at least one input device to provide additional information to said processor for processing and transference to said host processing system.
7. The system of
8. The system of
9. A method of performing an isometric exercise utilizing a system that serves as a peripheral to manipulate a virtual reality scenario of a host processing system, wherein said system includes a frame to support a user, an effector including an elongated rod, at least one sensor coupled to said rod, and a processor, the method comprising:
(a) measuring at least one force applied by a user to said effector, wherein said effector provides an isometric exercise for said user and is fixedly secured to said frame, and wherein said applied force effects a measurable deformation of said rod that is measured by said at least one sensor;
(b) processing data corresponding to applied force information measured by said at least one sensor; and
(c) transferring information from said processor to said host processing system to control said virtual reality scenario of said host processing system in accordance with performance of said isometric exercise and manipulation of said effector by said user.
10. The method of
(a.1) securing a plurality of effectors to each other via at least one connector within said frame.
11. The method of
(a.1.1) selectively orienting said effectors in said frame to permit customization of said frame based upon a user preference.
12. The method of
(a.1) providing a body support to support said user on said frame; and
(a.2) providing a base for said frame with said effector extending from said base of said frame.
13. The method of
(d) displaying output information, via said display, relating to manipulation of said effector by said user during system operation.
14. The method of
(d) providing additional information, input by said at least one input device to said processor, for processing and transference to said host processing system.
15. The method of
(d) facilitating at least one of isokinetic and isotonic exercise by said user during system operation via manipulation of said at least one input device.
16. The method of
(d) facilitating isometric exercise of muscle groups associated with a plurality of body parts in response to manipulation of said effector by said user.
17. The system of
18. The system of
an input device to input to said processor the amount of said at least one force that must be applied by said user.
19. The system of
20. The method of
(d) selectively adjusting an amount of said at least one force that must be applied by said user to said effector to facilitate user interaction with said host processing system in response to manipulation of said effector by said user.
21. The method of
(d.1) facilitating user input of the amount of said at least one force that must be applied by said user.
22. The method of
(b.1) determining, via said processor, an amount of work applied by said user to said effector for a selected period of time during system operation; and
wherein step (d) includes:
(d.1) displaying output information, via said display, relating to the amount of work applied by said user to said effector.
23. The system of
24. The system of
25. The method of
(c.1) transferring said information in a format resembling data output from a host processing system peripheral.
26. The method of
27. The system of
28. The method of
1. Technical Field
The present invention pertains to isometric exercise devices. In particular, the present invention pertains to an isometric exercise system that serves as a computer system peripheral and facilitates user interaction with a host computer system while the user performs isometric exercises.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Currently, a wide variety of different types of exercise devices are commonly utilized to promote health and fitness, particularly for people having sedimentary lifestyles and/or work environments, and to provide rehabilitation for particular types of injuries. The vast majority of these exercise devices utilize isokinetic and/or isotonic forms of exercise during operation, where a user's muscles are moved under resistance through a selected range of motion.
Isometric exercise is another effective form of muscular exercise that is very useful for rehabilitation, fitness and/or training. For example, isometric training is useful for fighter jet pilots who perform isometric muscular contractions of the lower limbs and body core during flights to prevent blackouts when subjected to high gravitational forces. Isometric exercise involves the exertion of force by a user against an object that significantly resists movement as a result of the exerted force such that there is substantially minimal or no movement of the user's muscles during the force exertion. Examples of simple forms of isometric exercise include pushing against a stationary surface (e.g., a doorframe or a wall), attempting to pull apart tightly gripped hands or to bend or flex a sufficiently rigid steel bar, etc. Due to their inherently tedious nature, isometric exercise devices are less popular and, accordingly, are limited in type and availability, in comparison to more conventional forms of isotonic and isokinetic exercise devices.
A particularly important feature in many isometric exercise devices is the ability to measure forces applied to a resistive object by one or more muscle groups. This is a basic component of biometrics. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,639 (Smyser et al.) discloses a device including a hand grip recording dynamometer with a load cell mounted therein. The load cell is coupled to a circuit board that is compressively squeezed during an exercise regimen. The device further includes a display to provide visual cues to a user prompting the user as to which hand to use and the amount of compressive squeezing force to be applied. U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,518 (MacCready, Jr.) discloses a similar type of device employing a squeezable exerciser having a body structure with squeezable surfaces and means associated with the body structure to produce reference signals as the level of force application reaches preset limits.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,832 (Kauffmann et al.) discloses an apparatus and method for measuring the strength of selected muscles of the human anatomy. The apparatus comprises an upright support frame with a force sensor and measuring device stationarily positioned on the frame. A first force transmitting member carries a patient engageable apparatus to transmit forces along a horizontal axis to actuate the sensor and measuring device. A second force transmitting member carries an additional patient engageable apparatus to transmit forces along a vertical axis, while a force transfer mechanism converts forces transmitted along the vertical axis into horizontal forces transmitted by the first transmitting member. The apparatus further comprises an apparatus for locating the patient in the same position during successive measuring sessions.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,595 (Stark et al.) describes an orthopedic restraining device including a housing with first and second distal end portions and restraining means for restraining movement of the first and second distal end portions with respect to each other. The restraining device further includes an elongated straining bar having a stress sensing mechanism for sensing stress on the restraining bar. A control unit, including a microprocessor and a recording mechanism, is provided for indicating sensed stress based upon outputs of the stress sensing mechanism. The elongated straining bar may include an adjustable hinge that is capable of adjusting the angle between the distal end portions.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,228,000 (Jones) discloses a machine for testing the muscle strength of a subject, wherein both static and dynamic strength tests are conducted on the subject. During the tests, forces exerted by the muscles are measured by devices that are connected to a computer and a display screen for displaying the strength of the muscles at different positions of a subject's body part. In the dynamic strength test, the subject moves a movement arm by exerting the muscles to be tested. The movement arm is connected to a resistance weight to oppose movement by the subject. In the static strength test, the movement arm is fixed in position and the subject exerts a body part against the movement arm upon exertion of the muscles to be tested. Force and angle measuring devices are connected to the movement arm and the computer for enabling the muscle strength to be displayed in terms of torque at various angular positions of the body part.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,325,767 (Wolff et al.) describes a strength measuring device for measuring the force-exerting ability of human muscle groups, where the device includes at least one vertically adjustable pressing element that works with a force-measuring unit which can measure the force exerted on the pressing element. The device further includes at least one additional pressing element that is also vertically adjustable and serves to hold certain parts of the test person's body in place.
The previously described exercising devices are limited in that they are tedious and provide limited feedback, generally relating to the amount of force being applied by the user operating the device. An isometric device that provides more enhanced feedback and is entertaining to the user is desirable to increase user interest in the particular isometric exercise so as to ensure continuous and sustained use of the device.
Accordingly, International Publication No. WO 91/11221 (Bond et al.) describes a computer controlled exercise system that sequentially and automatically implements isokinetic, isotonic and isometric exercises to permit a physical therapist to attend to other patients while the computer interacts with the patient to effect a desired therapy. In one embodiment, the motion of a patient's body, such as lifting or twisting the patient's limb, is converted into a runner on a display that competes against another runner. If the patient meets or exceeds the exercise goals, such as a number of repetitions or torque applied to the exercise unit, then the runner representing the patient will match or beat the other runner representing the goal.
Interaction between the exercise system and a computer in the previously described International Publication is limited to simple representations on a display that are based upon achieving set goals and do not provide an indication of the precise amount or degree of force being applied by the user to the exercise device at any given time. Further, this exercise system does not provide a virtual reality interactive environment, where the user is capable of interacting with a computer generated virtual reality scenario to control a variety of movements of a character or an object in the scenario as well as other features relating to the scenario. Those types of scenarios typically utilize a computer interface device to facilitate user interaction with the scenario. A majority of these devices employ strain-based measurement of force. For example, the pointing "nipple" employed in laptop computer system keyboards and the "Force-stick" utilized by high performance aircraft, such as fighter jets, employ strain-based technology. Further, this technology may be employed in various applications ranging from automotive to robotic interfaces. For examples of these applications, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,547 (Lehtovaara) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,388,655 (Leung).
In an attempt to combine virtual reality with an isometric exercise device, an Interactive Video Exercise System (IVES) is disclosed in Dang et al. "Interactive Video Exercise System for Pediatric Brain Injury Rehabilitation", Proceedings of the RESNA 20th Annual Conference, June 1998. This system provides an instrumented video-game-enhanced exercise program for pediatric brain injury patients, where the system includes an isometric test apparatus, a data processing circuit box, and a Super NES™ system with an adapted game controller. The isometric test apparatus includes a first load cell rigidly mounted onto a metal cross-bar that clamps to two rear legs of a chair. A high tensile cable and an ankle band couple the shank of a subject sitting in the chair to the first load cell. A second load cell is mounted between two aluminum plates which rest on the floor. The subject's foot rests on the top plate against a heel stop and is secured with two straps. Isometric extensions of the subject's knee is measured by the first load cell, and isometric ankle dorsiflexion of the subject is measured by the second load cell. The signal from either load cell is transmitted to the data processing box, where it is processed and compared with a variable threshold value set by a potentiometer. When the transducer's signal exceeds the threshold value, voltage is passed to the adapted game controller whereby the selected operation is executed in a game (e.g., move right, move left, move up, move down, etc.). As a result, the subject can only play the game by performing certain isometric exercises.
The previously described IVES system is limited in that a game controller for a Super NES™ system must be adapted to render the system operable. In other words, the IVES system does not have flexibility for use with computer games associated with other computer systems that are incompatible with a Super NES™ system. In addition, the IVES system is limited to isometric knee and ankle exercises and, thus, is incapable of being utilized in a variety of different contexts where it is desirable to exercise upper body parts alone or in combination with lower body parts of a user.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an isometric exercise system that is interactive with a host computer system during user operation so as to enhance the level of interest and enjoyment associated with performing isometric exercises.
It is another object of the present invention to configure the isometric exercise system to determine a type and an amount or degree of force applied by a user to the exercise system.
Yet another object of the present invention is to configure the isometric exercise system to communicate with a host computer system in a recognizable manner so as to facilitate user participation in virtual reality simulation scenarios generated by the host computer system based on performance of isometric exercises on the exercise system.
Still another object of the present invention is to configure the isometric exercise system to be adaptable for use with a wide variety of computer systems capable of running "off-the-shelf" games or other software programs.
A further object of the present invention is to configure the isometric exercise system to be modular in design so as to permit a user to custom design the system for a desired purpose or a particular application.
The aforesaid objects are achieved individually and/or in combination, and it is not intended that the present invention be construed as requiring two or more of the objects to be combined unless expressly required by the claims attached hereto.
According to the present invention, an isometric exercise system serving as a peripheral to facilitate user interaction with a host computer system includes at least one effector, at least one sensor coupled at a selected location on the effector and control circuitry including a processor. The sensor measures at least one force applied by a user to the effector, where the applied force effects a strain on or deflects the effector. The effector may be in the form of a metal rod, where the user applies force (e.g., bending, twisting, tension, compressive forces, etc.) that slightly and measurably deforms the effector within its elastic limit. The processor includes a data processing module to receive and process data corresponding to applied force information measured by the sensor for transference to the host computer system, where the processed data is transferred in a format compatible with the host computer system and facilitates user interaction with the host computer system via effector manipulation by the user. In other words, the processor provides the information to the host computer system in a format similar to that supplied by a conventional computer peripheral or input device. The host computer system processes the information to update or respond to events within an executing software application (e.g., a game). A plurality of effectors may be connected in any suitable manner to each other via one or more suitable connectors to form a frame that can be customized based upon user preference and/or a particular application.
