NZ329288A - Testing animal athletic performance by measurement of three dimensional accelerations - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of collecting and analysing acceleration information for an animal. The method utilises a microprocessor connected to an accelerometer sensor device to test the performance of a racehorse. The method comprises sensing the acceleration of an animal during a run with the accelerometer sensor device. The acceleration being sensed in at least three dimensions in the horizontal and vertical planes. Each set of acceleration values is processed to produce horizontal and vertical values.

Description

PATENTS FORM NO. 5 Fee No. 4: $260.00 PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION After Provisional No: 329268 Dated: 25 December 1997 James & Wells Ref: 14085/19 MC IMPROVEMENTS TO METHODS OF TESTING We Alexandre Rovnyi, a Russian citizen of 96 Hall Street, Cambridge, New Zealand, and Ian James Jeffries, a New Zealand citizen of 75 Hautapu Road Cambridge, New Zealand hereby declare the invention for which I/We pray that a patent may granted to me/us, and the method by which it is to be performed to particularly described in and by the following statement: IMPROVEMENTS TO METHODS OF TESTING Technical Field This invention relates to improvements to methods of testing.

Specifically the invention may be applied to test the performance of a 5 race horse.

However, this specific application of the invention should in no way be seen as limiting - as those skilled in the art should realise that the invention may be used in other applications, not necessarily just with race horses. For example, the present invention may also be used with 10 greyhounds.

Background Art Horse racing has always enjoyed popularity, both as a recreational sport and an opportunity for gamblers to wager on the outcome of a race. Race horse owners may earn large amounts of money from a 15 winning horse, both from prizes won through wining races and stud fees later on in the horse's life.

A horse's owner needs to train their horse effectively to get the best performance from a horse. To be trained effectively the horse must be tested occasionally to determine what, if any, improvements have been 20 made over time using different training techniques. Testing of a horse's performance can also; • Show the distances over which the horse performs at its best.

• Determine the track and weather conditions under which a horse 2 performs well.

• Determine how well a horse is recovering from illness or responding to a method of training.

• Provide statistical data with regard to the horse's performance and 5 comparison with other horses.

One simple and commonly used method of testing a horse is to record the time it takes to complete a set distance training run. The time recorded may be compared with those recorded previously, to determine how the performance of the horse has changed generally 10 over time.

However, this method of testing provides only limited information with regard to how the performance of the horse has changed. No information is provided as to why the performance of the horse has increased, with only a general indication given of whether the horse is 15 performance has increased or deceased over time.

Another method of testing is by taking samples of its bodily fluids. For example, blood samples may be taken from the horse just before a run, as well as after the horse has run over a number of regular time intervals. Measurements of blood sugar, lactic acid or blood oxygen 20 levels may be obtained from the samples taken to provide data as to its performance.

This method of testing is slow and expensive. Several samples are required from a horse over the time the horse takes to recover from its training run, increasing stress to the horse and slowing the testing 25 process. In addition, further analysis work is required with each 3 sample - increasing the cost of this testing method and again slowing down the speed at which results may be obtained.

A method of testing a race horse which solved the problems associated with the prior art above would be of great advantage to horse's owners 5 and trainers.

US Patent No. 5097706 discloses a device for measuring the linear acceleration of an animal, and a horse is given as an example. The invention is deficient in that a number of accelerometers are required to be used to achieve the objects of the invention. The orientation of 10 the accelerometers relative to each other, and the devices positions on the horse is crucial to the accuracy and use of the invention described therein.

Further, the applicant has found that measurement of linear or angular speed does not necessarily correlate with the horses physical 15 ability and success in racing. This is because that two horses may have the same time around a track, however one may be working harder than the other for the same time.

Specifically a device which could accurately measure performance parameters such as acceleration, work done or power transferred 20 during a training run would be of great advantage.

A device which could be easily used by a horse trainer which did not distress the horse overly and which provided immediate information with regard to the horse's performance would also be of a great advantage over existing training devices.

A device that accurately measures acceleration without the 4 requirement of a particular location on the animal for accurate measurement, that is compact and lightweight would also be of great advantage.

It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoing 5 problems or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.

Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.

Disclosure of Invention According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a process of testing characterised by the steps of; a) sensing the acceleration of an animal with an accelerometer m at least three dimensions, and b) processing the acceleration data into performance information.

