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Percorrer por autor "Freitas, Eva"

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  • FitFest: designing a narrative-driven exergame to engage active seniors in physical activity
    Publication . Freitas, Eva; Noronha, Hildegardo; França, Cíntia; Gouveia, Élvio; Bala, Paulo; Campos, Pedro; Dionísio, Mara; França, Cíntia; Gouveia, Elvio Rúbio; Gouveia, Elvio Rúbio; Gouveia, Élvio Rúbio; Bala, Paulo; Pereira Campos, Pedro Filipe; Campos, Pedro; Dionisio, Mara
    Exergaming is a modern approach frequently used to promote physical activity at all ages while playing digital games. Given that physical health deteriorates with age, that older people tend to live sedentary lifestyles and that they get tired faster due to lack of physical stimulation, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and regular exercise routine is important to avoid unintentional injuries. Taking into account interviews and a focus group with seniors and fitness professionals, this paper reports on the design and development of an exergame for seniors to complement their weekly exercise classes. Fit Fest is an exergame for seniors that leverages narra tive and sociocultural connections to create an engaging exercise experience.
    2024-10-08Comunicação em conferência Acesso aberto Ver mais
  • Physical and physiological characterization of custom-made virtual reality exergames: a pilot study
    Publication . França, Cíntia; Noronha, Hildegardo; Freitas, Eva; Campos, Pedro; Ornelas, Rui T.; Gouveia, Élvio R.; França, Cíntia; Noronha, Hildegardo; Pereira Campos, Pedro Filipe; Ornelas, Rui; Gouveia, Élvio Rúbio
    The continuous growth of the older adult population demands an urgent need to provide innovative ways to stimulate physical activity and promote functional health. This study presents FitFest, a custom-made virtual reality (VR) designed to deliver a complete physical activity (PA) session for older adults. A pilot study involving seven older adults (67.0 ± 3.8 years) was conducted, comprising 18 user testing sessions of two VR exergames: Wine Fest and Flower Fest. PA intensity and heart rate (HR) were measured. The rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and the participants’ rating of the system’s usability were also registered. Overall, sessions involved mostly sedentary behavior (56.5 ± 20.4%) and light PA (42.1 ± 19.3%), with an average of 436.7 steps and 92.1 bpm. Wine Fest elicited less sedentary behavior (53.6 ± 22.1% vs. 62.8 ± 16.2%), higher light PA intensity (44.7 ± 20.4% vs. 36.4 ± 17.0%), and a higher step count (503.0 ± 345.4 vs. 291.0 ± 143.1) than the Flower Fest, although not significantly. Tasks requiring cardiovascular effort and strength were rated as more physically demanding. Most participants found the system user-friendly and showed interest in continued use, though technical support was essential due to limited familiarity with VR. The findings suggest FitFest has potential to promote light PA in older adults, highlighting the importance of usability and support in tech-based interventions.
    2025-11-03Artigo científico Acesso aberto Ver mais