Empowering the Exercise: a Body-Controlled Trampoline Training Game

Video games can empower their players beyond reality, giving them extraordinary abilities. We investigate a novel cla ss of games that provide empowerment in both the real and the virtual world, in this case using a trampoline as part of the human-computer interface. We studied whether novice trampoline jumpers can learn trampolining skills wh ile playing a platform jumping game implemented using computer vision and a screen placed near the trampoline. 29 participants were divided into three groups: self-training, a game with a normal jump height, and a game with an exaggerated jump height. Performance was tested in pre, post and follow-up t ests. All groups improved their performance significantly. The game was consi dered more engaging and the mean flow questionnaire (SFSS) result with games was significantly higher than with self-training. The study shows that trampoline games can be fun, intuitive to play and basic trampolining skills can be improved while playing the game. A game is more engaging than self-training and extra empowerment, such as jump height exaggeration, enhances the experience. The e xaggeration did not adversely affect jumping performance, and half of the partici pants did not even consciously notice it, which suggests that there is considerabl e design freedom for manipulating the player’s movements in trampoline games.