A Comparative Study of Immersive 360-degree Virtual Cycling System and Head-mounted Virtual Cycling System for Young adults

Objective: Physical activity can promote physical and mental well-being.University students are more sedentary recently due to the increased use of computers and other technology.The aim of this study was to investigate differences between immersive 360-degree virtual cycling (IVC) and virtual cycling with head-mounted display (VCHMD) on aerobic capacity and usability in young adults.Design: A crossover study.Methods: Twenty-five university students (13 male, 12 female) participated in this study and completed 2 separate 30 min cycling sessions, such as IVC and VCHMD.In the IVC, participants rode on a stationary cycle while watching curved TV where recorded video was played.To enhance the sense of realism, auditory stimulation was given to the headset, and the gyroscope sensor was used to track the screen as the head moved.In the VCHMD, participants rode on the stationary cycle with head-mounted display, and other conditions were the same as IVC.Participants were assessed the aerobic capacity which included gas analyzer and portable near-infrared spectroscopy, and usability which included simulator sickness questionnaire and system usability scale.Results: Aerobic capacity was significantly difference in the IVC compared with the VCHMD except for the total hemoglobin of right and left rectus femoris and muslce oxygen saturation of left rectus femoris (p 0.05).Cybersickness was less in the IVC ＜ than VCHMD and usability was high in the IVC than VCHMD (p＜0.05). Conclusions:The findings suggested that IVC might be beneficial exericse to improve aerobic capacity and has lower cybersickness and higher usability than VCHMD.