Shadow Boxing: A Physically Interactive Fitness Game

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Shadow Boxing A Physically Interactive Fitness
Game

• Damilola Elegbede

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What is Exercise Informatics?

• The use of technology to promote exercise or
  sporting activity
• For those who are unable to carry out original
  activity
• To motivate those who are less likely to perform
  exercise/sporting activity

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Authors

• Johanna Höysniemi, PhD at University of Tampere,
  Finland
• Anne Aula, PhD from University of Tampere,
  Finland. User Experience Researcher at Google
• Petra Auvinen, PhD from University of Tampere
• Jaana Hännikäinen, PhD Tampere University of
  Technology
• Perttu Hämäläinen, PhD Helsinki University of
  Technology

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Shadow Boxing - Why?

• Boxing is tough
• Neck and Shoulder Pain
• Optimal heart rate for exercise
• No exercise specific game

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Shadow Boxing - Objectives

• Create an interactive game that mimic boxing
  techniques
• Playability and usability
• Effectiveness for physical exercise through heart
  rate monitoring
• Interviews and result analysis

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Prototype

• Equipment
• Creative Webcam Pro
• Fujitsu Siemens laptop (speakers and monitor)
• Polar VantageTM heart rate monitor
• Game written using Macromedia Flash/ActionScript
• Wizard of Oz approach
• Experimental evaluation
• Allows for observation (wizard)
• Save costs

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Study

• Five males, four females and 2 research members
• Exercise regularly
• Average age of 29 (26-44)
• Two Rooms
• Control Room
• Wizard and Observer
• Test Room
• Participant, test coordinator and interviewer

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Playing the game

• Three parts
• Warm up with video trainer
• Written and video instructions of punching
  techniques
• Game window
• Player lateral movement
• Task punch point gloves
• For given number of times

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Point Gloves

• Sinusoidal movement
• Punches counts when point glove is in front of
  game character
• Punch for a given number of times

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Interface
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Results

• Heart rate taken before exercise and after
  playing
• Approximate optimal exercise levels

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Interviews

• Game character did not move as expected (7/9)
• Visual experience simple and clear (5/9)
• Would play again (7/9)
• Negative feelings as a result of frustration
• Diversity of movement for game character

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Some Problems

• Instructions
• One hand punches
• Timing/Positioning (instructions)
• Punch delivery
• Character response
• Movement along with point gloves
• Frustration as a result of the above

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Room for Improvements

• More accurate heart monitoring
• Sensors to record punches
• Dynamic exercise
• User profiles
• More interactive interface
• A digital opponent
• Engage participant for longer period of time

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Other Studies

• Masuko, S. and Hoshino, J. 2006. A fitness game
  reflecting heart rate
• Mueller, F., Agamanolis, S., Gibbs, M. R., and
  Vetere, F. 2008. Remote impact shadowboxing over
  a distance
• Nakamura, S., Minakuchi, M., and Tanaka, K. 2005.
  Energy browser to make exercise enjoyable and
  interesting
• Kravitz, L., Greene, L., Burkett, Z., and
  Wongsathikun, J. 2003. Cardiovascular Response to
  Punching Tempo

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Questions