In preferred embodiments, the present invention may include a step of calibrating the acceleration sensor to account for relative positioning of the acceleration sensor on the animal.

Reference to true vertical and horizontal/lateral may be defined as the axis to the zenith, and to the horizon respectively.

Preferably, the calibration may be performed by correcting the reference frame of the accelerometer to that of true horizontal and vertical components: Preferably, this may be performed by positioning the accelerometer on A 1 7 T the animal, holding the animal still, and calculating an angle a = arccos (A/G), where G is an approximation of the acceleration of a body due to earth's gravity. Any approximation of G should not be seen to be 5 limiting, and more accurate readings may be used by including more decimal places for that figure, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Preferably, G may be 9.81. "a" may preferably be the angle between an axis of the acceleration 10 sensor when positioned on the horse for a particular output, and the true axis relative to the horizon corresponding to that output if the accelerometer was level.

"A" may be the output of the accelerometer for that axis.

The above equation may be solved for "a" using the equation and the 15 output of the accelerometer for that axis.

When the information from an axis on the accelerometer is processed, the angle of displacement "a" can be used to correct the reading so that the outputs were as if the reference frame was true horizontal.

In preferred embodiments, the process may include a step of 20 calibration by positions the acceleration sensor so the axis of the output of the accelerometer correspond to true vertical and horizontal, and the accelerometer gives a value corresponding to G In a preferred embodiment, the processing of the sensing acceleration 6 data into performance information may be characterised by the step of calculating a performance factor, defined as the modulus of the instantaneous acceleration components.

Such a modulus may be calculated using the following formula: 5 F2 = Ax2 + By2 + CAZ2 Where F is a performance factor, Ax is instantaneous acceleration component in a first dimension, By is instantaneous acceleration component in a second dimension, and Cz is instantaneous acceleration component in a third dimension.

Preferably, the process may include the step of logging a range of F values.

Preferably, the acceleration vector may be defined in 3-dimensional; cartesian co-ordinates with corresponding X, Y, Z axes.

However, defining the acceleration vector in three dimensions with 15 cartesian co-ordinates should not be seen to be limiting the scope of the present invention, as the present invention may use vectors defined in any number of dimension or co-ordinate systems.

For example, the modulus may be calculated in some embodiments using spherical co-ordinates, polar co-ordinates, cylindrical, or 20 cartesian co-ordinates.

In a preferred embodiment, the modulus may be calculated using cartesian co-ordinates. The advantage of using cartesian co-ordinates in the present invention is that they are better suited to the application of a moving animal, enabling acceleration data to be 7 obtained simply and quickly.

In preferred embodiments, there may be included the step of calculating a exertion level defined as the mean of the range of performance factors.

In preferred embodiments, the present invention may also include the step of determining the correlation between both positive and negative vertical movement, and the horizontal component of instantaneous acceleration of the animal.

Preferably this may be calculated using the function: E = l-corr(HRZ, VRT) where HRZ is the horizontal component of instantaneous acceleration and VRT is the vertical component of instantaneous acceleration for a range of values.

The correlation shall hereafter be referred to as Gallop Efficiency, 15 although this term should not be seen to be limiting in any way.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a device which includes at least one acceleration sensor to measure the acceleration of an animal in three dimensions, a processor and at least one indicator, the device characterised in that the indicator indicates performance information calculated from the acceleration sensed by the sensor.

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention may be configured to test an animal during physical activity. This process of testing may 8 give the invention's operator an indication as to the physical performance of the animal.

In a further preferred embodiment the physical activity in which the animal is tested over is a race or a speed time trial. This configuration 5 of the invention allows it to be used to measure the performance of a racing animal.

In preferred embodiment an animal which is tested may be a horse The horse tested may be trained as a racing horse, with the invention giving valuable feedback as to its performance under specific 10 conditions, or due to specific factors.

However, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be used in connection with other types of animal, not necessarily being just race horses.

For example, the invention may be configured for use with racing dogs, 15 human athletes or any other animal which is raced.

Reference throughout this specification shall now be made to the animal tested as being a horse. However, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other types of animal may be tested in conjunction with the present invention, not necessarily being just 20 horses.

