With the rapid advancement of technology, smart sports, as an emerging paradigm, have begun to reshape campus sports by integrating physical, informational, and social spaces—a concept termed the "tri-space framework." This integration offers new opportunities to address declining physical health among college students, exacerbated by traditional sports education’s limitations in resources, personalization, and engagement. Smart sports leverage technologies such as IoT, big data, and AI to optimize resource utilization, deliver data-driven fitness plans, and foster interactive social platforms. This study aims to explore how tri-space-integrated smart sports influence college students’ physical health, examining their mechanisms and potential to reform campus sports systems. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining quantitative and qualitative analyses. Data were collected from 1,200 students across six universities through structured questionnaires, wearable device metrics (e.g., heart rate, step counts), and pre-post physical fitness tests (e.g., BMI, endurance, flexibility). Smart sports interventions included AI-powered training apps, IoT-enabled gyms, and social fitness platforms. Statistical analyses (e.g., regression models, ANOVA) and thematic coding of interview responses were employed to assess changes in physical health indicators, participation rates, and psychosocial factors (e.g., motivation, social cohesion). The integration of tri-space smart sports demonstrated significant positive effects. Physically, students using IoT gyms and AI plans showed a 15.3% improvement in endurance (p < 0.01) and a 9.7% reduction in sedentary behavior. Informational tools enhanced exercise adherence, with 68% of participants reporting personalized feedback as "highly motivating." Socially, platform users exhibited 30% higher group activity engagement, correlating with improved mental resilience (r = 0.42, p < 0.05). However, disparities emerged: students with limited tech access showed smaller gains, highlighting equity concerns. Qualitative feedback emphasized that gamified social interactions and real-time data tracking were critical drivers of sustained participation. Conclusions/Discussion: This study underscores the transformative potential of tri-space smart sports in enhancing college students’ physical health. By synergizing intelligent environments, data-driven insights, and social connectivity, such systems address traditional limitations while fostering holistic well-being. However, challenges like technological accessibility and privacy risks require institutional policies to ensure equitable benefits. Future research should explore longitudinal impacts and cross-cultural applicability. These findings advocate for broader adoption of smart sports frameworks in higher education, aligning with global trends toward digitized, student-centered health promotion.
Zengwangmu Ding (Thu,) studied this question.