Design and Evaluation of a Dynamically Adaptive Fitness Game Environment for Children and Young Adolescents

Traditional gym and fitness exercise regimens are currently being enhanced with innovative technology and interactive gamification systems. Exergame gyms offer body-centered games, which are controlled by relating the level of the user's physical activity to interactive coordinative and cognitive game demands. This approach can further be enhanced by implementing dynamically adaptive game-balancing mechanisms, and specifically designed full-body-motion controllers, to yield an optimal play/training session. Building on results of interdisciplinary game research, we designed and evaluated a dynamically-adaptive fitness game environment for children and young adolescents. This setting increases the motivating effects of fitness training, and can be used in addition, or as alternative to standard fitness programs.