Towards Computer-Aided Imagery in Sport and Exercise

We introduce a novel approach for improving performance and motivation in sports, which we term computer-aided imagery (CAI). In many sports, mental preparation for performance involves imagery, the cognitive skill of rehearsing the task in one's mind. Imagery is however a difficult cognitive skill, which is why we propose the CAI approach, i.e., using an digital sport game or simulation to explore, plan, and learn about movements and strategies. What separates CAI from traditional sports video games is the degree of realism - building on recent advances in computer animation and robotics, we utilize fully physically-based movement not limited to predefined animations, and we customize the simulated athlete with computer vision measurements of the user's body. In this work-in-progress report, we describe the research framework, methods and hypotheses of our ongoing user study that investigates CAI in context of climbing.