The present invention provides several advantages. One advantage is the ability of the system to be utilized with a number of different types of computer systems in the manner of conventional peripheral devices (e.g., a joystick, a mouse, a game pad, etc.), where these systems are capable of executing conventional software applications, such as "off-the-shelf" computer games or other software. In addition, each effector is modular in design, permitting a wide variety of system frames to be fashioned, based upon different combinations of the effectors, so as to facilitate isometric exercise of any desirable combination of muscle groups.
The above and still further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of specific embodiments thereof, particularly when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals in the various figures are utilized to designate like components.
An interactive isometric exercise system according to the present invention is illustrated in
The effector includes an elongated and generally cylindrical bar or rod constructed of any suitably rigid material (e.g., a metal alloy) that is capable of being slightly deformed within its elastic limit in response to any combination of bending, twisting, tension and compression forces applied, for example, by the hands of a user to the bar. While depicted as a cylindrical bar, the effector may include any suitable geometric configurations (e.g., donut-shaped, U-shaped, V-shaped, etc.) with any selected type of exterior gripping surface (e.g., smooth, multifaceted, etc.). The amount and types of deformations applied to effector 2, which is proportional to the amount and types of straining forces applied by the user, is measurable by one or more sensors disposed at suitable locations on the effector bar as described below.
Exemplary sensors that are capable of measuring minute degrees of deflection of the effector along any number of different axes are strain gauge sensors. Strain gauges are well known for measuring strain applied to an object and are typically realized in the form of metallic wire or foil devices. When a strain gauge is applied in a suitable orientation to an exterior surface of an object, the strain gauge electrical resistance varies in proportion to the amount of a particular strain applied to the object. The change in resistance of the strain gauge is measurable (e.g., utilizing a conventional Wheatstone bridge configuration, where the strain gauge forms one of the resistors in the bridge). The Wheatstone bridge may be configured in any conventional manner to determine the change in resistance of the strain gauge. For example, when the object to which the strain gauge is applied undergoes a strain deformation, the change in resistance of the strain gauge can be easily determined by comparing a measured voltage across the bridge with a reference voltage and processing the voltage difference in a manner described below.
Two strain gauge sensors 4 and 6 are affixed on the effector outer surface near a central location of effector 2. The sensors are further aligned in a longitudinal direction of the effector bar and are offset from each other by approximately 90° on the outer periphery of the effector bar. By orienting effector 2 such that sensor 6 faces in a generally upward direction as depicted in
The sensors are connected to control circuitry 200 via individual wires, preferably disposed in a suitable sheath or conduit 8. The control circuitry is also connected, via a suitable connector 12, to a standard peripheral connection port (e.g., serial, parallel, USB, etc.) of host computer system 20. The control circuitry processor receives measured strain information from sensors 4 and 6 and converts such measured information into readable data packets for the host computer system as described below. The data packets are preferably configured to be indistinguishable from the inputs of any standard peripheral (e.g., a conventional mouse, joystick, game pad, etc.). In other words, effector 2 is physically manipulated by the user to effect the transfer of the same type of inputs from processor 10 to host computer system 20 that would normally be provided by a peripheral device to control operation of a software program running on the host computer system.
In operation, system 1 basically serves as a peripheral and sends the appropriate data to host computer system 20. In particular, the user orients effector 2 with sensor 6 facing generally upward, as described above, and holds the bar at its opposing ends with his or her hands. An appropriate amount of bending force is applied by the user to effector 2 using his or her hands to effect a minimal degree of horizontal bending of the effector in a particular direction and about the X axis as described above, with the resultant strain being applied to sensor 4. The measured strain is received by processor 10 of control circuitry 200 as a digital data value, as described below, and is placed into data packets. The data packets include a format resembling the data output from a conventional computer peripheral that is manipulated in a manner corresponding to that of the effector. Similarly, the application of force by the user to the effector to effect vertical bending of the effector bar in a particular direction about the Y axis results in data packets being sent by the processor to the host computer system. The data packets include a format resembling data output from a conventional computer peripheral that is manipulated in a manner corresponding to that of the effector. Combined applications of force by the user on the effector about both axes X and Y similarly result in data packets being sent by the processor to the host computer system in a format resembling corresponding movements of a conventional computer peripheral.
The data packets provided by processor 10 to host computer system 20 can be X and Y axis information typically provided by a computer peripheral for a computer game or other software providing images on a display screen 22 of the host computer system, where the axis information provided by the processor results in corresponding changes in the displayed images to reflect virtual movements within the virtual reality scenario. Thus, system 1 simulates the operability functions of a standard peripheral device, such as a joystick, while simultaneously achieving an isometric workout for various muscle groups of the user of the system. In addition, the system is operable with standard "off-the-shelf" gaming or other software programs that are designed for use with such standard peripheral devices.
The system described above may be modified to exercise multiple muscle groups of the user, separately or simultaneously, during operation of one or more software programs. Other components may also be provided to enhance system operation. For example, a display 220 (
Any number of effectors may be combined in any selected orientations, utilizing any suitable connectors (e.g., lug nuts, couplings, tee or wye fittings, cross fittings, etc.), to permit isometric exercise of one or more body parts depending upon a particular application. For example, a pair of effector bars, each including one or more strain sensors, may be connected to a base to form a T-bar configuration for a particular application, where the facing ends of the bars connect together with a T-type fitting and the fitting further connects with a bar extending from the base. The sensors on the bars can be coupled to a processor via a suitable wiring harness to facilitate processing of strain measurements into data packets that are recognizable by a host computer system as input data from a standard peripheral device. The effectors are essentially modular in design and may be connected via multiple extender rods or connectors in a variety of different configurations to achieve a variety of different applications as well as to permit customizing of the system to a particular individual's needs. By way of example, the effectors may each include a common length with one set of sensors that measure deformation in one axis (e.g., stretch/compression, bending, twisting, etc.). Two or more effectors may be connected to measure deformation in plural axes, while extender rods may be employed to construct a combined effector of a desired length. The effectors may be inserted into a base to which other elements (e.g., a seat, control circuitry, etc.) may be attached.
An exemplary embodiment of a "cockpit" type system configuration of effectors is illustrated in
The frame further includes a set of elongated and generally cylindrical effector bars that form a T-type handle-bar configuration for manipulation by a user seated in seat 103. In particular, a first effector bar 104 extends at about a 45° angle from the front end of the base at the juncture of the first and second base members to a suitable location directly above a front portion of seat 103. Second and third effector bars 106 and 108 are secured at the free end of the first bar, via a suitable fitting 105 (e.g., tee, a lug, cross fitting, etc.), such that the second and third bars extend in opposing directions away from the first bar. A control panel 109 including one or more input devices (e.g., buttons, switches, a keypad, etc.) is secured at the fitting at the rear end of first bar 104 between the second and third bars so as to be accessible by the user during system operation. Each of the effector bars is preferably modular and constructed of a suitably rigid material (e.g., a metal alloy) that is capable of being slightly deflected within its elastic limit in response to any combination of bending, twisting, tension and compression forces applied by the user to the bars. While each of the effector bars is generally cylindrical, it is noted that the effector bars may be of any suitable shape (e.g., bent or curved, V-shaped, etc.) and have any suitable exterior surface geometries (e.g., curved, multifaceted, etc.).
At least one sensor is disposed on each effector bar for measuring at least one type of strain applied by the user to that bar. In particular, first bar 104 includes two strain gauge sensors 110 and 112 that are arranged at suitable locations on the outer surface of the first bar near the connection point of the first bar with the base and are angularly offset by approximately 90°. Sensors 110 and 112 measure the amount of a strain deformation applied to the first bar as a result of the user pushing or pulling on the second and/or third bars during system operation as described below. Similarly, the second and third bars each include a respective strain gauge sensor 114, 116 disposed at a suitable location on the outer bar surface near the connection point of each bar to the first bar. Sensors 114 and 116 measure the amounts of bending strain applied to the second and third bars along a horizontal axis when the user attempts to twist the second and/or third bars to simulate turning or steering of the handlebar configuration as described below.
The sensors are connected to processor 10 (
An exemplary control circuit for the systems of
One or more additional input devices may optionally be connected with the processor to enhance system operation. Examples of additional input devices include, without limitation, buttons, switches, a keypad, and aerobic resistance controllable devices, such as fly wheels coupled to foot pedals. Input devices such as buttons, switches, keypads, etc., provide information directly to the processor for placement in the data packets to be sent to the host computer system. By way of example, control panel 109 (
Each strain gauge sensor electrical resistance varies in response to compression and stretching of the associated effector bar. The amplifiers each basically arrange the corresponding sensor in a Wheatstone bridge configuration and determine the resistance change by comparing a measured voltage across the Wheatstone bridge with a reference voltage. The difference is amplified and typically in a range between zero and five volts. The amplified voltage value is sent by each amplifier to its respective A/D converter (e.g., a conventional A/D converter, such as National Semiconductor ADC08060) where the analog signal is converted to an eight-bit (e.g., signed or unsigned) or sixteen-bit (e.g., signed or unsigned) digital value. The digital value of each A/D converter is transmitted to a respective predetermined memory location in the processor. The processor samples the memory locations at predetermined time intervals, preferably on the order of ten milliseconds, to continuously process and send information to the host computer system to update and/or respond to an executing software application.
Basically, the amplified sensor value represents the force applied by the user, where values toward five volts indicate grater applied force. The amplified analog value is digitized or quantized within a range of 256 values (e.g., −127 to +127, eight bits signed) or 65,536 values (e.g., −32,767 to +32,767 sixteen bits signed) to indicate the magnitude and/or direction of the applied force. Thus, amplified voltage values toward five volts produce digital values toward the maximum values of the quantization ranges. The quantization may be performed by the A/D converters during the conversion, or by the processor.
Digital values received by the processor from the A/D converters, which correspond to strain measurements from the sensors, and values received from other optional input devices as noted above, are processed and arranged into suitable data packets for transmission to the host computer system. The processor may process the raw digital values in any fashion to account for various calibrations or to properly adjust the values within the quantization ranges as described above. The data packets are in a format resembling data input from a standard peripheral device (e.g., a mouse, a joystick, a game pad, etc.). For example, the processor may construct a USB data packet that includes the status of all input devices (e.g., buttons, etc.) and the values of each sensor. By way of example only, the data packet may include header information, X-axis information (e.g., eight bits signed) indicating a corresponding sensor force measurement along this axis, Y-axis information (e.g., eight bits, signed) indicating a corresponding sensor force measurement along this axis, rudder or steering information (e.g., eight bits, unsigned), throttle or rate information (e.g., eight bits, unsigned) and additional information relating to the status of input devices (e.g., buttons, etc.). Additional packet locations may be associated with data received from input devices connected with the processor, where the input devices represent additional operational criteria for the scenario (e.g., the firing of a weapon in the scenario when the user presses an input button, throttle, etc.). The host computer system processes the information or data packets in substantially the same manner as that for information received from a conventional peripheral to update and/or respond to an executing software application (e.g., game, etc.).
In operation, the user initially couples the system to a host computer system by connecting the control circuitry to the appropriate serial or other port of the host computer system utilizing the connector as described above. A software program is selected and run on the host computer system, and the user engages in a combined isometric exercise and interaction with the software program by gripping at least one effector bar and applying a force to exert a strain on the bar. The strain applied by the user causes at least one respective sensor to change in resistance. The change in resistance of the sensors is measured, amplified and converted into a digital value for transference to the processor. The processor processes and arranges the information into appropriate data packets to be sent to the host computer system as described above. The host computer system processes the information or data packets in substantially the same manner as that for information received from a conventional peripheral to update and/or respond to an executing software application (e.g., game, etc.).
An exemplary application for the system illustrated in
In the system described above and illustrated in