In preferred embodiment of the present invention the acceleration sensor may be used to provide a data signal proportional to the instantaneous acceleration of a horse. This acceleration data may be used to provide information with regard to how the horse performed 25 over a specific period of time. 9 In a preferred embodiment the acceleration sensor used may be configured to measure either the vertical or horizontal acceleration of a horse during a training run. In a further preferred embodiment both vertical and horizontal acceleration are measured by the sensor. This information may be processed to give a qualitative indication of how a horse performs.

In a further preferred embodiment, the present invention may include an acceleration sensor which measures the acceleration of a horse in three dimensions. Any movement of the horse in any direction will therefore be sensed by such a sensor.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention an acceleration sensor used may provide an electrical output proportional to the acceleration sensed.

In a further preferred embodiment the acceleration sensor used may be a piezo-electric sensor, which is configured to measure very small movements. This type of sensor us extremely sensitive and well adapted for this application, and may provide an electrical output which can be conveniently processed by further stages of the measuring device.

A piezo-electric sensor is configured to convert mechanical vibrations or oscillations into an electrical signal. This type of sensor may provide an electrical output for very small physical displacements.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the sensor transmits measurement data to the processor. This measurement data may be used to measure the instantaneous acceleration of the horse at one particular point and time.

In preferred embodiment the processor receives measurement data from an acceleration sensor and processes this data into performance information.

In a further preferred embodiment performance information as produced by the invention may include the instantaneous acceleration of the horse at one point and time, the amount of work done by a horse over a period of time and the average power transfer of the horse over a period of time.

Preferably, instant acceleration may be calculated from one or a combination of dimensional components at a particular time from the acceleration vector.

Preferably, instant speed may be calculated by integrating instantaneous acceleration data. Statistical information may include averages, means, modes, or regressions, also calculated by the present invention to provide a process of testing and performance information.

A further advantage of calculating the performance factor as the modulus of the acceleration in three dimensions, is that the need to level or position the invention accurately on an animal is eliminated. In this embodiment, the invention may also be positioned on any point on the animal.

In such a preferred embodiment, calculating instantaneous acceleration in the vertical, horizontal and side directions using cartesian co-ordinates provides advantages over using a timer. 11 In the case of a timer an animal may perform the same lap time as another animal. With a timer, there is no way of calculating the amount of work the animal is doing to complete the lap.

An animal may exert more effort than another animal to provide the same result, and hence may not be performing well. This discrepancy can be detected by calculating the three dimensional instantaneous acceleration of the animals and comparing the two results.

Consequently, fitness levels and other performance levels may be assessed with greater efficiency.

The data obtained from a particular animal may be compared against a performance scale derived by taking many performance factor readings from different animals over time. This set scale of performance factor may show that an animal is average, lower than average, or of higher than average ability.

Thus, an animal may be selected on the basis of a performance an assessment and suitability for a task or conditions.

In preferred embodiment of the present invention the processor may be a micro controller or microprocessor. This type of electrical device is extremely versatile for processing applications and may be configured to process sensor data in a number of ways.

In a further preferred embodiment the microprocessor used is configured to include amplifier, filtering, integration, and output stages.

The amplifier stage may take the raw sensor data fed into the 12 processor and amplify it to a level where the micro processor may easily read and manipulate it. The filtering stage may be configured to remove specific frequency signals from the sensor data, retaining only the set bandwidth of frequencies for further processing.

In preferred embodiment the filtering stage removes high and low frequency bands from the sensor data to leave a middle range band which may be acted upon by the integration stage.

The integration stage may be included to integrate acceleration data with respect to time, to give information indicative of the work done by a horse over a specific period of time. The work information obtained may also be integrated again by the integration stage to give an indication of the power transferred by the horse over a specific period of time.

The processor may also include an output stage which configures the performance information obtained into a format which may be readily received by the device's indicator.

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention the processor includes three separate processing arms which each including its own amplification, filtering, integration and output stages. Each arm may be configured to process data from the acceleration sensor, with three arms being required to process the three dimensioned movements of a horse.

In alternative embodiments of the present invention the processor used may not be implemented with use of a microprocessor. For example, several discrete integrated circuits may be configured in each of the 13 processing stages required.

Reference throughout this specification shall now be made to the processor as being implemented using a microprocessor. However, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other processing components may be used, not necessarily being just a microprocessor.

In additional embodiments the processor may also include electronic memory devices. Such memory devices may be used to log or record the performance information obtained from a training run, and display this information through the indicator as required by the invention's operator. In a further preferred embodiment the processor may include a memory card such as a PCMCIA card. Such a memory device may be included into the processor easily and relatively cheaply.

