Improved apparatus and methods of sensing or monitoring body orientation
and motion and measuring range of motion (ROM) for use in athletic
training and physical rehabilitation and evaluation. The apparatus
includes a 3-axis sensor, at least one memory, and at least one
processor, and is attachable to an object to be monitored. The 3-axis
sensor senses a magnitude of tilt along each of a first, second, and
third axis, the memory stores data representing the sensed magnitudes of
tilt, and the processor processes the data stored in the memory. In one
embodiment, the processor determines an angle between each of the first,
second, and third axes and a horizontal plane, and selects the two axes
corresponding to the two smallest angles between the three axes and the
horizontal plane. The processor then generates an indication of the
orientation of the object based upon the sensed magnitudes of tilt along
the two selected axes.