Leveraging Cross-Modal Effects to Support Squat Exercise

Abstract

This study proposes a system that uses virtual reality to create the illusion of decreased training load through cross-modal effects, which are when two senses, such as sight and hearing, interact and influence one another. The system utilizes a head-mounted display and headphones for auditory and visual sensory presentation while participants engage in squatting exercises. We use a chair that adjusts seat elevation to prevent user from losing balance during exercise and a non-transmissive head-mounted display to project a 3D scene that changes based on user's movement. Then, we conducted an experimental evaluation to explore the relationship between immersive tendency characteristics and subjective fatigue level. The results indicated that the system's assistance primarily reduced subjective fatigue, with minimal impact on heart rate. Additionally, it was found that the subjects' inclination towards immersion may have contributed to an increase in subjective fatigue, as the discrepancy between the avatar's movements and the subjects' own movements became more pronounced.