In a further alternative embodiment the processor may also include a secondary output distinct from that used with the indicator stage. Such an output may be used to connect the processor to a computer or another processor to which the performance information may be transmitted. This configuration allows the performance information of a horse to be down loaded into a personal computer and stored in a database format, providing a long term record of the horse's performance.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the processor may also derive information from the sensed acceleration data which gives an idea of the distance covered by the horse over a period of time. In addition, the processor may also include a clock to measure time periods and allow for a trainer to enter a value for the horses mass into the processor. 14 These parameters may be used by the processor to calculate accurate values of acceleration, work done and power transfer for each horse, which may then be compared relative to measurements made of other horses. In this way a direct comparison of a number of horses may be made under similar environmental conditions.

In a further preferred embodiment the operation of the processor is event triggered. The processor may not start to process data sensed by the acceleration sensor until this sensed data reaches a particular threshold value. This feature of the invention may be used to stop the measuring device recording information when a horse has walked out to the starting line, and start the processing and recordal of information once the horse rises to a gallop.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the indicator may be a liquid crystal display. Using a liquid crystal display as the indicator allows performance information to be easily passed to the indicator from the processor and displayed from electrical source signal.

However, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other types of indicator may be used in conjunction with the invention, not necessarily being a liquid crystal display. For example, banks of light emitting diodes (LEDs), or small cathode ray tubs may be configured for use as an indicator.

In a preferred embodiment the measuring device may be configured with all its components contained within the same housing. The housing used may be configured to be shock and waterproof, as well as including a battery power supply for the measuring device's components. This configuration the invention allows a self contained portable unit to be formed which does not require connection via cables to any other components.

In a preferred embodiment the acceleration sensor may be attached to the devices housing via a series of data feed cables and fixed underneath the saddle of a horse when in use. The testing devices housing may then be fixed to the rear of the horses saddle out of the way of its rider. The devices indicator may face upwards when in place, allowing it to be viewed easily by the rider, or a horses trainer.

The acceleration sensor may be mounted inside a "double saddle" cushioning the sensor between a layer of padding and the saddle on which a jockey sits. It is envisioned that the sensor may be able to record acceleration data in this configuration even if a jockey is not mounted on the horse and its saddle. The movement of the source will still trigger the formation of a signal in the sensor, again giving information with regard to the horse's instantaneous acceleration.

The present invention as configured holds several advantages over prior art devices and methods.

The invention provides immediate information with regard to a horse's performance after the horse has finished a training run. In addition, the information provided gives direct feedback as to the physical performance of the horse over a period of time. This information may be used to evaluate the success of training methods or the condition of the horse over time.

The present invention provides for instantaneous performance data, 16 that is not dependant on the relative positioning of the device on the animal. The use of the performance factor is independent of the orientation of the accelerometer. The calibration allows for measurements to be corrected as if in true cartesian co-ordinates. The advantage of measuring instantaneous acceleration is that for any distance, two animals may run the distance in an equal time. However, simple time measurement measuring the linear speed will not necessarily correlate to the performance of a horse. This is because for a particular distance, one animal may be working harder than another animal for the same time over a distance.

However, the applicants have found that the instantaneous acceleration will vary from animal to animal, and gives a better indication of the performance of the animal.

This is particularly important in the case of horses, as all horses have the same heart circulation pumping capacity. Therefore, it is important to identify which horses can use this capacity more efficiently. The method testing in accordance with the present invention gives this ability.

The present invention may be configured to display performance information from any specific period of time. The indicator may show instantaneous acceleration, average work and power transferred by a horse over one training run, or over an entire day or week.

The performance information obtained with use of the present invention can give a horses trainer an idea of what pace the horse should be run at for particular distance races. The trainer may gauge the optimum time to change "gears" on a horse to obtain the optimum 17 average speed over an average distance.

In addition, the present invention may be used to assess the viability of new diets and feeds over time with regard to the performance of a horse.

To accurately test the performance of a horse a trainer need not take numerous and painful blood samples from the horse, which then take a long time to analyse. In contrast, the information provided by the present invention is accessible right after the horse has finished a training run.

Brief Description of Drawings Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates a measuring device fitted to a horse as in one 15 embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 illustrates a block diagram of the processors components as configured in one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 illustrates a block diagram of the measuring devices components as configured another embodiment of the 20 present invention.

