Washington, Nov 14 (IANS) Researchers will be pairing college students with a virtual workout partner, to make them exercise harder, longer and more frequently.
Deborah Feltz, who heads Michigan State University (MSU) department of kinesiology, is leading a team that will use the Eye Toy camera and PlayStation 2 to measure what characteristics in a virtual partner motivate people to exercise harder, longer.

“Physical inactivity in the US is a big problem, and a key hurdle deals with problems of motivation,” Feltz said.

“If people’s motivation can be improved to increase the intensity, duration and frequency of exercise by participating with a partner, they will realize better health outcomes,” Feltz says,

Unfortunately, researchers have found live exercise partners are not always the most helpful.

“Individuals can become discouraged if they believe they can never keep up with their partner, or on the other hand, become bored if their partner is always slower,” Feltz said. “With a virtual partner, this can be addressed.”

More than 900 participants will take part in a study that matches an experimental group with virtual partners using the Eye Toy camera and a modified PlayStation 2 game.

Participants, who can view themselves on a large screen with the Eye Toy technology, will work out while their virtual partners perform the same exercises next to them, says an MSU release.

Feltz and her team will analyse and adapt the characteristics of the virtual partner - including body composition, gender and age - to see which are most effective at improving endurance and exercise time.