X3D Scenarios and Case Studies:
Real World Applications - Real World Solutions
Next case study: 3D graphical simulator for radiation therapy/surgery medical systems
Previous case study: NASA's interactive "plug-in free" 3D Guide to the Galaxy
Mobile fitness using an X3D H-Anim virtual trainer
Health, fitness and sports are new frontiers in the development of mobile applications. Mobile devices can potentially provide a way to offer users instruction on how to train safely and correctly for physical activities, such as outdoor running, cycling and exercising on fitness trails. They can also offer motivational support.
In the case of a fitness trail, when the user arrives at an exercise station, they have to perform a specific fitness exercises. Theoretically they could look at the illustrations on their handheld, or run a video that shows how to properly perform the exercise at that station. However, illustrated plates are often not easily understood, while video takes a great deal of disk space, shows only one view of an exercise and it is not interactive. The HLC Lab wanted to develop a virtual trainer solution that would intelligently know what exercises to show at each station, would take little disk space, and demonstrate the correct way to perform an exercise from the angle or position that was most useful to the user.
The University of Udine HCI Lab developed MOPET (MObile PErsonal Trainer), a PocketPC-based mobile application that uses a GPS device to monitor a user’s position and speed on outdoor fitness trails. The guide is designed to provide audio navigation assistance, audio and graphical feedback about speed and interactive X3D demonstrations of the station exercises depending on the users current position.
MOPET uses a GPS device to monitor user’s position during physical activity on an outdoor fitness trail. It provides navigation assistance by using a fitness trail map and giving speech directions. MOPET also provides an X3D H-Anim embodied virtual trainer, called Evita.
Besides motivating the user with audio encouragement, Evita gives location-aware exercise demonstrations. On fitness trails, exercises are usually explained by using illustrated plates in the stations. These plates are often not easy to understand and the exercise is easily performed improperly, risking injuries. With MOPET, as the user approaches a fitness trail exercise station, Evita whistles to attract the user’s attention and then invites them look at the PDA display. On the display is an interactive X3D H-Anim humanoid demonstrating how to correctly perform the exercise.
The X3D solution easily fits within the memory and CPU constraints of handhelds. Moreover, unlike with video, H-Anim demonstrations can be viewed from any angle to fit a users perspective and they are easily updated are and downloaded.