Enhancing the Quality and Motivation of Physical Exercise Using Real-Time Sonification

This research project investigated the use of real-time sonification as a way to improve the quality and motivation of biceps curl exercise among healthy young participants. A sonification system was developed featuring an elec- tromyography (EMG) sensor and Microsoft Kinect camera. During exercise, muscular and kinematic data were collected and sent to custom design sonifi- cation software developed using Max to generate real-time auditory feedback. The software provides four types of output sound in consideration of personal preference and long-term use.
Three experiments were carried out. The pilot study examined the sonifi- cation system and gathered the users’ comments about their experience of each type of sound in relation to its functionality and aesthetics. A 3-session between-subjects test and an 8-session within-subjects comparative test were conducted to compared the exercise quality and motivation between two conditions: with and without the real-time sonification. Overall, several conclusions are drawn based on the experimental results: The sonification improved participants’ pace of biceps curl significantly. No significant effect was found for the effect on vertical movement range. Participants expended more effort in training with the presence of sonification. Analysis of sur- veys indicated a higher motivation and willingness when exercising with the sonification.
The results reflect a wider potential for applications including general fitness, physiotherapy and elite sports training.