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Healthy ParticipantsNCT07384065

Real-Time Avatar Feedback in Virtual Reality Exercise

A study testing VR Exercise With No Avatar Feedback, VR Exercise With Verbal Avatar Feedback and VR Exercise With Verbal and Gestural Avatar Feedback in people with Healthy Participants, run by National Information Processing Institute at 1 site in Poland.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The goal of this study is to examine whether real-time feedback provided by a virtual trainer avatar during virtual reality (VR) exercise influences participants' exercise well-being and movement accuracy. The study also aims to compare different types of feedback delivered by the avatar. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 50 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Healthy Participants
What is being tested?
VR Exercise With No Avatar Feedback, VR Exercise With Verbal Avatar Feedback and VR Exercise With Verbal and Gestural Avatar Feedback
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
28 participants
Where
1 sitePoland
Study dates
6 May 2024to 24 May 2024
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 50 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Adults aged 18-50 years
  • Ability to provide informed consent
  • Ability to perform light to moderate physical exercise
  • No contraindications to participation in virtual reality-based exercise

Who cannot join

  • Age below 18 or above 50 years
  • Individuals with a high level of habitual physical activity, defined as engaging in structured physical exercise more than three times per week
  • Musculoskeletal, neurological, or cardiovascular conditions that limit safe participation in exercise
  • Known susceptibility to severe motion sickness or adverse reactions to virtual reality
  • Any condition preventing safe use of a VR headset

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Poland1 site
  • National Information Processing Institute

    Warsaw, 00-608

Other trials in Poland

About this study

Official title: Effects of Real-Time Avatar Feedback on Exercise Well-Being and Accuracy: Randomized Crossover Trial in Virtual Reality

The goal of this study is to examine whether real-time feedback provided by a virtual trainer avatar during virtual reality (VR) exercise influences participants' exercise well-being and movement accuracy. The study also aims to compare different types of feedback delivered by the avatar.

The main questions this study aims to answer are:

Read more

Does real-time avatar feedback improve exercise well-being during VR-based training?

Does real-time avatar feedback improve movement accuracy during exercise?

Are there differences between no feedback, verbal feedback, and combined verbal-gestural feedback?

Researchers will compare three VR exercise conditions: no feedback, verbal feedback, and combined verbal-gestural feedback, using a randomized crossover design so that each participant experiences all conditions.

Participants will:

Take part in three VR exercise sessions, each lasting approximately 15 minutes

Complete the sessions under different feedback conditions, with the order randomized

Perform guided physical exercises while wearing a VR headset and following a virtual trainer avatar

Provide self-reported ratings of exercise experience after each session

This study is an interventional, randomized crossover trial conducted in adults, with all procedures completed during a single study period.

Read the detailed description

his study investigates the effects of real-time feedback delivered by a virtual trainer avatar during exercise performed in a virtual reality (VR) environment. The intervention is designed to examine how different modes of avatar feedback influence the exercise experience and movement performance during short, guided training sessions.

The study uses a randomized crossover design, in which each participant completes multiple VR exercise sessions under different feedback conditions. The order of conditions is randomized to control for sequence and learning effects. The feedback conditions differ only in the type of information provided by the avatar and include: no feedback, verbal feedback, and combined verbal-gestural feedback. All other aspects of the VR environment, exercise content, and session duration are kept constant across conditions.

The VR application presents a virtual trainer avatar that demonstrates and guides a standardized set of physical exercises. A custom algorithm processes real-time motion data captured by the VR system, including parameters related to movement pace and range of motion. Based on this analysis, the avatar delivers adaptive feedback during the exercise session according to the assigned condition. In the no-feedback condition, the avatar performs the exercises without providing corrective or motivational input.

Each VR session lasts approximately 15 minutes and is separated from the subsequent session by a fixed 7-day interval to minimize carryover effects. The study is conducted within a single study period, and all procedures are completed after participants finish the final VR session. The intervention does not involve any pharmacological treatment or medical devices regulated for clinical use; VR hardware is used solely as a research tool to deliver the exercise environment and capture movement data.