As noted above, system 100 includes a "cockpit" frame design with a T-type handle bar configuration that is useful for a number of different virtual reality scenarios including, without limitation, flying and driving scenarios. In an exemplary flying scenario, the T-type handle bar may be implemented to function in the scenario as a conventional aircraft yolk. Diving (e.g., toward the ground) may be achieved in the flying scenario when the user indirectly applies a straining force to first bar 104 by attempting to push second and/or third bars 106 and 108 away from the user. Similarly, climbing (e.g., toward the sky) may be achieved in the flying scenario when the user applies a straining force to the second and/or third bars in an attempt to pull the bars toward the user. Rolling movements (e.g., rotations of the horizon representing a turning motion to the left or right) may be achieved in the flying scenario when the user applies corresponding bending forces to the second and/or third bars along their longitudinal axes in an attempt to rotate or turn the second and third bars in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction with respect to the first bar. Other features in the flying scenario, such as controlling flying speed, controlling flaps and/or spoilers, firing weapons, etc. may also be achieved utilizing input devices disposed on control panel 109 and/or additional input devices (e.g., additional effector bars for operation by the user's feet, foot pedals in combination with a flywheel, etc.). If the host computer system is linked to other systems (e.g., via a network of host computers or other communications medium), plural users may participate in the same virtual reality scenario session, thus facilitating competitive interaction (e.g., team races) between two or more users within the session.
In a driving scenario, system 100 may be configured to utilize the second and third bars as a steering wheel and throttle and brake combination. In particular, applying bending forces to the second and/or third bars to attempt a clockwise or counterclockwise rotation or turning of these bars with respect to the first bar would yield a corresponding right or left turn in the driving scenario. Accelerating and braking would be accomplished by a respective applied force to the second and/or third bars where the bars are either pushed away from or pulled toward the user. Additional features in the driving scenario, such as changing speed, controlling gears, the firing of weapons, etc. can be achieved utilizing additional input devices as described above.
As noted above, an optional display screen connected to the processor may be implemented to provide certain information, such as the level of exertion applied to a particular effector by the user as well as the amount of work done. Other features may also be displayed in relation to the exercise activities performed by the user during system operation.
The processor may further be configured to control the level of exertion required by a user for one or more effectors in order to achieve a particular response in the virtual reality scenario. For example, the processor may be configured to require a threshold resistance level be achieved, which is proportionate to the amount of straining force applied by the user to one or more effectors, before assigning appropriate data values to the data packets to be sent to the host computer. Threshold values for the change in strain gauge resistance may be input to the processor by the user via an appropriate input device (e.g., a keypad). Alternatively, or in combination with user input, the threshold values may be controlled by the processor based upon conditions within the virtual reality scenario, such as changing wind conditions, changing grade of the terrain (e.g., going uphill), etc. The processor may also control additional resistance type input devices, such as foot pedals, based upon the previously noted conditions in the virtual reality scenario.
The previously described systems provide an isometric exercise device that may be easily integrated to facilitate user interaction with "off-the-shelf" games or other software being executed on a host computer system in a manner that is indistinguishable from inputs generated by a standard peripheral device. The modular design of the effectors facilitates the assembly of a wide variety of different system designs utilizing any selected number and combination of effectors and sensors, where any one or more sensors may be provided for each effector to measure any number of selected types of strain forces applied to the effector by a user (e.g., bending forces, twisting forces, compression and tension forces). Thus, a user may customize the system to his or her needs and for a particular application. Systems may be designed that effect isometric exercise for any combination of body parts. In addition, input devices such as foot pedals may be incorporated into any system design to combine isometric exercise with isokinetic and/or isotonic exercises for a particular application.
It will be appreciated that the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings represent only a few of the many ways of implementing a computer interactive isometric exercise system and method for operatively interconnecting the exercise system to a computer system for use as a peripheral.
The exercise system and components (e.g., effectors, extenders, connectors, etc.) may be of any size or shape and may be constructed of any suitable materials. The effectors may be constructed of any suitable materials that preferably are subject to measurable deflection within an elastic limit of the materials when subjected to one or more straining or other forces by the user. The effectors may have any suitable geometric configurations, and two or more effectors may be combined in any suitable manner to yield a system frame that conforms to a desired design for a user for a particular application. Any suitable number of sensors may be applied to an effector to facilitate the measurement of any one or more types of strain or other forces applied by the user (e.g., bending forces, twisting forces, compression forces and/or tension forces).
Any suitable connector may be utilized to connect any two or more effectors together, including, without limitation, lug nuts, couplings, tee fittings, wye fittings and cross fittings. Any number of connectors may be utilized to form a system frame of effectors. The connectors may be constructed of any suitable materials. The frame may include any quantity of any type of seat or other user support structure disposed at any locations to support a user or user body portions.
Any suitable number of sensors may be utilized to measure any type of strain or other force applied to any suitable number of effectors. The sensors may be constructed of any suitable materials, may be disposed at any effector locations and may be of any suitable type (e.g., strain gauge, etc.). Further, the sensors may include any electrical, mechanical or chemical properties that vary in a measurable manner in response to applied force to measure force applied to an object.
The processor may be implemented by any quantity of any type of microprocessor or other circuitry, while the control circuitry may be disposed at any suitable locations on the system frame or, alternatively, remote from the system frame. The control circuitry and/or processor may communicate with the sensors via any suitable wiring or wireless connections. The control circuitry and/or processor may be connected to one or more host computer systems via any suitable peripheral or other port of the computer systems. The processor may further arrange digital data representing force measurements by sensors into any suitable data packet format that is recognizable by the host computer systems receiving data packets from the processor. The data packets may be of any desired length, include any desired information and be arranged in any desired format.
The processor may sample the measurements at any desired sampling rate (e.g., seconds, milliseconds, microseconds, etc.), or receive measurement values in response to interrupts. The analog values may be converted to a digital value having any desired quantity of bits or resolution. The processor may process the raw digital measurements in any desired fashion to produce information for transference to the host computer system. This information is typically dependent upon a particular application. For example, if a user applies medium force to an effector to indicate a right turn while depressing control panel buttons representing a wide open throttle and firing of weapons, the processor may process the data and assemble an exemplary data packet including a header (e.g., including a data packet identification or sequence indicator, a packet length, etc.), X and Y axes information each indicating a value in the range of fifty to eighty (e.g., which represents medium force for an eight bit signed value having a range of −127 to +127 and a rightward direction since the X and Y axes information include similar values), a throttle value of 255 (e.g. the maximum value for an eight bit unsigned value) and an appropriate bit set in a remaining packet byte indicating depression of the firing button. The correlation between the measured force and value for the X and Y axes or other information (e.g., throttle, steering, etc.) may be determined in any desired fashion. By way of example, the amplified measurement range may be divided into units corresponding to the resolution of the digital value. For an eight bit unsigned digital value (e.g., where the value indicates the magnitude of force), each increment represents 1/256 of the voltage range. With respect to a five volt range, each increment is 5/256 of a volt, which is approximately 0.02 volts. Thus, for an amplified force measurement of three volts, the digital value may correspond to approximately 150 (i.e., 3.0/0.2).
Any suitable number of any types of conventional or other circuitry may be utilized to implement the control circuit, amplifiers, sensors, A/D converters, and processor. The amplifiers may produce an amplified value in any desired voltage range, while the A/D converters may produce a digitized value having any desired resolution or quantity of bits (e.g., signed or unsigned). The control circuit may include any quantity of the above or other components arranged in any fashion. The resistance change of the sensors may be determined in any manner via any suitable conventional (e.g., Wheatstone bridge, etc.) or other circuitry. The amplifiers and processors may be separate within a circuit or integrated as a single unit. Any suitable number of any type of conventional or other displays may be connected to the processor to provide any type of information relating to a particular computer interactive isometric exercise session. A display may be located at any suitable location on or remote from the exercise system.
Any suitable number of additional input devices may be provided for the system to enhance virtual reality simulation scenarios. The input devices may be provided on any suitable number of control panels that are accessible by the user during system operation and have any suitable configuration (e.g., buttons, switches, keypads, etc.). Optionally, input devices may be provided (e.g., foot pedals, stairs, ski type exercisers, treadmills, etc.) that provide isokinetic and/or isotonic exercise features in addition to the isometric exercise features provided by effectors. The additional exercise input devices may further be resistance controlled by the processor.
The host computer system may be implemented by any quantity of any personal or other type of computer or processing system (e.g., IBM-compatible, Apple, Macintosh, laptop, palm pilot, microprocessor, etc.). The host computer system may include any commercially available operating system (e.g., Windows, OS/2, Unix, Linux, etc.), any commercially available and/or custom software (e.g., communications software, application software, etc.) and any types of input devices (e.g., keyboard, mouse, microphone, voice recognition, etc.). It is to be understood that the software of the exercise system and/or processor may be implemented in any desired computer language, and could be developed by one of ordinary skill in the computer and/or programming arts based on the functional description contained herein. Further, any references herein of software performing various functions generally refer to computer systems or processors performing those functions under software control. The processor may alternatively be implemented by hardware or other processing circuitry, or may be implemented on the host computer system as software and/or hardware modules receiving the sensor measurements. The various functions of the processor may be distributed in any manner among any quantity (e.g., one or more) of hardware and/or software modules or units, computer or processing systems or circuitry, where the computer or processing systems or circuitry may be disposed locally or remotely of each other and communicate via any suitable communications medium (e.g., LAN, WAN, Intranet, Internet, hardwire, modem connection, wireless, etc.). The software and/or algorithms described above may be modified in any manner that accomplishes the functions described herein.
From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that the invention makes available a novel computer interactive isometric exercise system and method for operatively interconnecting the exercise system to a computer system for use as a peripheral, wherein an isometric exercise system serves as a peripheral to facilitate user interaction with a host computer system.
Having described preferred embodiments of a novel computer interactive isometric exercise system and method for operatively interconnecting the exercise system to a computer system for use as a peripheral, it is believed that other modifications, variations and changes will be suggested to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings set forth herein. It is therefore to be understood that all such variations, modifications and changes are believed to fall within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
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A fluid leak may develop from one or more power steering hose. When a leak is being repaired, it is not uncommon for multiple hoses to be replaced.
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text:
Those must have some "win one for the Gipper" type speeches in the New York Rangers dressing room before the third and overtime periods. Whether they came from coach Tom Renney or one of the veterans doesn't really matter because they worked well enough for the Rangers to exit their season without being totally embarrassed.
It would have been nicer for them to avoid losing a 3-2 overtime decision to the Penguins in Game 5 of course, but that would have required New York stealing a victory it didn't really deserve. The Rangers came close, but in the end they were deservedly beaten by a younger, more talented team that had the kind of discipline and defensive skill New York did not to seem to fully appreciate enough throughout the series. That's the way it should be, no matter how much the Rangers will tell themselves otherwise in the coming months.
The Rangers tried to make themselves, and maybe the Penguins believe the tables had turned when they avoided a sweep at home in Game 4 with a physical and aggressive display. The first 10 minutes of this one could have supported their case because they brought the momentum with them and Pittsburgh looked a little stunned at the outset. But the Penguins handled the heat without having to leave the kitchen, after absorbed the body blows without damage, they wrestled away control of the game.
Pittsburgh dominated the next 30 minutes, thoroughly enough that the two-goal lead they took into the third period looked more than safe. But with only 20 minutes standing between and elimination, the Rangers came out with some new batteries and had the game tied in less than four minutes on goals by a couple of rookies. New York owned the rest of the period the way Pittsburgh owned the first two, the Rangers just couldn't produce the quality scoring chances they needed regardless of the pressure they applied. And when Chris Drury took a four-minute high sticking penalty at 18:42, the hand writing seemed on the wall.
It just took a little longer that it might have to become legible.
The Rangers did an impressive job hanging on for their lives against what was a very dynamic Penguins power play on this day to get into overtime, and then finished off the penalty kill with some desperate work in the extra session. But the effort clearly took whatever was left of the New York skaters. They didn't get a shot in the overtime, while Pittsburgh managed six, the final one off the stick of Marian Hossa, who beat Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqivst for the second time on this day.
Hossa was the offensive star for Pittsburgh as a result, but Malkin wasn't bad either with a key goal and 10 shots. Still the story of this day was not Pittsburgh's scoring prowess, but how the Penguins shut down the Rangers and particularly Jaromir Jagr so effectively. The Rangers managed only 22 shots compared to Pittsburgh's 40, and none of them came from Jagr who had Jarkko Ruutu hanging on him all day like a bad suit.
Jagr though, showed up, unlike many of his teammates who for too much of the game looked like they were satisfied to have avoided being sent home by a broom. Jagr worked it hard in what might have been his final game as a Ranger, going to the front of the net and to the corners and he even drew three penalties for New York.
But he was on his own for most of the night, and no matter what the Rangers were told between periods, that wasn't enough.


