Tuesday, September 26, 2023

'Exergaming' is the tech solution for fitness fatigue - Body & Soul


The other workout game changer has been virtual reality (VR) tech. Last year, the global VR fitness market was valued at $165 million, with a projected compound annual growth rate of almost 40 per cent that is expected to last until 2029, according to a recent HTF market report.
As part of the exergaming genre, VR exergaming has huge potential for adoption especially in the Metaverse.

Click here to read more of ExerGame Lab's archived posts involving research studies. 

Saturday, March 26, 2022

Less lonely Alzheimer's patients using virtual reality

Staying connected is important for anyone, but especially for those with early staged of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, virtual reality may be one way to provide a close emotional connection in the absence of physical connection.  Especially during the pandemic, virtual reality could be one means to keep older family members connected to the rest of the family.  
As reported at SXSW, using virtual reality to recall memories and names, and places it might not reverse demential or Alzheimer's but it can slow the progression.

'We're moving to the era of prescription digital medicines'



Click here to read more of ExerGame Lab's archived posts involving research studies. 

Friday, March 25, 2022

Brelyon Ultra Reality Display: VR without a headset


One of the largest complaints against VR headsets like Oculus Quest is the fact you have to cover your eyes completely, and for some the immersive environment is disorienting.  This new prototype by Breylon hopes to bridge the gap by using a large display that provides greater depth of field. One caveat is that you have to sit closer to the monitor than you would normally for a standard display.

If we're going to be spending more time in the metaverse, a big display like this might be an alternative to having to wear a headset all day for work, recreation, and exercise.

Projected for a 2024 release date and a price tag around $5,000 to $7,500, it won't be the first monitor to try to provide greater depth of field and immersion without a headset.


Thursday, March 24, 2022

Video games "exergames" enjoyable for beginners

Video games that require you to move are called exergames, and have been found to be a useful way to get more physical activity especially in those not getting the recommended levels of daily activity.



Not surprisingly, those that consistently played exergames enjoyed the experience more than traditional exercise. As previously reported, autonomy has been linked to enjoyment and participation levels; 

The researchers found that physical exertion levels were higher in traditional aerobics classes. But the exergamers enjoyed themselves more, and described a sense of autonomy over their workouts afterward—and this sense of autonomy could mean the difference between skipping the gym and choosing to exercise every day.

Friday, March 18, 2022

Virtual kayaking for stroke rehab

Stoke recovery patients were asked to play an exergame (Recovery Rapids) at home for three weeks and compared the results to patients who asked to do traditional therapy, and the results were similar.

"Motor practice: Participants agreed to play Recovery Rapids for a total of 15 hours (1·5 hours per day) on 10 treatment days over three weeks. This treatment schedule was designed to dose-match the duration of active motor practice provided in CI therapy (the same duration of active motor practice could be accomplished in half of the time because gaming treatment involves continuous practice without breaks for task set-up; automated feedback also occurs concurrently with game play). Participants could self-pace their game play (i.e., pause for short rests or begin another session later)."

Sunday, March 13, 2022

Exergaming: why VR workouts are taking over fitness


Will we all be exergame kicking, slashing, and bopping to better health in 2022? These types of headlines have been around for the past two decades of growth in the area of video game and virtual reality fitness. 

This article summarizes the many games and platforms that immerse users into simulations, virtual and augmented reality worlds using various sensors, smart equipment, and Oculus Quest equipment. 

Oculus’ latest tagline: ‘Cardio can be fun in VR’ has been used and or adopted by games like DDR, Wii Fit, EyeToy Kinetic, Xbox Kinect, and Just Dance to name a few. What remains to be seen is whether these games can progressively improve users' health and wellness over time.

“VR-based training now has a really solid base of scientific testing. This testing tells us that being in VR creates a better brain-to-muscle (neuromuscular) link, which can help for not only a more effective workout but also helps a member become more bodily aware (which can help increase performance in other exercises),”

Click here to read more of ExerGame Lab's archived posts involving research studies. 

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