A Comparative Study of Immersive 360-degree Virtual Cycling System and Head-mounted Virtual Cycling System for Young adults

Objective: Physical activity promotes physical and mental well-being. Recently, university students have become more sedentary owing to the increased use of computers and other technologies. This study investigated the effects of immersive 360-degree virtual cycling (IVC) and virtual cycling with a head-mounted display (VCHMD) on aerobic capacity and usability in young adults. Design: A crossover study. Methods: Twenty-five university students (13 males, 12 females) completed twoseparate 30 min cycling sessions, including IVC and VCHMD. In IVC, the participants rode on a stationary cycle while watching a curved TV played a recorded video. Auditorystimulation was applied to the headsetto enhance the sense of realism, and a gyroscopic sensor was used to track the screen as the head moved. In VCHMD, participants rode on a stationary cycle with a head-mounted display; the other conditions were the same as those for IVC. We assessed aerobic capacity, including a gas analyzer and portable near-infrared spectroscopy, and usability, including a simulator sickness questionnaire and a system usability scale. Results: Aerobic capacity was significantly higher in the IVC group than in the VCHMD group, except for the total hemoglobin content of the right and left rectus femoris and the muscle oxygen saturation of the left rectus femoris (p < 0.05). Cybersickness was lower in the IVC group than in the VCHMD group, and usability was higher in the IVC group than in the VCHMD group (p ＜0.05). Conclusions: These findings suggest that IVC might improve aerobic capacity and is associated with lower cybersickness and higher usability than VCHMD.