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With a few simple household ingredients you can make a homemade coffee ice cream
Step 1: Materials
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 cup cream
3 T sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Grinded coffee beans
4 cups of ice
1 large ziploc bag
1 ziploc sandwich bag
Step 5:
Mix the coffee with 1 tablespoon of water add more coffee if you want a stronger taste add lees if you want a weaker taste. Stir then put in the sandwich bag. If you don't get a strong enough taste with the water add the coffee to 1 tablespoon of milk and add that to the sandwich bag with the water.


text: We are almost in a new season which makes us want a whole new make-up look as well as wardrobe! But of course this can be expensive. So, make-up palettes are great when you want to create a new look on a budget. They're also practical for travel and will help you achieve a more streamlined approach to your make-up application in the morning! The Urban Decay Naked Palette (£36) is still a must-have, but there are plenty of other fantastic sets to look out for from a number of brands including this gorgeous Stila Lovely In London (£12) one. Because we are still Team GB after all!


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Below is the poem entitled Come Be my Beautiful Bride which was written by poet
Adeite. Please feel free to comment on this poem. However, please remember, PoetrySoup is a place of encouragement and growth.
Read Poems by
Adeleke Adeite
The arms of Christ are ever
calling us to run to His
bleeding side,
away from worldly woes
and tide.
...come oh sinner, be my
beautiful bride.
The words of Christ are
meek and mild,
calling the prodigal son to
forsake pride.
for our true salvation He
suffered and cried
...come oh sinner, be my
beautiful bride.
The way of Christ is ever
narrow not wide,
reserved for those who can
only decide
to quit sinning; knowing
that Christ died,
to call sinners...come be my
beautiful bride.
The wealth of Christ is for
those who hide
in His secret place, laying all
weight aside,
for our riches, He was
deprived and denied,
calling oh sinners, be my
beautiful bride.
The will of God is to give a
gentle guide,
to those who will in Christ
alone abide;
in His eternal home they
will at last reside.
...come oh sinners, be His
Beautiful bride.
''Come Be my Beautiful
Written By Adeleke