This study is classified as an interventional behavioral trial and is intended to contribute to research on virtual trainers, human-computer interaction, and technology-supported physical activity by systematically examining the role of real-time avatar feedback in VR-based exercise.

Being tested
VR Exercise With No Avatar Feedback, VR Exercise With Verbal Avatar Feedback, VR Exercise With Verbal and Gestural Avatar Feedback
Keywords
exercise in virtual reality, exercise motivation, affective responses to exercise, psychological well-being, augmented feedback in physical activity, human-agent interaction in exercise
Medical subject headings
Psychological Well-Being

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • VR Exercise With No Avatar FeedbackBehavioural

    Participants perform a standardized exercise session in a virtual reality environment guided by a virtual trainer avatar. The avatar demonstrates the exercises but does not provide any real-time verbal or gestural feedback during the session.

  • VR Exercise With Verbal Avatar FeedbackBehavioural

    Participants perform a standardized exercise session in a virtual reality environment guided by a virtual trainer avatar. Real-time motion data are analyzed by the VR system, and the avatar provides adaptive verbal feedback during the exercise session.

  • VR Exercise With Verbal and Gestural Avatar FeedbackBehavioural

    Participants perform a standardized exercise session in a virtual reality environment guided by a virtual trainer avatar. Real-time motion data are analyzed by the VR system, and the avatar provides adaptive verbal and gestural feedback during the exercise session.

Study groups in NCT07384065
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
No FeedbackExperimentalParticipants perform a virtual reality exercise session without receiving any real-time feedback from the virtual trainer avatar.
Receives: Behavioral: VR Exercise With No Avatar Feedback
Verbal FeedbackExperimentalParticipants perform a virtual reality exercise session while receiving real-time verbal feedback from the virtual trainer avatar.
Receives: Behavioral: VR Exercise With Verbal Avatar Feedback
Verbal and Gestural FeedbackExperimentalParticipants perform a virtual reality exercise session while receiving combined real-time verbal and gestural feedback from the virtual trainer avatar.
Receives: Behavioral: VR Exercise With Verbal and Gestural Avatar Feedback

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Exercise Accuracy Index (EAI) based on motion tracking during VR exercise

    Exercise accuracy was quantified using the Exercise Accuracy Index (EAI) derived from real-time motion tracking. The EAI reflects how accurately participants reproduced the virtual trainer's movements in terms of pace and range of motion across fourteen moderate-intensity exercises. For each exercise, the trainer's movement served as the reference pattern. Acceptable variability was defined using the distribution of group performance: pace was accurate if it fell within ±1 SD of the trainer's baseline, and range of motion, recorded in absolute values, was accurate if it did not exceed +1 SD from the trainer's benchmark. This accounts for natural inter-individual differences while identifying meaningful deviations. An exercise was classified as correct only if both criteria were met. The EAI ranges from 0 to 14, where 0 indicates no correct exercises and 14 indicates all exercises performed accurately during the session.

    Measured: During each VR training session across fourteen moderate-intensity exercises (up to three sessions per participant); not assessed during inter-exercise rest periods or during the final low-intensity cool-down exercise.

  2. Exercise Well-Being

    Exercise well-being was assessed as participants' immediate emotional state experienced during the VR exercise session. The measure was based on the short mood assessment tool by Wilhelm and Schoebi (2007) and captures momentary affect rather than stable trait well-being. The scale consists of four bipolar items: discontented-contented, unwell-well, tense-relaxed, and agitated-calm. Each item is rated on a 7-point semantic differential in response to the prompt: "During the training session I have just performed, I felt…". Item scores are averaged to produce a single affective well-being score, with higher values indicating more positive affect during exercise.

    Measured: Immediately after each VR training session via computer-assisted web-based questionnaire (CAWI), up to three sessions per participant.

