Exergaming – Trends and Opportunites

Home , Exergaming, Gamification, PC game

Burkhard Claus Wünsche1, Lindsay Alexander Shaw1, Christof Lutteroth1,2, Stefan Marks3, Jude Buckley4, Paul Corballis4

1 Graphics Group, Dept. of Computer Science, University of Auckland, New Zealand 2 Dept. of Computer Science, University of Bath, UK 3 Colab, Faculty of Design and Creative Technology, AUT University, New Zealand 4 Dept. of Psychology, University of Auckland, New Zealand

GRAPHICS GROUP Background

Benefits of Exercise: . Promotes optimal Physical, Psychological, Brain Health . Promotes Longevity . Prevents (chronic) diseases . Delays aging

… but few people get recommended amount of exercises 2 Background

• Why do so many people not exercise? => lack of intrinsic motivation, poor body image, competing interests, time, diet, access etc. • IDEA: Combine exercises with entertainment => Exergames • Achieve dissociation of physical discomfort of exercise (game play, sound/music, virtual environments (VE)) • Increase motivation and enjoyment • Ideally address psychological barriers

• Problems: Different target groups and objectives, lack of theoretical model, limited clinical studies, conflicting commercial aims 3 Classification of Exergames By location/environment: 1. Home-based (living-room) exergames 2. Gym-based exergames 3. Outdoor exergames By exercise data usage: 1. Synchronous (exercise data directly used in game play) 2. Asynchronous (exercise data separately used from play sessions, but directly effects game play) 3. Disconnected (exercise is a side effect of game play (or vice versa) – exercise data not directly used) By sensing device: 1. Motion sensing (Web-cam, structured lighting, PMD, accelerometer, gyroscope) 2. Location sensing (GPS, markers) 3. Exercise or specialised equipment (Exerbike, treadmill, rowing machine) By health objective 1. Physical activity just side effect of game play (or vice versa) 2. Specific fitness outcomes (e.g. improve cardio pulmonary fitness)

3. Specific clinical outcome (e.g. functional improvement in stroke rehabilitation)4 Classification of Exergames By hardware: 1. Console/PC game 2. Mobile game (smartphone, tablet) 3. Specialised hardware (many gym games) By display device: 1. Monitor (non-immersive VR) 2. Head-mounted display / CAVE (immersive VR) 3. Mobile phone / tablet display

 36=729 categories (111111 to 333333) Group 1: 111111 Home‐based console Group 2: 3{2/3}{1/2}{1/2}23 Fitness apps Group 2’: 332123 Mobile AR games Group 3: 213{2/3}{1/3}{1/2} Gym games

5 Group 1: Home‐based Console Games Use motion sensing devices, synchronous exercise data use, home-based: E.g. Dance Dance Revolution, Wii & Wii Fit games, Kinect & PlayStation Move games

 Physical activity is a side effect of game play  Often easy to cheat  Usually limited exercise intensity  Limited content (often get quickly boring)  No targeted health outcomes 6 Group 2: Fitness Apps & Mobile Games Fitness apps using games / gamification: motion sensing devices/GPS, often asynchronous / disconnected exercise data use, gym/outdoor: E.g. Zombie Run!, Fitbit games (Weekend Warrior, FitRPG), Burn your fat with me etc.

 Exercise often not part of game play, but exercise results and/or user’s vital signs are used to control game play (e.g. virtual awards, buying virtual goods, or gaining new abilities in VE; interaction with avatar or other players)  Often promote social interaction  Game play for motivation – often targeted towards users already intrinsically motivated 7 Group 2’: Mobile AR Games

Mobile (AR) games: location sensing, disconnected exercise data, outdoor: e.g. Pokemon GO, Ingress

 Physical activity is a side effect of game play and in many cases not necessary  Imprecise recording of physical activity  Exploit numerous game psychology concepts: e.g. “Pokemon GO” uses: nostalgia, collection, social aspects,

competition, virtual awards, etc. 8 Group 3: Gym \ Lab Games

Games for exercise equipment, synchronous data use, usually gym/lab-based

 Exercise is main activity - game play for motivation / enjoyment / dissociation  Good tracking of exercise performance  Can integrate cognitive training, easier to promote self efficacy and address psychological issues (e.g. poor body image) 9 Market State & Trends

• Market is getting increasingly crowded • Too much hype, little substance • No or poorly validated assessment • Need to differentiate and get exposure

1. Exergames with scientific basis (and ideally validation of their effectiveness) 2. Exergames offering novel experiences 3. Exergames offering novel forms of training 4. Gamification of exercises 5. “Exercisification” of games

10 1. Exergames with scientific basis Target group • Users already motivated to improve their health • Healthcare providers (Government and Community organisations) • Prepared to pay money, but want to see evidence that money well spend Opportunities 1. Specific clinical applications, e.g. stroke rehabilitation – often with specialised hardware 2. Mass market – especially non‐traditional users groups (e.g. elderly) … but need validation: brain games companies accused of exploiting anxiety about memory loss

