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keep fit while having fun with augmented reality , smart health device review

April 07, 2020

Fitness VR: staying in shape with augmented reality. VR headsets, sports apps and games, E-sport VR accessories.

Fitness VR: staying in shape with augmented reality

I wish you all a happy new year 2020, and above all to be in excellent health. To start this new decade, I offer a series of articles to keep in shape with the help of smart health connected objects.

As we are still in the holiday season, I start with the most fun way to play sports.

The Benefits of E-Sport in Augmented Reality

The practice of physical activity in virtual reality has many advantages:

  • This easily allows burn calories while having fun.

  • In addition, it develops the reflexes and synchronization movements, sometimes even the sense of rhythm.

  • Practice different activities, realistic or not, in the comfort of your health home.

  • Compete with friends, family or players around the world.

  • But, VR sport goes further. Thus, an American study on virtual ping pong training has shown that skills developed in VR remained acquired in the real world.

  • Finally, some VR applications can also help relax and unwind.

What VR headset to practice fitness activities in augmented reality?

  1. Oculus Quest ((€ 449)

  2. Play Station VR or PSVR (€ 279)

  3. HTC Vive pro (€ 1,399)

  4. Pimax 5K + ((€ 578)

  5. Oculus Go ((€ 169)

Best VR fitness games for augmented reality headset (Oculus, Vive, PS VR)

  1. Boxing VR, Knockout Leaguen, The Thrill of the Fight (HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest and Windows VR headset)

  2. Racket Fury (Oculus Quest, Rift)

  3. OhShape (Oculus Quest, Rift, coming on Valve and HTC Vive)

  4. Beat Saber (HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest and Windows VR headset)

  5. Dance Central (Oculus Quest, Rift)

  6. Sparc (HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and PlayStation VR)

  7. Audio shield (HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and Windows VR headset)

  8. Eleven: Table Tennis on HTC Vive

  9. Sport Scramble

  10. Racket Nx

  11. Hot Squat VR (only on HTC Vive)

  12. Sprinct Vector (Oculus Rift, and PlayStation VR)

The best VR 2020 fitness game

My favorite is without a doubt Box VR on Oculus Quest. Move wirelessly by hitting and dodging shapes that come towards you (Beat Saber is quite similar). Fearfully effective, from the tenth minute I start to sweat and I have to pay close attention to my breathing.

I appreciate the fact that the legs are also used in many sessions. You perform dodges by performing squats or lateral flexions. On average, an hour of Boxing in virtual reality consumes more than 600 calories.

Note that the developers of this VR sports game regularly offer challenges between players from around the world. This was the case for Box VR in January 2020. There are also FitSaber competitions.

Relaxation and relaxation app on Oculus Quest

  • Tai Chi guide, learn the movements of this Chinese martial art (I didn't hang)

  • Real VR fishing, go virtual fishing.

Run with treadmills for augmented reality: Fitness VR full body!

You tried the VR headset experience for sports. Now you want to go even further with a dynamic system in which you can also use your legs. Treadmills for virtual reality allow you to live new experiences at health home. There are two advantages:

  • When you run on this treadmill, you feel like you are running in the most beautiful places in the world.

  • You are doing more complete physical activity.

Their main shortcomings are the still high price and the bulkiness similar to a sports machine.

Here is a selection of treadmills usable (or to come) in augmented reality:

  • Virtuix Omni, compatible with Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.

  • Cyberith Virtualizer Elite 2, compatible with Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. Currently offered for professional use.

  • KatWalk and the Katwalk Mini performed on a basis similar to the Omni. But the high-end version doesn't have to be tied with a belt around the waist.

  • Spacewalker VR V 2.0, a rotating treadmill, derived from a gyroscope. Usable with Oculus and Vive. A design close enough to a treadmill.

  • Infinadeck, omnidirectional motorized treadmill. It is particularly imposing with its base resembling a mini boxing ring.

Cycling or rowing in virtual reality

Virtual reality cycling aims to combine elements of real world cycling and virtual reality gaming in stationary training.

Now you can also enjoy cycling in any part of the world. You can therefore train yourself by visiting distant places or recreating legendary racing courses. But also, take on other cyclists by actually riding your bike at health home on roads around the world.

  • VZfit Virtual Reality Cycling for Oculus Quest or Occulus Go is a light version composed of a sensor to be placed on the pedals of your exercise bike.VirZoom to add features with a mini pad that provide a gaming experience while you use it in virtual reality games. The VZfit Sensor kit is sold for $ 99.95, plus $ 14.95 per month for access to games and cards.

  • The Polish company Viiro Fit also offers a bicycle and an indoor rowing machine smart health connected to an VR helmet. For the moment these products are reserved for professionals and the prices not communicated.

  • Widerun virtual biking was one of many crowdfunding projects (Kickstarter) that offered a rear wheel support to use any bike indoors. The nice promise was to recreate courses in a VR headset and to feel different resistances depending on the terrain. Too bad, more news from this startup since 2017.

Use your VR legs to row or cycle

Want to use your own rower or indoor bike for augmented reality routes. Here is my very economical tip for capturing the activity of your legs. To do this, you will need:

  • A VR headset: HTC Vive, Vive Pro, Samsung Odyssey, Lenovo Explorer, Acer Windows or Oculus Rift or HTC Vive Focus, Pico Neo, Oculus Quest, Lenovo Mirage Solo.

  • An ANT sensor in Bluetooth or a fitness device which is already equipped with it,

  • As well as a VR game or application that accepts the Bluetooth association of an ANT cadence (or speed) sensor.

The ANT sensor is a small wireless box that you can attach to an exercise bike or rower to recover your speed or cadence.

How to play Holodia with an Oculus VR headset (Quest Go or Rift S)?

  1. If you do not already have an ANT tracker or a bike or rowing machine already equipped, you can buy a basic model like the TAOPE at € 17.99. Or if you prefer, one of the best known Wahoo at 39 €.

  2. Then just select the cadence mode (blue LED). With the Taope you unscrew / re-screw the battery to change the mode. I advise you to Review it with a mobile app like “Wahoo” or “a training Tracker”.

  3. Then, attach it to your pedal board (or under the seat of your rower).

  4. For fun, download the Holofit game from Holodia in sideload with Sidequest (your headphones in developer mode smart health connected to your PC or Mac)

  5. Open the Holofit Holodia app in your helmet. You direct the cursor by moving your head. Select your sensor by pairing it with Bluetooth (pedal simple to activate it).

  6. Let's go, choose a course and take a walk in VR in the 14 proposed worlds (only 1 in free mode, the one I tested).

If you like the experience, you can subscribe to the monthly subscription of € 9.99 to access all the courses and options developed by Holodia. I stayed in a free version, there is also the possibility of testing 7 days, but you still have to put your credit card, too bad.

Accessories for doing sport in augmented reality

  • The first Kat Loco at $ 328 marketed by the brand KAT VR (Hangzhou Virtual and Reality Technology group – China) is a set of three additional sensors. You place them one at the belt and one at each of your ankles. With an adapter, your VR headset will recognize the movements of your legs and pelvis.

 

  • The Timmpi SubPacc S2 (to place on an armchair), the SubPac M2X where the SubPac Beat Saber edition (to put on like a vest) from 385 €. A very original item equipped with a haptic subwoofer that translates music into vibrations in your body. It remains difficult to find in France.

In the USA, there are now gyms where you can train with a VR headset for more immersive experiences. This is the case of Black Box VR in California which equipped its devices with HTC Vive with haptic feedback. For me, the idea is to recreate this environment but directly at health home.

I wish you again excellent health 2020 (in real life with virtual technology).

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