ExerGame Lab

Spotted on GigaOm (Free Android app turns Nintendo Wii Fit board into a smart scale), FitScales "uses the available APIs to send your weight data to either your FitBit (see disclosure) or RunKeeper account, just like a traditional web-connected scale would do."

Now I know this is not an exergame, but it does use a sensor that is an exergame. Who's to say that now that they're paired that someone can write an app that allows you to play games while using the board on a mobile device or OUYA gaming console. Might we finally see a greater crescendo of movement based games?


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What is already known about this subject

• Active video games (AVGs) are being marketed as exercise tools.
• AVG play can result in light-to-moderate intensity physical activity.

What this study adds

• A comparison correcting for body size between the energy expended by children with obesity and those of a healthy weight playing AVGs.
• An examination of several variables related to the energy cost of AVG play including steps taken and rate of perceived exertion.
• There may be some differences in how children with obesity and children of a healthy weight play AVGs.

Background
Increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviour form a large part of the treatment of paediatric obesity. However, many children today spend prolonged periods of time playing sedentary video games. Active video games (AVGs) represent a novel and child friendly form of physical activity.

Objectives
To measure the energy cost of playing two AVGs in children with obesity and healthy age- and gender-matched children.

Methods
The energy cost of gaming and heart rates achieved during gaming conditions were compared between groups.

Results
AVG play can result in light-to-moderate intensity physical activity (2.7–5.4 metabolic equivalents). When corrected for fat-free mass those with obesity expended significantly less energy than healthy weight peers playing Nintendo Wii Fit Free Jogging (P = 0.017). No significant difference was seen between groups in the energy cost of playing Boxing.

Conclusion
Certain AVGs, particularly those that require lower limb movement, could be used to increase total energy expenditure, replace more sedentary activities, or achieve moderate intensity physical activity among children with obesity. There seems to be some differences in how children with obesity and children of a healthy weight play AVGs. This could result in those with obesity expending less energy than their lean peers during AVG play.

O'Donovan, C., Roche, E. F. and Hussey, J. (2013), The energy cost of playing active video games in children with obesity and children of a healthy weight. Pediatric Obesity. doi: 10.1111/j.2047-6310.2013.00172.x

Please join us at the Driving Toward a Healthier Generation Through Technology and Exergames Workshop in Charlotte, NC AAHPERD Convention. It is truly a collaborative effort showcasing expert practitioners  researchers and industry experts all focused on getting our youth healthier.

Presiders:

Benjamin Paquette, State University of New York College at Cortland, Sound Beach, NY; and Jack Murphy, State University of New York College at Cortland, Rocky Point, NY

Panelists:

Stephen P. Yang1; Aaron T. Hart2; George Velarde3; Larry Katz4; Parker Johnson5; Ed Kassanders5; Michael J. Pelletter6; Dwayne Sheenan4; Dan Lawler7; Daniel B. Bornstein8; Helena Baert2; Yoonsin Oh9; Marvin Christley10; and Lisa Witherspoon11, (1)State University of New York–Cortland, Cortland, NY, (2)State University of New York College at Cortland, Cortland, NY, (3)Sierra Vista Junior High School, Canyon County, CA, (4)University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada, (5)Motion Fitness, Palatine, IL, (6)Physical Education Lab Technology, Cheektowaga, NY, (7)Lawler & Reed Education Consulting Group, LLC, Ft. Collins, CO, (8)University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, (9)Cameron University, Lawton, OK, (10)New Haven Public Schools, New Haven, CT, (11)Assistant Professor and Co-Director USF Active Gaming Research Laboratories, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

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

Playing Team Fortress 2 has never been healthier when you combine it with the Omni treadmill and the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset. It sort of reminds me of the Virtusphere but obviously for the home user and not a commercial training. I would love to conduct studies on energy expenditure, perceived exertion, and attitudes towards exercise, and playing the games especially with peers.


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

Exergaming Benefits

• Visual stimulus
• Hand-eye coordination
• Reaction time
• Agility
• Lateral quickness
• Hand speed, decision making
• Peripheral vision
• Pattern recognition impacting decision making / strategy / body positioning / kinesthetic awareness

Click here to explore more of ExerGame Lab's archived posts involving Arcade Exergames. 

Its been a couple of years since we heard the announcement of Coldwood Interactive's exergame Move Fitness title, but this week we'll see the title actually launch in the US. With 2 years to develop a base and refine the product for the US market, I hope there were some changes to some of the activities (including basketball shooting. Unfortunately, worldwide sales of just 17,000 and a Metacritic score of 61/100 pales in comparison to the behemoth (Wii Fit) in the fitness gaming / exergaming arena.

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I was just in Orlando at the Disney Yacht Club and in their arcade they had the Speed of Light arcade game, but Atomic RUSH seems to amp up the interaction by allowing up to 4 players to play at the same time. In a way the design/array of lights/sensors is more like that of DDR than other games. I would love to try this game out and see how the 4 player game works - especially with people crossing over.

Wouldn't It Be Cool (WIBC)

• If there were also floor sensors to engage the feet - maybe even proximity sensors instead of touch sensors like FitLights to increase the activity and interaction.
• I know the flyers say there is feedback at the end of the game, but it would be great to have a scoreboard above each station or an overall panel to show in-game scores as they progress.
• I wonder if they are thinking about using RFID tags/cards to identify player scores as they move from station to station.

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

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