Figure 4 illustrates how the calibration stage may be performed in one preferred embodiment. 18 Figure 5 shows a typical print out of information in accordance with the present invention.

Best Modes for Carrying out the invention Figure 1 illustrates the measuring device 1 fitted to a horse 2 in as one 5 embodiment of the present invention.

The measuring device 1 is attached to the horse 2 on top of a saddle blanket 3.

A saddle (not shown) may then be placed on top of the measuring device 1 and saddle blanket 3 to retain the measuring device 1 in place 10 when in use.

Figure 2 illustrates a block diagram showing the components of the processor in one embodiment.

The processor includes an initial input stage 11. This input stage 11 receives sensor data from the acceleration sensors mounted on a horse 15 (not shown). The input stage may differentiate between signals it receives to determine whether the acceleration data is in the vertical direction or horizontal direction. The processor may also carry out the calibration stage previously described herein.

The processor also includes amplification stages 12 and 13 on two 20 separate arms 14 and 15. Arm 15 acts to process vertical acceleration data, whereas arm 4 acts to process horizontal acceleration data. Each arm includes an amplifier 12 and 13 to amplify the signals received from the input stage 11 to a magnitude which can be easily received by later stages of the processor. 19 Each arm of the processor also includes a filter stage 16. The filter stage 16 removes frequencies of the input data signal which are not required, leaving only the specific band width of signal which the processor acts upon.

Each arm of the processor also includes integration stages 17 and 18 These integration stages may integrate acceleration data filtered by the filter 16 to give information with regard to the work done by a horse and the power transferred.

The last section of the processor 11 is the output stage 19. The output stage 19 is linked to a liquid crystal display (not shown) which may indicate the performance information obtained through the processor With reference to figure 4, the processor may also have the necessary processing capacity to perform the necessary angular calculations to calculate the performance factor, which is the modulus of the instantaneous acceleration components in three dimensions.

The processor may also have the calculating ability to perform a calibration as previously herein described.

For each of the outputs corresponding to an axis on the accelerometer, (x', y' in figure 4, Z axis not shown) the angle of displacement "a" of that axis from a three dimensional cartesian co-ordinate system relative to true horizon (x, y) is calculated. The angle is then used to adjust the output measurements from a particular axis, which will correspond to an acceleration vector, so that it would be as if the axis of the accelerometer were aligned with cartesian co-ordinates of true horizontal.

This may be performed for each axis by using the equation: a = arccos (A/G) Where "a" is the angle of displacement from true vertical or horizontal and G is the acceleration of a body due to gravity This may be 5 approximated to 9.81m/s/s as an approximation. A is the output from the vertical (in this example) output from the accelerometer.

The calibration stage uses the -theory that if the accelerometer remains stationary, the output of the performance factor calculated should be the acceleration of a body due to gravity, approximated to 9.81m/s/s.

Therefore, by taking readings from the accelerometer while the horse is stationary, for a time, the angle "a" can be calculated using the above equation. This is illustrated briefly in figure 4. The device is shown so that the axis of the accelerometer do not align exactly with true vertical and horizontal.

The angle of displacement "a" from the true vertical can be calculated by taking the arccos of the output vector from the vertical axis of the accelerometer, A and dividing it by what it should be reading, when the horse is stationary, that is 9.81m/s/s.

This calculation can be performed for each axis x', y', z' of the 20 accelerometer.

The instantaneous acceleration component vectors can then be adjusted by making G the adjusted output, and solving for it using the above equation.

Figure 3 illustrates the measuring device as configured in another 21 embodiment of the present invention.

The measuring device 20 includes a sensor 21, amplifier 22 an analogue to digital converter (ADC) 23. Three separate data lines 31 are used to transmit analogue data signals from the sensor 21 through 5 to the ADC 23. These signal lines 31 may be used to transmit sensor data obtained from the three dimensional acceleration of the horse.

The ADC 23 may transmit digital data to an event trigger 27. The event trigger 27 passes this digital data on to other components of the processor once a specific threshold of acceleration sensed has been 10 reached.

The event trigger 27 is linked to integration stages 24 and 25 which integrate the digital acceleration data to provide information with regard to the work produced and power transferred from a horse Integration stages 24 and 25 may calculate the performance factor, 15 being the modulus of the acceleration vector in three dimensions as previously defined herein. This may be integrated to gain the instant speed of the horse.