text: Here is the Georgia Tech version for the ACC Championship Game. Clemson's questions are here.1. Can Georgia Tech Convert Touchdowns In The Red Zone?GT scored three touchdowns in the first quarter of the last meeting, but they came off an 82 yard run, an 85 yard punt return, and a 34 yard pass from kicker Scott Blair.Their first field goal came after a 68 yard drive. The second field goal came


text: Hello, my name is Tammy and I'am 38 years old and have been diagnosed with lupus a month ago after a long time of suffering with this. At first nobody knew what was wrong with me and thought it was all in my head. I even thought at one moment that I was actually going crazy. I hurt all the time especially in my chest,and arms. My legs are now starting to twitch on me. I'm finally getting to go to a rhumatologist for the first time on monday feb 7 . I know it may sound nuts but i live in a very small town in Wyoming, and it took a long time to discover what was wrong with me.Can someone help me try to understand why my body hurts so bad espeacially in my muscles?Thanks for listening.Oh and my family thinks I'm being lazy. That really hurts my feelings.Tammy


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The Woman Citizen
Speaking to men and women as citizens, co-equal in responsibility for our country and the various messes our government has gotten us into.
Monthly Archive for July, 2007
Women and Fear
I did a lot of media for Women in the Line of Fire and I was struck by the number of women who thought they had a vested interest in being weak and fearful. (One woman told me that I should know there are differences between men and women, especially menstruation, and that to want women to be strong and have stamina was to want them to be men. I finally lost it and told her that since the historic feminine norm was for women to do hard work on less and poorer quality food than men doing similar, work, often while pregnant or nursing, maybe it was time we women gave the masculine-strength-and-stamina thing a try.) [Read More]
The Politics of Lip Gloss
Every now and then, you see something that stops you cold. Something beautiful or terrible or awe-inspiring. Or something that tells you exactly what those who set the tone of our culture think of us, and what they think arouses us and that we respond to. [Read More]
My First (Middle Aged) Horse
I normally write about poltics, culture and the military, but today I'd like to write about a ew member of my family, my first horse. [Read More]
The Dignity of Work
A follow up to "Of China, Printers, and Drugs." [Read More]


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The NFL is looking for the next sack artist, in the NFL and these guys certainly have the talent. Linebackers have to read plays quickly and respond, one misstep can put them out of position to make the tackle. They will be called upon to blast through gaps and stop the run and may can force in man to man coverage. Here are the top five linebacker prospects of this year's draft.
1. Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA Height: 6-4. Weight: 248.
Barr presented amazing burst off the snap and pass-rushing ability with steady pressure all season. In his penultimate game for the Bruins, he helped beat rival USC with five tackles, three tackles for a loss, one forced fumble and two sacks. He finished the season with a total of 65 tackles with 20 tackles for a loss, 10 sacks, five forced fumbles and a pass batted. Barr has established himself as a first round pick, possibly a top ten pick.
2. Khalil Mack, OLB, Buffalo Height: 6-3. Weight: 245.
Mack was one of the best defensive players in college, setting school records, as well as he set an NCAA record with sixteen forced fumbles. Mack is a fast, strong downhill defender who makes lots of plays in the backfield. He is adept at shedding blocks with the speed and athleticism to be an edge-rusher in the NFL. Mack would fit best as a 3-4 outside linebacker.
3. Dee Ford, OLB, Auburn Height: 6-2. Weight: 243.
Ford is one of top edge rushers in the draft. He ended last season with 29 tackles with 14.5 tackles for a loss, 10.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. Ford has incredible speed off the edge with moves to get away from blockers. He will fit perfectly in a 3-4 defense in as a linebacker in the NFL.
4. C.J. Mosley, OLB, Alabama Height: 6-2. Weight: 234.
Mosley totaled 102 tackles with nine tackles for a loss, one forced fumble and five passes broken up last season at Alabama. In fact, he projected as a first rounder as he's listed as the number one middle linebacker in the 2014 NFL Draft. Since he mainly played middle linebacker with the tide.
5. Ryan Shazier, OLB, Ohio State Height: 6-2. Weight: 226.
Shazier is a very dominate player with sideline to sideline speed, and is a solid tackler. With great instincts and dynamic speed. He accounted 143 tackles with 22.5 tackles for a loss, four passes broken up, four forced fumbles and six sacks last season for 143 tackles along with five sacks his junior year. Shazier was named an All-American in 2013.
Be sure to like us on Facebook at NFL Draft Insiders for all your NFL and College Football News and Information all year long


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Mr. wOw: OH, Did You Really Think You Were Going to Rid of Me?
Our beloved columnist prepares for new horizons
To all of you wonderful people out there in cyberspace — paraphrasing Norma Desmond — I'm still here. And I don't mean to make that sound like a threat!
The wOw site might be tightening up, but I'm just getting started. I know that sounds awfully confident — but those who know me know that's just a pose. I'm actually floundering right now. After almost 30 years I've been laid off my job. Mr. wOw contemplates the unemployment line or a Chilean mine. There's little money in the bank. He has not been wise, ever.
But this experience, with wOw and all of you, has given me more a sense of myself than I've ever had. And despite my insecurities and lack of motivation, I don't intend to lose you. When I learned wOw was changing, I wondered where that would leave me? (It happened, coincidentlally, just as my long-term job was kinda vanishing. I'll explain the "kinda" at another time.)
Everybody said — "Start your own blog!" But doing things entirely on my own, for myself is a foreign concept. I've always been the guy behind the curtain. (Either the Wizard of Oz or Polonious, neither of whom is especially admirable.) So, as the old story goes about Tallulah Bankhead — I dropped an egg and stood aside. Helpless. Luckily, I have B. He read up about everything blog-wise. He looked at themes. He wanted to find the most powerful Internet connection on which to have a blog. He kept at me. I said, "This will never happen. I need structure. I need a reason. Don't make me explain and say bad things about myself."
He said: "You have structure. You have a reason. Don't you want to keep up with the people who know you on wOw? Hasn't this meant something to you?"
I said, "It has. But I have no talent. I am nothing."
And he said: "Here, do you like the layout of this blog?" He knows me well. And it's best to ignore me at my worst. In B.'s case, that means ignoring most of what I say — 24/7.
Starting in the beginning of April, you can find Mr. wOw at MrwOwblog.com. I will be unchanged. Fast and loose with my thoughts, grammar and punctuation. (Somebody once asked me, "How would you describe your writing style?" I said: "Dashes, italics, exclamation points, and mistakes.")
I will remain anonymous. Although I might finally publish a photo. You won't know me. Maybe something with the Christmas tree or a cat. My ridiculous tuxedo avatar will remain.
I am at sea. I don't have a paddle. I can't find land. I am trusting you all to help me survive. Think about B., even if you don't care much for me. He's tired! And so smart. I always think he's mistaken me for another Mr. wOw — the competent one, in a parallel universe.
Love you all, talk to you soon —
Mr. wOw
P.S. Thanks to Joni Evans and her band of stalwart editors (Hilary Black, Emily Gallagher, and Sylvia Marino) who allowed me my place as the male voice on a women's site. I've been honored.


text:
Emma Frain
We all know that Emma Frain is one of the most popular glamour babes in the UK today. Listing all her magazine appearances is not only pointless, it's also stupid. How stupid? Well, you wouldn't really dig up any magazine that featured her, right? But you'd dig the photos you could have readily, now that your in front of your computer. So do yourself a favor and start browsing below.
We hope you enjoyed this Emma Frain article! Like us on Facebook!


