Lately I have been interested in the convergence of simulation technology in society. This week I was at Pepperdine for a week of classes. A group of us elected to get a one-week membership at the Spectrum Athletic Club across the street from our classes.
Being Ed Tech students we all had to try the stationary bikes that had a virtual reality interface added to make you feel like you were on a real bike ride. It had a variety of rides that you could do, for example I rode the Coastal Route which was nice. I enjoyed viewing the ocean from high bluffs.
As you ride there is a small map that shows where you are on your route. The scenery and landscape changes as you ride. You see your handle-bars and you have to steer while you’re riding. The resistance of your bike changes with the landscape. Other riders are in the simulation as well which is designed to help motivate you. You can also see an elevation chart at the bottom and other stats such as your heart-rate and revolution per minute. We all enjoyed it and felt that working out at the gym before classes made us more calm throughout the day.
This fits with a study conducted at Santa Clara University on Virtual Reality and its Psychological Benefits. The results suggest, “that virtual reality may enhance the energy and tiredness levels of females hours after the completion of the exercise and virtual reality experience but not for males” (Sorry Dan).
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