The third international day of YOGA is being celebrated worldwide on 21st June. On 11th December 2014, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared June 21st as International Day of Yoga. Yoga is a universal language which is not all about exercise but it has other dimensions attached to it. The word ‘Yoga’ literally means ‘union’- the union of mind, body and soul.
In this post, we bring to you some patent applications/patents that directly or indirectly relates to Yoga.
Indian Patents/Applications
Patent 1- Hand free Device for performing Anulom-Vilom Pranayam
A very interesting patent application filed by Mr. Ashim Gosh on 16th January 2016 relates to a device for helping a person perform Pranayam, specifically Anulom-Vilom Pranayam. The device automatically blocks the user’s nostril in a pre-determined manner and sets the time and pattern of treating. The patent is still pending examination. The first claim of the patent reads as follows:
A device Yoga Yantra Y1008 for performing Anulom-Vilom Pranayam (AVP) and other Pranayam techniques, by controlling and regulating human breathing in a precise manner, without using hand/fingers and which comprises of device casing 1 left & right wings; control button(s) 2; LCD display(s) 3; nostril blocker units 4, comprising of nostril blocker piston 10, nostril blocker mechanism 11 and nostril blocker adjustment screw 12; pressure sensors; strap 6; battery pack 5 and circuit board 7, where the position of said circuit board 7 is either inside the device casing 1 or as a separate unit; and where the said battery pack 5, said nostril blocker unit 4 and
said circuit board 7 are properly connected to each other by thin conducting wires, 8 and 9.
Comment: What if device blocks both nostrils and doesn’t let loose?
Patent 2- A comfortable chair for performing yoga
A patent was granted in 2006 to Brodesigns INC and titled “A seating device for supporting a user sitting in a cross-legged yoga position”. The Patent broadly relates to a seat to help a person perform yoga by sitting comfortably. The first claim of the Patent reads as follows:
A seating apparatus for supporting a user sitting in either a cross-legged position or a regular position comprising: a seat having a surface area wide enough to allow a user to sit on the seat in a cross-legged position and having tapered recesses in the front of the seat for allowing a user’s legs to hang comfortably over the front of the seat; and a base operatively connected to the seat for supporting the seat, the base for allowing use of the apparatus in a conventional chair-height environment.
Comment: Is it allowed to perform yoga on a chair?
Patent 3- Virtual reality and augmented reality based Yoga training technology
A patent application was filed by Yogaglo Inc in 2013 with respect to a technology for teaching and training Yoga remotely. The application is still at the examination stage before the Indian patent office. The first claim of the Patent reads as follows:
A system for automatically producing a video representation of a yoga class configured so a remote viewer enjoys the experience of being in a real yoga class, the system comprising: a studio having a front area and a rear area; an instructor position located in the front area and facing the rear area; an image capturing device for capturing video located in the rear area and disposed to capture an image of the instructor in the instructor position; a line of sight corridor disposed between the image capturing device and the instructor; a plurality of student positions, facing the instructor position, distributed across the studio between the instructor position and the image capturing device wherein the student positions do not impinge upon the corridor; sound capture equipment to capture at least audio of the instructions given by the instructor disposed in the instructor position to the students disposed in the student positions; and means for combining the audio and the video to form a video representation.
Comment: You don’t need to get up early and run to your yoga class, you can simply learn yoga at home using this patent
International Patents/ Applications
Patent 4 – Yoga meditation/savasana robe (yoga robe)
A patent application filed by Nysheva-Starr in 2015 discloses a robe for yoga practitioners to meditate and to comfort oneself to provide warmth during the yoga practice. This garment is called a robe which fully covers the body in 360 degrees and can resemble a robe, blanket or sleeping bag. It has sleeves that extend to the wrist and also a hood.
Comment: Meditate using a yoga robe and people will not know whether you are meditating in real or getting some shut eye.
Patent 5 – Instructional yoga game and method of play
A patent application titled “Instructional yoga game and method of play” with application no. 11/513,631 discloses a method of playing a Yoga game. The method includes the steps of selecting a card from a plurality of cards with illustrations of various yoga poses and a playing surface with illustrations of yoga poses. Further, the method further includes mimicking the illustration of the selected card and mimicking the same illustration on the selected card without looking at the card.
Comment: It certainly looks like a fun game with a good dose of health benefits.
Patent 6 – Kinesitherapeutic yoga for feet
A patent application with application no. RU2016109716A was granted by the Federal Service for Intellectual Property (ROSPATENT) in 2017 which discloses a cycle of performing exercises that provide comprehensive therapeutic effects. As described in the patent application, a course consists of 20-30 sessions and is also used for the treatment of diseases related to muscles like hallux valgus, transverse hallux and plantar fasciitis.
Comment: A peculiar patent which describes the method of treatment and traditional knowledge. Wonder what would have Indian Patent Office thought about this.
