NCT06830772

Affective and Physiological Outcomes of Virtual and Mixed Reality Workplace Exergames

Acute Physiological and Psychological Responses to Virtual and Mixed Reality Exergaming During Workplace Breaks: An Exploratory Crossover Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 33 (actual)
• Sponsor: Akdeniz University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The aim of this study was to compare the acute effects of virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) based exergame practices on physical and psychological health indicators during micro-breaks among university administrative staff. The main research questions aimed to be answered are: 1. How does VR exergame and MR exergame affect physical health indicators such as heart rate and perceived exertion in university administrative staff? 2. How does MR exergame with VR exergame affect the mood of university administrative staff? 3. How does MR exergame with VR exergame affect the enjoyment of exercise and gaming experience of university administrative staff? Researchers will compare passive rest with VR Exergame and MR exergame to see if VR and MR sessions improve physical and psychological outcomes compared to passive rest. Participants will: Sit quietly in a designated room for 5 minutes without engaging in any physical activity. Avoid talking, using mobile devices, or interacting with others during the rest session to ensure consistent conditions for all participants.

Detailed description

Using a randomized crossover design, participants will experience three different conditions: VR-based exergames, MR-based exergames, and passive rest. Each condition will be performed on separate days, with a minimum of 48 hours between sessions to prevent carryover effects. The primary outcomes will include mood states, heart rate, and perceived exertion. These measures will help assess the immediate physical and psychological responses to the interventions. The secondary outcomes will focus on exercise enjoyment and overall gaming experience, evaluating the subjective experience and engagement levels during VR and MR exergaming sessions. The intervention will be delivered through PowerBeatsVR, a rhythm-based exergame that requires physical movements such as dodging obstacles and throwing punches. VR and MR modes will be compared to determine their effectiveness in promoting physical activity and improving mood during short breaks in a workplace setting. The passive rest condition will serve as a baseline for comparison. This study addresses the growing interest in workplace wellness strategies by exploring the potential of VR and MR exergames in reducing sedentary behavior and enhancing mental well-being in work environments.

Conditions

• Exergame
• Active Video Games (AVG)
• Virtual Reality
• Mood Changes

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Experimental	Virtual Reality Exergame (VR) Participants will engage in a 5-minute fully immersive Virtual Reality (VR) exergame session using the PowerBeatsVR application. This intervention takes place in a virtual environment where participants perform rhythm-based physical activities such as punching targets and dodging obstacles. The VR session isolates participants from their real-world surroundings, offering a highly immersive experience designed to promote physical activity and assess its physiological and psychological effects.
OTHER	Active comparator	Mixed Reality Exergame (MR) Participants will engage in a 5-minute Mixed Reality (MR) exergame session using PowerBeatsVR in MR mode. Unlike VR, this intervention integrates virtual elements into the real-world environment, allowing participants to maintain awareness of their physical surroundings while interacting with digital content. This hybrid experience reduces the risk of cybersickness while providing a practical approach for workplace settings.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-02-26
• Primary completion: 2025-04-11
• Completion: 2025-04-11
• First posted: 2025-02-17
• Last updated: 2025-04-25

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Turkey (Türkiye)