Feb 20, 2016Virtual Training System
Researchers at a German university are testing a new coaching system that offers virtual assistance for people as they perform various movements. This system is posed to help athletes and patients who are working on rehabilitation, especially as they master their form for specific exercises like squats.
An article from Science Daily explains that the 1.6-million-Euro project, funded by CITEC, will run until 2017. The system that is being tested outfits users with stereoscopic glasses and reflective mirrors, which are tracked by infrared cameras and allow users to see precisely what they are doing.
Along with seeing a virtual image of themselves in the coaching space, users are given a virtual coach that gives specific, individualized feedback that is supported by state-of-the-art knowledge in training and science. With the digital avatar, this feedback can show users exactly where they need to adjust their positioning.
“It is the only system I know of that, in comparison to other virtual systems, simulates and implements the technology of the entire training process, while at the same time adapting flexibly to the user’s actions,” sport and cognitive scientist Dr. Thomas Schack told Science Daily. “Demonstrating exercises through modeling is part of this process. These models allow the individual exercises to be described and understood, but also serve as objective for the coach and feedback for the user.”