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Staff below living wage
Posted: November 14, 2012|
Hundreds of workers at Cambridge University and its colleges are being paid below the national living wage.
In total, 145 staff employed by Cambridge University are paid below the equivalent of £7.20 per hour as of October 30 this year – and this does not include those employed by each of the 31 colleges.
The news comes after Cambridge City Council voted to ensure it would apply the rate to its staff pay rather than the legal minimum wage of £6.19.
The information has come to light following a Freedom of Information request submitted by student newspaper Varsity.
More people are being paid less than the living wage by the university now than last year – up from 112 in 2011 to 145 this year.
Of the colleges, Gonville and Caius pay 42 staff below the living wage and Fitzwilliam pays 23.
A Cambridge University spokesman said: "The university has pay scales which are derived from national pay bargaining on behalf of the universities sector.
"The minimum point of the university scale has just increased to £11,175. The university pay scales are above the national minimum wage. The colleges are separate employers and determine their own pay rates."


text:
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 9,665 people, 3,635 households, and 2,599 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,280.8 people per square mile (494.3/km˛). There were 3,853 housing units at an average density of 510.6/sq mi (197.0/km˛). The racial makeup of the city was 96.36% White, 0.33% African American, 0.71% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 1.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.70% of the population.
There were 3,635 households out of which 40.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.2% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.5% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.9% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 34.5% from 25 to 44, 16.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 88.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,210, and the median income for a family was $40,069. Males had a median income of $30,599 versus $21,794 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,912. About 10.4% of families and 11.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.3% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.
Source: Wikipedia


text:
Submitted By Firm:
McLennan Ross, LLP
Gerhard Seifner, Glenn D. Tait
Date Published:
Article Type:
Legal Update
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By Michelle Thériault
On Friday December 13, 2013, the Supreme Court of Canada released its decision in IBM Canada Limited v. Waterman, relating to whether damages awarded to an employee for wrongful dismissal should be reduced if the employee receives pension benefits as a result of the dismissal. The majority of the Court decided that pension benefits should not be deducted from wrongful dismissal awards.
This matter came before the courts after Richard Waterman, a 42-year employee, was terminated by IBM Canada without cause, with two months' working notice. Shortly after his termination, Mr. Waterman obtained part-time alternative employment. At the time of dismissal, Mr. Waterman was 65 years old and eligible for pension benefits.
Mr. Waterman sued IBM Canada for wrongful dismissal, on the basis that he was entitled to a longer reasonable notice period upon termination. The Supreme Court of British Columbia determined that IBM breached Mr. Waterman's employment contract by failing to provide him with reasonable notice and that he was entitled to an additional eighteen months of notice. As such, Mr. Waterman was awarded the income and benefits that he would have earned during the eighteen month notice period, less the income that he earned in his alternate employment during the notice period. However, the Court did not deduct the pension benefits paid to Mr. Waterman during the notice period from his damage award.
IBM appealed this decision to the British Columbia Court of Appeal on the single issue of the deductibility of pension benefits. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, concluding that pension benefits are not a form of salary replacement, which could be deductible from a damage award, but are instead earned and belong to the employee. IBM again appealed this decision to the Supreme Court of Canada on the same issue. IBM argued that under the law, damage awards should place the plaintiff in the economic position that he or she would have been in had there been no breach of contract, and not in a better position (the "compensation principle"). As such Mr. Waterman's damages should be reduced by his pension, because otherwise he would be receiving both his regular salary and pension for the same period, and would therefore be placed in a better position than he would have been if the contract was fulfilled. The Majority of the Court determined that pension benefits fall into an exception to the compensation principle and dismissed the appeal, affirming that pension benefits are not deducted from damage awards for wrongful dismissal.
It is also noteworthy that the Majority of the Court spent some effort distinguishing this decision from one of its previous decisions, Sylvester v. British Columbia, which determined that disability benefits were to be deducted from damages awarded for wrongful dismissal. The Court's decision in Sylvester had previously led to some uncertainty in the law around the deductibility of pensions from damage awards. The Majority highlighted that in Sylvester the disability payments were entirely funded by the employer and the benefits were intended to be an income replacement. Conversely, in the current decision, the employee earned the benefits, had ownership in the benefits and they were not an indemnity for lost earnings.
Though this decision will certainly provide welcomed clarity and will lead to more certainty around the deductibility of pension benefits from damage awards, it is important to recognize that it is limited to unmodified pension benefits. That is, the Majority did not address situations where an employer offers an employee an enhanced pension to compensate the employee for early retirement upon termination. However, the jurisprudence from lower courts does suggest that damage awards can be reduced by the amount of the enhanced portion of the benefit. The reasoning of the Supreme Court in the current decision, while not addressing this issue, does not appear inconsistent with this conclusion.
Your free resource for obtaining labor and employment law information worldwide.
Altra Industrial Motion Inc. has multiple locations in the U.S., as well as Central America, Europe, and Asia. The Employment Law Alliance has proved to be a great asset in assisting us in dealing with employment issues and matters in such diverse venues as Mexico, Australia, and Spain. We have obtained excellent results using the ELA network for matters ranging from a multi-state review of employment policies to assisting with individual employment issues in a variety of foreign jurisdictions.
In one instance, we were faced with an employment dispute with a former associate in Mexico that had the potential for substantial economic exposure. The matter had been pending for over a year, and we were not confident in the employment advice we had been receiving. I obtained a referral to the ELA counsel in Mexico, who was able to obtain a favorable resolution of the dispute in only a few days. Based on our experiences with the ELA, we would not hesitate to use its many resources for future employment law needs.
In my career I have been a practicing attorney, counsel to the Governor of Maine, and CEO of a major public utility. I have worked with many lawyers in many settings. When the American University in Bulgaria needed help with employment litigation in federal court in Syracuse, New York, we turned to Pierce Atwood, the ELA member we knew and trusted in Maine, for a referral. We were extremely pleased with the responsiveness and high quality of service we received from Bond Schoeneck & King, the ELA's firm in upstate New York. I would not hesitate to recommend the ELA to any employer.
David T. Flanagan
Member of Board of Trustees
I really enjoyed the Conducting an Effective Internal Investigation in the United States webinar. We are in the midst of a rather delicate employee relations issue in California right now and the discussion helped me tremendously. It also reinforced things that you tend to forget if you don't do these investigations frequently. So, many, many thanks to the Employment Law Alliance for putting that webinar together. It was extremely beneficial.
Lynn Clayton
Vice President, Human Resources
I recently participated in the ELA-sponsored webinar on the Employee Free Choice Act. I was most impressed with that presentation. It was extremely helpful and very worthwhile. I have also been utilizing the ELA's online Global Employer Handbook. This compliance tool is absolutely terrific.
I am familiar with several other products that purport to provide up-to- date employment law information and I believe that this resource is superior to other similar compliance manuals. I am delighted that the ELA provides this free to its members' clients.
Employment Law Alliance (ELA) has provided Boyd Coffee Company with a highly valued connection to resources, important information and learning. With complex operations and employees working in approximately 20 states, we are continually striving to keep abreast of specific state laws, many of which vary from state to state. We have participated in the ELA web seminars and have found the content very useful. We appreciate the ease, cost effectiveness and quality of the content and presenters offered by these web seminars. The Global Employer Handbook has provided our company with a very helpful overview of legal issues in the various states in which we operate, and the network of attorneys has helped us manage issues that have arisen in states other than where our Roastery and corporate headquarters are located in Portland, Oregon.
As an international operating outsourcing and consulting supplier Capgemini has used firms of the Employment Law Alliance in Central Europe. We were always highly satisfied with the quality of employment law advice and the responsiveness. I can really recommend the ELA lawyers.
As an employment lawyer based in San Francisco, I work closely with high tech clients with operations around the globe. Last year, one of my clients needed to implement a workforce reduction in a dozen countries simultaneously. And they gave me 48 hours to accomplish this. I don't know how I could have pulled this off without the resources of the ELA. I don't know of any single law firm that could have made this happen. My client received all of the help they needed in a timely fashion and on a cost effective basis.
Stephen J. Hirschfeld
As the Vice President for Litigation & Associate General Counsel for my company, I need to ensure that we have a team of top-notch employment lawyers in place in every jurisdiction where we do business. And I want to be confident that those lawyers know our business so they don't have to reinvent the wheel when a new legal matter arises. With more than 3400 stores and 35,000 employees operating in all 50 U.S. states and across Canada, we rely on the ELA to partner with us to help accomplish our objectives. I have been delighted with the consistent high quality of the work performed by ELA lawyers. I encourage other in-house counsel to use their services, as well.
Ingram Micro is the world's largest technology distributor, providing sales, marketing, and logistics services for the IT industry around the globe. With over 13,000 employees working throughout the U.S. and in 35 international countries, we need employment lawyers who we can count on to ensure global legal compliance. Our experience with many multi-state and multi-national law firms is that their employment law services are not always a high priority for them, and many do not have experts in many of their offices. The ELA has assembled an excellent team of highly skilled employment lawyers, wherever and whenever I need them, and they have proven to be an invaluable resource to our company.
Our company, Konami Gaming, Inc., is growing rapidly in a very diverse and highly regulated industry. We are aggressively entering new markets outside the domestic U.S., including Canada and South America. I have had the recent opportunity to utilize the services provided by the ELA. The legal advice was both responsive and professional. Most of all, the entire process was seamless since our Nevada attorney coordinated the services and legal advice requested. I look forward to working with the ELA in the future, as it serves as a great resource to the legal community.
Jennifer Martinez
Vice President, Human Resources
Until recently, I was unaware of the ELA's existence. We have subsidiaries and affiliates throughout the United States, as well as in Asia, the Middle East and Europe. When a recent legal issue arose in Texas, our long-time Nevada counsel, who is a member of the ELA, suggested that this matter be handled by his ELA colleague in Dallas. We are very pleased with the quality and timeliness of services provided by that firm, and we are excited to now have the ELA as an important asset to help us address employment law issues worldwide.
The ELA network has been immensely important to our company in helping us address an array of human resources challenges around the world. I strongly encourage H.R. executives who have employees located in many different jurisdictions to utilize the ELA's unparalleled expertise and geographic coverage.
Stacy Murphy
Former Senior Director of Human Resources
As the General Counsel for a company with 6,500 employees operating across the U.S. and in eight countries, it is critical that I have top quality lawyers on the ground where we do business. The ELA is an indispensable resource. It has taken the guesswork out of finding the best employment counsel wherever we have a problem.
Jill K. Bond
Senior Vice President/General Counsel, Shared Services and Benefits
We have direct sales and service offices all over the U.S., but have not necessarily had the need in the past for assistance with legal work in every state where we have a business presence. From time to time, we suddenly find ourselves facing a legal issue in a state where we have no outside counsel relationship. It has been a real benefit to know that the ELA has assembled such an impressive team of experts throughout the U.S. and overseas.
A few years ago, we faced a very tough discrimination lawsuit in Mississippi. We had never had to retain a lawyer there before. I was absolutely delighted with the Mississippi ELA firm. We received an excellent result. They will no doubt handle all of our employment law matters in Mississippi in the future. I have also obtained the assistance of several other ELA firms around the U.S. and have received the same outstanding service. The ELA is a tremendous resource for our company.
Our affiliated companies have used the Employment Law Alliance in connection with numerous acquisitions, and have always been extremely pleased with our ability to obtain the highest quality legal advice on due diligence issues from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. We have found the Employment Law Alliance firms to be not only first rate with respect to their legal advice but also responsive and timely in assisting us with federal and state law issues critical to our due diligence efforts. We consider the Employment Law Alliance to be an important part of our team.
We have partnered with many ELA firms on the development and execution of case management strategies with very positive results. We have been very pleased with the legal advice and counsel provided by the law firms we have utilized who are affiliated with the Employment Law Alliance. The ELA firms we have worked with are customer focused, responsive, and thorough in their approach to handling labor and employment law matters.
Elizabeth Daly
Assistant General Counsel
Sanmina-SCI has facilities strategically located in key regions throughout the world. Our customers expect that we will provide them with the highest quality and most sophisticated services in the marketplace. We have that same expectation for the lawyers with whom we do business. With operations in 17 countries, we need to be certain that we have a team of lawyers working together to address our employment law needs worldwide. The ELA has delivered exactly what it promised-- seamless and consistent high quality services delivered in each locale around the globe. It has quickly become a key asset for our human resources department.
We own, manage, and franchise hotels throughout the U.S. and in more than 90 countries. With more than 145,000 employees worldwide, ensuring that we comply with the complex web of local labor and employment laws in every one of these jurisdictions is a daunting task. The Employment Law Alliance has served as an important resource for us and we have benefited greatly from its expertise and long reach. When a legal dispute or issue has arisen in some far-flung place, Employment Law Alliance lawyers have always provided responsive, practical, and cost-effective assistance.
Wilmington Trust has used the ELA to locate firms in California, Washington State, Georgia, and Europe. Our experience with the ELA lawyers with whom we have worked has always been one of complete satisfaction and prompt, practical advice.
Michael A. DiGregorio
General Counsel
©2015 Employment Law Alliance. All Rights Reserved.


