Comparison of the usability and flow experience of an exercise promotion virtual reality programme for different age groups
Yu-Min Fang, Yen-Jung Huang
Abstract
Population aging has become a common phenomenon worldwide, and various virtual reality (VR) applications are emerging. In this study, a VR exercise software programme was designed and compared with conventional exercise equipment in terms of the differences in usability and immersion perceived by middle-aged, older, and young adults. A VR software programme for dumbbell stretching exercise was designed, and 62 participants were invited. The participants were divided into a middle-aged and older adult group and a young adult group. Each participant used the designed software and physical dumbbells to complete three tasks. The results revealed that (1) software usability and immersion differed significantly between middle-aged and older adults and young adults; (2) the mean interface learnability score of the young adults was significantly higher than that of the middle-aged and older adults; and (3) the mean scores of the overall immersion and the four indicators for the VR exercise were higher than those for the physical exercise, regardless of whether the scores were examined among all participants or for the two age groups separately. The results of this study may provide designers within insights into the development VR software for older adults.