VirtualGym: A kinect-based system for seniors exercising at home

In this paper, we describe our system that supports exercise experts in specify an exercise routine for older adults and generates an exergame in which a coach avatar fluidly guides seniors through a personalized version of this routine. During the exercise session, the Kinect™ sensor collects data to evaluate the players performance and provide timely feedback. We developed the user interface of the exercise platform, VirtualGym, through an evolutionary process in the context of an empirical feasibility study with ten older adults. Based on the feedback we received from our target users, the original system interface underwent a sequence of changes and we have distilled our experience into a set of practical guidelines, relevant to the design of Kinect™-based exergames for older adults.