ExerSync: interpersonal synchrony in social exergames

Social exergames provide immersive experiences of social interaction via online multiplayer games, ranging from simple group exercises (e.g., virtual cycling/rowing) to more structured multiplayer games (e.g., cooperative boat racing). In exergame design, interpersonal synchrony plays an important role as it enhances social rapport and pro-social behavior. We demonstrate ExerSync platform that supports various assistive mechanisms for facilitating interpersonal synchrony even with heterogeneous exercise modalities. We consider a rhythm of body movements in repetitive aerobic exercises and explore the design space of incorporating rhythm into exergames. We build a prototype system and comparatively evaluate the effectiveness of various assistive mechanisms.