Development and Evaluation of an Exercycle Game Using Immersive Technologies
Abstract: Exercise video games have become increasing popular due to their promise to increasefitness and reduce obesity levels, and due to the emergence of cheap interface devices. Previous research reported mixed results about the effectiveness of such games. Common problems are the lack of long term motivation of users, games not taking into account specific patient requirements, repetitive gameplay, and vendor lockin. In this talk we present a novel exergame which addresses some of these shortcomings. The game employs an infinite randomly generated game environment, uses immersive technologies, and can be customized to take into account patient requirements. We present a prototype of this game design and present user studies evaluating its effectiveness using different levels of immersion, analysing different types of sensory feedback, and investigating suitability of immersive exergames for users with cognitive impairment (Parkinson’s Disease patients).