11 2. Exergames offering novel experiences Target group • Users already motivated to improve their health • Commercial vendors (e.g. gyms) Opportunities 1. Develop consumer‐level exergaming hardware e.g. VIRZoom offers VR bike for 400 US$

2. Develop novel interaction devices and games e.g. MusicGlove (1st FDA‐approved hand rehabilitation device combining music and gaming)

12 3. Exergames offering novel forms of training Target group • Consumers, Gyms, Healthcare providers Opportunities 1. (Exer)games which change exercise related thought, emotion and behaviour 2. Exergames achieving transfer effects 3. Combining physical and cognitive training

VR Games very promising, but numerous challenges: ‐ Simulation sickness ‐Health and safety ‐Hygiene ‐Latency ‐ Usability etc. 13 4. Gamification of exercises

Target group • Consumers, Gyms, Healthcare providers Opportunities 1. More effective ways to improve motivation (e.g. virtual pets?) 2. Add social dimension 3. Make exercises more fun and reduce repetitive nature (e.g. by intelligent use of music)

14 5. “Exercisification” of games

Problem • Users not interested in exercises, play exergames only for the novelty of the game play => often get bored quickly • Use instead block buster games (which have been successful in holding long‐term attention) and integrate exercise aspect Opportunities 1. So far only a research subject – what type of games are most suitable? How to best integrate exercises? Ideally have common interface for use in many games

• Effect of HMDs on motivation and performance • Effect of different sensory feedback • Effect of different virtual environments • Effect of virtual trainers and ghosting • Effect of competetive vs. collaborative game play • Novel improved game balancing techniques (exertion based measures) • Integration of cognitive tests / training • Develop a theoretical model for desigining effective exergames • etc.

16 6. IMPACT Exergaming Technology

• Want novel type of exergame, which integrates physical AND cognitive training => IMPACT (IMmersive Physical Active Cognitve Training) • Goal: maximize health benefits, increase motivation, optimise executive functions, transfer effects • Adapt game play elements to the user’s psychological profile • Customizable to the user’s abilities including reduced cognitive load. Promote self‐efficacy by overcoming psychological barriers

17 IMPACT Exergaming Technology

18 Exergame Design

Terrain • Semi‐linear course • Limited branching (easy vs. difficult) • Holes, slopes & potentially missing boundary walls • Procedurally generated on the fly

19 Exergame Design

Obstacles • Cannonballs shot at player – increase resistance – can push player over edge of course – explode eventually and free player • Bridges – Collision results in loss of life – Duck to avoid collision – Player must duck to avoid collision • Terrain and obstacles adjusted to reflect game skills

Rewards • Collectable boxes: bonus scores, extra lives, temporarily decreased bike resistance

20 Exergame Design Interaction Design • Body motions – Pedal, duck, lean left/right • No rotation of view during “steering”

Gameplay vs. Exercise Objectives • Gameplay and exercise difficulty adjusted separately • Gameplay difficulty depends on player's experience & previous achievements – adjusted via terrain, obstacles and rewards • Exercise difficulty depends on players fitness –adjusted through changes to the baseline resistance and number of ramps • Moderate exercises and interval training encouraged by terrain design and minimum speed requirement • Warning message if heart rate too high • Warm up section at start • High score list

21 Part 3 – Design Improvements 1

• Remove ramps to avoid sensor disconnect • Replace track pits (holes) with sandpits (which slow users down and hence have similar effect as inclining ramps) • Use textures to add visual complexity and easier perception of relevant game elements • Use transparencies to reduce occlusion of

relevant game elements 22 Part 3 – Design Improvements 2

• Don’t allow game termination due to loss of life – Early termination counterproductive to exercise objective & potentially demotivating – Replace with improved scoring system (e.g. minus points depending on intersection length with sandpit) • Give more positive feedback (sound and visuals, e.g. for avoidance of obstacles) • Add simple Information visualisations • Overwrite physics engine if necessary (no lift off, no getting stuck) • Changed layout and frequency of obstacles to encourage interval training • Improved motion tracking using Creative Depth Camera 23 Part 3 – Design Improvements 3

Add new functionalties to answer research questions, e.g.: • Effect of different sensory feedback • Effect of different virtual environments • Effect of virtual trainers and ghosting • Effect of competetive vs. collaborative game play • Novel improved game balancing techniques (exertion based measures) • Integration of cognitive tests / training • Develop a theoretical model for desigining effective exergames • etc.

24 Interface Design Challenges

1. Motion sickness 2. Motion tracking 3. Health and safety risks 4. Appropriate player view 5. Feedback latency 6. Exercise & HMDs

25 The secret of getting ahead is getting started (Mark Twain) 26