Sistema de obstáculos a ser integrado em tapetes rolantes (Obstacle system for integration into treadmills)

This patent covers a system for creating obstacles to be integrated into treadmills, enabling biomechanical analysis of gait. The system is triggered by analysis of data from pressure and/or force sensors placed at the individual’s points of support. It integrates a carriage mechanism that moves the obstacle along the treadmill, with adjustable angular position, velocity, and height. A wireless transmitter embedded in an insole with pressure sensors, paired with a receiver, detects the onset of gait and triggers the obstacle’s movement; after the obstacle is cleared, it is automatically retracted and repositioned at the start of the treadmill for the next cycle. Filed 2020-04-01, published 2021-10-01, and granted 2025-05-16 (Portuguese Industrial Property Bulletin 97/2025). Assignees - Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Centro de Inovação e Desenvolvimento (CID, Quinta de Prados, Vila Real), and Universidade da Beira Interior.

Portuguese Patent PT 116224 B. Instituto Nacional da Propriedade Industrial (INPI)