Our User Studies

 

 

We conducted a user study on the FitVR application as part of our Master’s Project with Dr. Enes Yigitbas as supervisor. For this user study, we gathered participants who were interested in experiencing the fitness platform we created with a virtual trainer, a dynamic music system, and a game that motivates to exercise while having fun.

In the user study, participants had to wear VR glasses along with a heart rate sensor (https://www.polar.com/en/all-sensors) depending on the research question. The Polar H10 is a heart rate monitor that is worn around the chest. It is regarded as the most reliable and precise sensor available today for the detection of real-time heart rate using an electrocardiogram (ECG).

The user study for each research question took around 1 hour and we had around 20 participants each. The users had to try out our application and fill out forms that helped us to evaluate our research questions.

Virtual Fitness Trainer

Virtual trainer is an application we developed that helps to increase the efficiency of your workout with its feedback. This feedback is given by tracking your postures using our unique full-body tracking feature. You will find a magic mirror to start with the application. We used the non-VR AI GYM application for our comparison.
Research Question: Can VR enhance the concept of a Virtual Trainer?
Results: Our Virtual Trainer guided the user better to reach the target posture resulting in an overall more correct workout and is preferred over non-VR-Application. Our system is more flexible than the non-VR-Application​

Personalization of Workouts

A user can choose a preferred workout from a range of workout options such as Jumping Jacks, Squats, Zumba as well as the FIT SWEAT game. Users exercise with our dynamic music system which changes with their heart rate. This workout involves the use of the Polar heart rate sensor. Feedback is provided to the users in the form of Statistics and History.
Research Question: Does feedback provided by statistics and history help in analyzing and improving your performance?
Do the personalized assistance and dynamic music with heart rate help in improving performance?
Results: Statistical Feedback and Adaptive Music System is one major factor in motivating the workout​.

FIT SWEAT

This game is sure to make you SWEAT. FIT-SWEAT is an exergame where work out with the help of an interesting game that helps exercise your body as well as your mind. The users keep track of their scores and try to maintain their health. The users can choose a single-player mode or a collaborative mode for their game. This workout also involves the use of the Polar heart rate sensor in order to make it more exciting.
Research Question: Collaboration mode vs single player mode: ​Evaluating user experience and performance in an exergame.
Results: The exergame is enjoyable and very exertive. Collaboration mode is better and preferred over single-player mode.