Real-Time Avatar Feedback in Virtual Reality Exercise

NCT07384065 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 4959.13336.14519
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 28
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this study is to examine whether real-time feedback provided by a virtual trainer avatar during virtual reality (VR) exercise influences participants' exercise well-being and movement accuracy. The study also aims to compare different types of feedback delivered by the avatar. The main questions this study aims to answer are: Does real-time avatar feedback improve exercise well-being during VR-based training? Does real-time avatar feedback improve movement accuracy during exercise? Are there differences between no feedback, verbal feedback, and combined verbal-gestural feedback? Researchers will compare three VR exercise conditions: no feedback, verbal feedback, and combined verbal-gestural feedback, using a randomized crossover design so that each participant experiences all conditions. Participants will: Take part in three VR exercise sessions, each lasting approximately 15 minutes Complete the sessions under different feedback conditions, with the order randomized Perform guided physical exercises while wearing a VR headset and following a virtual trainer avatar Provide self-reported ratings of exercise experience after each session This study is an interventional, randomized crossover trial conducted in adults, with all procedures completed during a single study period.

Conditions

Healthy Participants

Keywords

exercise in virtual reality; exercise motivation; affective responses to exercise; psychological well-being; augmented feedback in physical activity; human-agent interaction in exercise

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Exercise Accuracy Index (EAI) based on motion tracking during VR exercise

  Exercise accuracy was quantified using the Exercise Accuracy Index (EAI) derived from real-time motion tracking. The EAI reflects how accurately participants reproduced the virtual trainer's movements in terms of pace and range of motion across fourteen moderate-intensity exercises. For each exercise, the trainer's movement served as the reference pattern. Acceptable variability was defined using the distribution of group performance: pace was accurate if it fell within ±1 SD of the trainer's baseline, and range of motion, recorded in absolute values, was accurate if it did not exceed +1 SD from the trainer's benchmark. This accounts for natural inter-individual differences while identifying meaningful deviations. An exercise was classified as correct only if both criteria were met. The EAI ranges from 0 to 14, where 0 indicates no correct exercises and 14 indicates all exercises performed accurately during the session.

  During each VR training session across fourteen moderate-intensity exercises (up to three sessions per participant); not assessed during inter-exercise rest periods or during the final low-intensity cool-down exercise.

• Exercise Well-Being

  Exercise well-being was assessed as participants' immediate emotional state experienced during the VR exercise session. The measure was based on the short mood assessment tool by Wilhelm and Schoebi (2007) and captures momentary affect rather than stable trait well-being. The scale consists of four bipolar items: discontented-contented, unwell-well, tense-relaxed, and agitated-calm. Each item is rated on a 7-point semantic differential in response to the prompt: "During the training session I have just performed, I felt…". Item scores are averaged to produce a single affective well-being score, with higher values indicating more positive affect during exercise.

  Immediately after each VR training session via computer-assisted web-based questionnaire (CAWI), up to three sessions per participant.

Secondary Outcomes (7)

• Affective Attitude Toward Exercise Score

  Immediately after each VR training session via computer-assisted web-based questionnaire (CAWI), up to three sessions per participant.

• Trainee - Trainer Closeness Score

  Immediately after each VR training session via computer-assisted web-based questionnaire (CAWI), up to three sessions per participant.

• Trainee - Trainer Complementarity Score

  Immediately after each VR training session via computer-assisted web-based questionnaire (CAWI), up to three sessions per participant.

• Trainee-Trainer Commitment Score

  Immediately after each VR training session via computer-assisted web-based questionnaire (CAWI), up to three sessions per participant.

• Perceived Exertion Rating

  Immediately after each VR training session via computer-assisted web-based questionnaire (CAWI), up to three sessions per participant.

Study Arms (3)

No Feedback

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants perform a virtual reality exercise session without receiving any real-time feedback from the virtual trainer avatar.

Behavioral: VR Exercise With No Avatar Feedback

Verbal Feedback

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants perform a virtual reality exercise session while receiving real-time verbal feedback from the virtual trainer avatar.

Behavioral: VR Exercise With Verbal Avatar Feedback

Verbal and Gestural Feedback

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants perform a virtual reality exercise session while receiving combined real-time verbal and gestural feedback from the virtual trainer avatar.

Behavioral: VR Exercise With Verbal and Gestural Avatar Feedback

Interventions

VR Exercise With No Avatar Feedback BEHAVIORAL

Participants perform a standardized exercise session in a virtual reality environment guided by a virtual trainer avatar. The avatar demonstrates the exercises but does not provide any real-time verbal or gestural feedback during the session.

No Feedback

VR Exercise With Verbal Avatar Feedback BEHAVIORAL

Participants perform a standardized exercise session in a virtual reality environment guided by a virtual trainer avatar. Real-time motion data are analyzed by the VR system, and the avatar provides adaptive verbal feedback during the exercise session.

Verbal Feedback

VR Exercise With Verbal and Gestural Avatar Feedback BEHAVIORAL

Participants perform a standardized exercise session in a virtual reality environment guided by a virtual trainer avatar. Real-time motion data are analyzed by the VR system, and the avatar provides adaptive verbal and gestural feedback during the exercise session.

Verbal and Gestural Feedback

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 50 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Adults aged 18-50 years
• Ability to provide informed consent
• Ability to perform light to moderate physical exercise
• No contraindications to participation in virtual reality-based exercise

You may not qualify if:

• Age below 18 or above 50 years
• Individuals with a high level of habitual physical activity, defined as engaging in structured physical exercise more than three times per week
• Musculoskeletal, neurological, or cardiovascular conditions that limit safe participation in exercise
• Known susceptibility to severe motion sickness or adverse reactions to virtual reality
• Any condition preventing safe use of a VR headset

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Information Processing Institute: lead

Study Sites (1)

National Information Processing Institute

Warsaw, 00-608, Poland

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Psychological Well-Being

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Personal Satisfaction; Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER GOV
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: This study uses a randomized crossover design in which all participants complete three virtual reality exercise conditions (no feedback, verbal feedback, and combined verbal-gestural feedback). The order of conditions is randomized, and each session is separated by a fixed 7-day interval to minimize carryover effects.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 13, 2026
• First Posted: February 3, 2026
• Study Start: May 6, 2024
• Primary Completion: May 24, 2024
• Study Completion: May 24, 2024
• Last Updated: February 3, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL
• Time Frame: Data will be available upon reasonable request after publication of the primary results.
• Access Criteria: Access to de-identified data will be granted to researchers who submit a methodologically sound proposal. Requests will be reviewed by the study investigators and data will be shared in accordance with institutional policies and data protection regulations.

Locations

PL (1)