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You're not serious about snubbing me again are you? I'll let you play with my cow balls,,,,dang!! I meant bells. Ding, ding, ding!!!!
You're the David Letterman to our top ten list, gap in tooth and all!!!!
I've never been able to resist your big bells. They way they ding back and forth, really puts the dang back in the ding.
I'd like to continue my snubbing, now that you're on the top ten list, but you're too irresistable, besides I win over you in any other aspect anyways :D
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Item Description
Reap the Rewards is a mid-tempo inspirational rock piece featuring clean guitars, muted guitars, distortion guitars, synth pads, and violins. It has a simple guitar solo towards the end.
It can be used for motivational and inspirational corporate videos, presentations, product showcases, and other media productions.
Files included:
ReapTheRewards.mp3 (1:26) ReapTheRewards.wav (1:26)


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High quality, budget accommodation ideal for both families and business travellers. Spacious, en suite bedrooms feature tea and coffee making facilities, and Freeview TV in most hotels. Internet acces...More about Premier Inn Crewe/Nantwich
Close to the M6 and perfect for either a midweek stop-off or a weekend getaway, Oakland House offers a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Bedrooms, some of which are in a separate chalet, are attractive...More about Oakland House
Hampton House is located on a quiet farm and offers thoughtfully appointed accommodation and a warm welcome. Parts of the house are reputed to date from 1600, and its stylish decor highlights the many...More about Hampton House Farm
This beautiful property and former coaching inn is located in the heart of the town and has a public bar full of character. The fully equipped bedrooms are well laid out and are equally suited to both...More about The Tudor House


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Moth Collective animate environmental issues with spectacular flair for WWF
Trying to draw attention to a complex ecological issue is a pretty tough brief – for some reason people tend to turn off whenever the environment is discussed, despite it being one of the biggest problems facing humanity. We don't want to get all preachy, and we sure as hell don't like it when other people do, but Moth Collective's stunning new animation for WWF deals with the issue of EU fishing regulations with a delicate touch and perfect pace, meaning you can sit back and enjoy some seriously skilful simulated movement and do a little bit of green learning at the same time. Lovely.


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|Viewing 1-3 of 3 Record(s)
|Title: Pathways to Reading: The Role of Oral Language in the Transition to Reading
|Source: Dev.Psychol., 2005, 41 :2 ,pg 428- 442
|Subjects: oral language reading competence school transition vocabulary knowledge comprehensive language grammar semantics word recognition early reading skill Knowledge Level Language Reading Ability Vocabulary Early Childhood Development
|Additional Information: ID: 1656; ID: 383; ID: 79; 02477-013. Institutional Authors: NICHD Early Child Care Research Network. Release Date: 20050314. Publication Type: Journal; Peer Reviewed Journal. Media Covered: Electronic. Media Available: Print. Document Type: Original Jour
|Ref ID: 93540
|Title: Caregivers' epistemological beliefs in toddler programs
|Authors: Berthelsen,Donna;Brownlee,Joanne;Boulton-Lewis,Gillian
|Source: Early Child Development and Care, 2002, 172 :5 ,pg 503- 516
|Subjects: epistemological beliefs knowing learning caregiving caregivers toddler care programs Child Care Workers Employee Attitudes Epistemology Child Care Knowledge Level
|Additional Information: ID: 1753; ID: 459; ID: 1510; 11030-007. First Author & Affiliation: Berthelsen, Donna; Queensland U of Technology, Ctr for Applied Studies in Early Childhood, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. Other Journal Title: Early Child Development and Care. Release Date: 2
|Ref ID: 93782
|Title: How Do We Define Director Competence?
|Authors: Bloom,Paula
|Source: Child Care Information Exchange, 2000, :132 ,pg 13- 13-18
|Subjects: Illinois Administration Administrator Attitudes Administrator Qualifications Administrators Competence Credentials Day Care Definitions Knowledge Level Performance Based Assessment Young Children
|Additional Information: ID: 6136; NO: Source type: scholarlyjournals; Object type: Report; Object type: Article; CSAUnique: EJ620302; AccNum: EJ620302; ISSN: 0164-8527
|Ref ID: 93825
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|Nina Skaggs Tunks
|Thursday, 18 October 2012 07:44
Nina Skaggs Tunks, 95, of Brownsville, KY died Tuesday, October 16, 2012 in Bowling Green, KY. The Edmonson Co. native was born March 8, 1917 to the late Eugene Skaggs and the late Zora Crowder Skaggs and the wife of the late Sol Tunks. She was the bookkeeper for Gene Tunks Country Store in Westminister ,CA and was the oldest living member of Midway United Missionary Baptist Church.
She is survived by one son, Sol Eugene Tunks and wife, Georgia Ellen of Garden Grove, CA; one daughter, Marianne Elizabeth Tunks-Stevens of Annadale, New Jersey; four grandchildren, Hope Renee Tunks-Davis, Kathleen Ellen Tunks-Toth, Heather Suzanne Stevens-Rubino and Joshua Eugene Stevens; seven great grandchildren and one great great grandchild.
Funeral services for Nina Skaggs Tunks will be held on Friday at 2pm at the Patton Funeral Home, Brownsville Chapel with burial in the Midway Church Cemetery.
Visitation Thursday, October 18, 2012 from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM and Friday, October 19, 2012 from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
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- Kelsygag


