Effect of Feedback Styles in Robotic Fitness Coaching on Exercise Intensity

Intensive exercise effectively prevents adult diseases, such as cardiovascular disease; however, many people find it challenging to keep this routine due to many situational and financial constraints. Recently, a growing interest has been in deploying social robots as fitness coaches in exercise sessions. This study investigated the effectiveness of real-time feedback provided by robot coaches in increasing exercise intensity. Participants were randomly assigned to either an empathic feedback group, focusing on emotional support, or a factual feedback group, offering information and advice only. All participants engaged in physical exercises (e.g., stretching and treadmill walking), receiving feedback on their walking speed and posture at 20-second intervals for 10 to 30 minutes. By analyzing variations in heart rate and treadmill speed, the study assessed the impact of the robot coach's intervention on changes in exercise intensity. The results indicated that participants receiving factual feedback experienced significant heart rate and walking speed increases, maintaining higher walking speeds for extended periods. However, the post-experiment interview results revealed that while many participants preferred factual feedback, they also highlighted the importance of the robot's emotional support (e.g., encouragement) in enhancing the overall exercise experience. In conclusion, the current study suggests that while informative feedback effectively improves actual exercise intensity, emotional support from a robot coach is also crucial for fostering long-term effects through continuous interaction.