Also included is a real time clock 28 which provides a time value with which the acceleration data is integrated with respect to.

The performance information calculated may be transferred to a memory block 26. The memory block 26 is linked to a display 29 and an output port 30. The memory block 26 may transmit performance information to be displayed to the display 29, or may transmit performance information through output port 30 to a personal 25 computer (not shown). 22

Claims (17)

Figure 5 shows a typical print out after the performance data has been processed. Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims. 23 received WHAT I CLAIM IS: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 2 5 JUL 2001. 1 - ! \ & 'ij 0

1. A method of collecting and analysing acceleration information for an animal, said method using a microprocessor device connected to an » accelerometer sensor device, and said method characterised by the steps of: (a) sensing the acceleration of an animal during a ran with the accelerometer sensor device, the acceleration being sensed in at least three dimensions in the horizontal and vertical planes, and (b) processing each set of acceleration values to produce horizontal and vertical values.

2. A method according to claim 1 in which the microprocessor evaluates the horizontal and vertical values to provide gallop efficiency, a subjective performance indicator, (E) based on the equation: E = l-corr(HRZ, VRT) where HRZ is said horizontal value and VRT is said vertical value.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2 including the step of calibrating the acceleration sensor to account for relative positioning of the acceleration sensor on the animal.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the calibration is performed by correcting the reference frame of the accelerometer on the animal to correspond to reference frame of true horizontal and vertical.

5. A method according to any one of claims 3 or 4, wherein the calibration includes the following steps: (i) placing the accelerometer on the animal. (ii) keeping the animal substantially still for a period of time, 24 INTEliECTUf^OPEflTY OFIC OgNij 2 i i)ilm -jIB- &H O C| INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 2 5 JUL 2001 received ^7 ( , ' > in (& (iii) collecting readings from the accelerometer outputs, (iv) calculating the angles of displacement of each axis of the accelerometer from the corresponding true horizontal and vertical, (v) using the angles calculated in step (iv) to adjust the accelerometer outputs so that the calculated instantaneous acceleration components correspond to the axes of true horizontal and vertical.

6. A method according to claim 2 wherein the processing of the acceleration data into gallop efficiency includes modifying the results of the defined function by a performance factor F, which is the modulus of the instantaneous acceleration components in three dimensions.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein a range of values for F are processed to give performance information.

8. A method according to either of claims 6 or 7 wherein the performance factor is used to calculate instantaneous acceleration of an animal.

9. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the animal is a horse.

10. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein the method includes the further step of calculating linear speed from the acceleration values.

11. A device for collecting and analysing acceleration information for an animal, said device including an acceleration sensor capable of measuring the acceleration of an animal in at least three dimensions in the horizontal and vertical planes during a run, and also including a microprocessor and at least one indicator, 25 He'1 '=■' the device characterised in that the microprocessor receives instantaneous acceleration data from the accelerometer and is controlled to provide horizontal and vertical acceleration values; *;the microprocessor also capable of farther analysing said horizontal and vertical acceleration values to show, on said indicator, a gallop efficiency, a subjective performance indicator, as a percentage of the function 1 - corr (HRZ, VRT), where HRZ is the horizontal instantaneous acceleration component and VRT is the vertical instantaneous acceleration component of the accelerometer output performance information calculated from the acceleration sensed by the sensor.;

12. A device according to claim 11 wherein device is controlled to produce an output as a consequence of the microprocessor processesing acceleration information according to a method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9.;

13. A device according to either of claims 11 or 12, wherein the acceleration sensor is an accelerometer with three outputs, each output giving an electrical output relating to the acceleration in an axis, proportional to the acceleration sensed in that axis.;

14. A device according to any one of claims 11 to 13 wherein the acceleration sensor is a piezo-electric sensor.;

15. A device as claimed in claims 11 to 14 wherein the micro-processor includes an amplifier, filtering, integration, and output stage.;

16. The method of claims 1 through 9 substantially herein described with reference to the accompanying examples and drawings.;rTNTELLtCTUALPROPERTY I OFFICE OF N.z.;2 5 JUL 2001 received^;26;

17. A device as substantially herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.;alexandre rovnyi & ian james jeffries;END OF CLAIMS;%* 27