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Moved this since it's still ongoing.
Good to see us win the T20... the batting's looking a bit light now, Clare Taylor has gone home injured. Massive blow.
Moved this since it's still ongoing.
Good to see us win the T20... the batting's looking a bit light now, Clare Taylor has gone home injured. Massive blow.
MCG outfield nice and wet, slows down the shots even more. Reduced to 16 overs per side.
Member of CW Green
Kerry O'Keefe - Worlds funniest Commentator
Fair play to England. Worthy win. Didn't plan on watching it, in all honesty, but my sleeping patterns are still all over the place after the Ashes and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Lydia Greenway a talented batter, strong on the sweep.
Cricket Web's 2013/14 Premier League Tipping Champion
- As featured in The Independent.
"The PFA does not represent players when they have broken the law and been convicted on non-football matters."
- Gordon Taylor in 2009 following Marlon King's release after a prison sentence for sexual assault & ABH
The only thing stopping it from being a total farce is the fact that England have a few sorts in their team.
Parmi | #1 draft pick | Jake King is **** | Big Bash League tipping champion of the universeCome and Paint Turtle
Good to see you posting on a topic you should be posting on.
WWCC - Loyaulte Mi Lie
"People make me happy.. not places.. people"
"When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life." - Samuel Johnson
"Hope is the fuel of progress and fear is the prison in which you put yourself" - Tony Benn
#408. Sixty three not out forever.
I'm impressed with England's performance atm, especially with their batting. The two Taylors are big losses to their line-up, and Beth Morgan going home too really tests the depth. Their catching was a bit atrocious today though. Not too great an exhibit for the game, but Sthalekar and Blackwell took a couple of pretty good catches to lift it up.
Supporting: NSW & Australia, women's cricket
It was a very well-paced chase, I'd say. Cleverly done. Played.
Whatever happened to Katherine Brunt?
The Cricket Web Podcast - episode 1 out now
We're on iTunes - why not give us a review?
Is this the first time womens cricket has been shown on free-to-air tv in Australia?
I remember watching a world cup match a few years back on free to air.
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RALEIGH, N.C. — A bill that passed the State House Thursday would tighten eligibility rules for NC Pre-K, the state's free program for at-risk 4-year-olds.
Under the current program, children of families making up to 75 percent of the state's median income, or about 200 percent of the federal poverty level, are considered "at risk" and therefore eligible for the program. For a family of three, that's about $39,000.
The proposed bill would redefine of "at-risk" children to those in families making no more than 100 percent of the poverty level, or about $19,500 for a family of three.
Some counties estimate the changes would decrease the number of eligible children by as much as one-third to one-half. About 60,000 children in North Carolina are currently eligible.
Eligibility standards also include children with active military parents or parents who've died in the military, as well as children with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) that address developmental disabilities, chronically ill children and children with limited English proficiency.
Cindy Watkins, Executive Director of the Guilford County Partnership for Children, says she appreciates the state's effort to help the most vulnerable children.
However, she has concerns with this particular method.
"Guilford County has one of the largest NC Pre-K programs in the state. I worry that changing the definition of 'at risk' doesn't change a child's need for growth and development. We've built this great infrastructure for Pre-K to continue growing. I'd hate to now lose capacity or children because the eligibility changes."
"Not to capitalize on these children at a critical time is concerning," Watkins added.
Bill Pless, Davidson County's Executive Director of Smart Start of Davidson County, agreed. "What we're in the business of doing is to serve the most children we can. So when if those requirements change? It would actually probably bring down the number of children we serve."
Parent Brittany Morris said she'd have to give up her part-time job if her daughter was not in Pre-K. And paying for Pre-K or child care each month could cost hundreds of dollars; it's not an option for Morris.
"I couldn't afford it. I couldn't," she explained. "And this program is amazing for kids. I've really seen a huge improvement in my daughter and all her friends."
Watkins also pointed out, retaining children in later grades could be more expensive down the line than investing in Pre-K now.
The proposal passed the State House Thursday and now goes to the State Senate for a vote.
"I just hope when they make all these proposals they always make sure to think about the children and future of these children," said NC Pre-K teacher Olive Slemp.


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Book Signing In Boulder, CO
Why Read This Book?
Who Should Read This Book?
Can This Book Help You?
Table Of Contents
Read Chapter 1
Read Three Chapters
Index Of Book
ARTICLES by C DeSALVO:
Ages Of The Universe
Atheism Says It's Never
Your Fault
Capsule Wisdom
Christianity Is Evil
Christ's Last Miracle
Chaos Became Order
First Cell
First Reason, Then Faith
God Has A Plan
Information Theory
Sexual Reproduction
Stonehenge Is An Accident
Suffering And God
The Evolution Delusion
The God Delusion's
What Atheists Believe
Who Made God?
Why Atheism Is False
God And Science
Reason To Believe
Italian American Press
Case Against Faith
The Irrational Atheist
Information Theory
Schroeder's Web Site
Do you want to think seriously and deeply about God? Then you should be interested in this book. "GOD?" presents ALL major evidence and arguments on both sides of the debate about God's existence. What book have you ever read that DID that? "GOD?" simply yet clearly addresses: How first life formed, the evolution of species, the immortality of single-cellular life, the development of birth, aging and natural death in multi-cellular life, the astonishing complexity of a single cell and of life's molecular machines, the genius of the DNA language, human cell suicide, adult development from one fertilized egg cell, strange life forms, the scientific and religious creation stories for the universe, black holes, zero-point energy, earth's fantastically favorable environment for star-gazing, electrons, photons, neutrinos and other mass and energy particles of the universe, Heisenberg's uncertainty principle that sets a limit on knowledge, the wave-particle duality of light, dark matter and dark energy, teleportation, science vs religion, puzzling scientific and religious mysteries, the Big Bang beginning of the universe, early time flow vs. current time flow, Biblical questions, parables and valid prophecies, Jesus' life, miracles and Resurrection, the 14th century "faking" of the Shroud, the Sudarium, and more. It summarizes for the lay-person, those aspects of quantum mechanics, general and special relativity, particle physics and other sciences pertinent to the question of God.
Why do you believe – or why do you not believe? Do you really understand the basis for your belief? Are you rational enough to listen to both sides of the debate -- presented clearly, simply and logically? Click "Table Of Contents" and view the headings presented. Click "Index Of Book" to scan the book's index. For more depth click "Read Chapter 1" to view the full text of Chapter 1. Then click "Read Three Chapters" to see more.
Prices shown include all shipping and handling costs for U.S. delivery. Email email@example.com for non-U.S. delivery charges. The book may also be purchased at Amazon (Books - Search for: "GOD?" "DeSalvo") or found at Google (Books - Search for "GOD? Reviews All").


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New App Ensures You Are Never Late For Work Again!
Ingenius! Have you ever been late to work because when you wake mother nature has dumped 3 feet of snow on your car or Jack Frost has iced your wind screen to within an inch of its life? Never fear, the team at agency Boondoogle have created a super smart alarm clock called the 'Winter Wake-up' that monitors the weather over night and wakes you up early if things outside have got a little hairy!


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CAPTCHA (capture) is a type test Challenge / Response in a kind of, to be used to ensure that the responder is not a computer. CAPTCA is the most widely used as a method to verify that the user is human, and difficult to recognize in human beings on the other hand.
There are many different CAPTHA, Most of them are boring but "Catcha" is a unique and simple technique.
Approach is simple: just choose an image of the "cat" in the three images.