Secondary outcomes (7)
  1. Affective Attitude Toward Exercise Score

    Affective attitude toward exercise was assessed using a four-item semantic differential scale based on Crites et al. (1994). The scale comprised the bipolar items: "not relaxed-extremely relaxed", "not satisfied-extremely satisfied", "not happy-extremely happy", and "uncomfortable-extremely comfortable". Participants responded on a 9-point scale to the prompt: "When I think about exercising, I feel…". Item scores were averaged to yield a single affective attitude score, with higher values indicating a more positive affective evaluation of exercise.

    Measured: Immediately after each VR training session via computer-assisted web-based questionnaire (CAWI), up to three sessions per participant.

  2. Trainee - Trainer Closeness Score

    Perceived closeness to the avatar trainer was assessed using the Closeness subscale of the Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (CART-Q; Jowett \& Ntoumanis, 2004) in its Polish adaptation (PLCART-Q). The subscale consists of four items (e.g., "I trust my trainer", "I respect my trainer"), rated on a 7-point Likert scale (1 = definitely no, 7 = definitely yes). Item scores are averaged to produce a single Closeness score, with higher values indicating stronger perceived emotional bond with the trainer.

    Measured: Immediately after each VR training session via computer-assisted web-based questionnaire (CAWI), up to three sessions per participant.

  3. Trainee - Trainer Complementarity Score

    Perceived complementarity in the trainee - trainer interaction was assessed using the Complementarity subscale of the CART-Q (Jowett \& Ntoumanis, 2004; Polish PLCART-Q). The subscale includes four items (e.g., "When I am trained by my trainer, I am ready to do my best", "When I am trained by my trainer, I adopt a friendly stance"), rated on a 7-point Likert scale (1 = definitely no, 7 = definitely yes). Item scores are averaged to yield a single Complementarity score, with higher values indicating stronger perceived reciprocity and coordination with the trainer.

    Measured: Immediately after each VR training session via computer-assisted web-based questionnaire (CAWI), up to three sessions per participant.

  4. Trainee-Trainer Commitment Score

    Perceived commitment in the trainee-trainer relationship was assessed using the Commitment subscale of the CART-Q (Jowett \& Ntoumanis, 2004; Polish PLCART-Q). The subscale consists of three items (e.g., "I feel close to my trainer", "I am committed to my trainer"), rated on a 7-point Likert scale (1 = definitely no, 7 = definitely yes). Item scores are averaged to produce a single Commitment score, with higher values indicating stronger perceived attachment and willingness to engage with the trainer.

    Measured: Immediately after each VR training session via computer-assisted web-based questionnaire (CAWI), up to three sessions per participant.

  5. Perceived Exertion Rating

    Perceived exertion was assessed using a 7-point rating scale based on Borg (1982). Participants answered the question: "How exerting did you find the training session you have just completed?". Response options ranged from 1 ("very light") to 7 ("very hard"). The reported outcome is the single exertion rating provided after each session, with higher values indicating greater perceived physical effort.

    Measured: Immediately after each VR training session via computer-assisted web-based questionnaire (CAWI), up to three sessions per participant.

  6. Perceived Competence Score

    Perceived competence during exercise was assessed using three items adapted from the Psychological Need Satisfaction in Exercise Scale (Wilson et al., 2006): "able to complete my personal exercise challenge", "confident in my ability to exercise", and "feel good about my ability to exercise". Participants rated each item on a 7-point Likert scale (1 = false, 7 = true) in response to the prompt: "How did you feel during the training session you have just performed?". Item scores are averaged to yield a single perceived competence score, with higher values indicating greater perceived competence during exercise.

    Measured: Immediately after each VR training session via computer-assisted web-based questionnaire (CAWI), up to three sessions per participant.

  7. Spatial Presence Score in Virtual Reality

    Spatial presence was assessed based on the MEC Spatial Presence Questionnaire (MEC-SPQ; Vorderer et al., 2004). The score was derived from four selected items. Example items include "It seemed as though I actually took part in the action of the presentation" and "It seemed to me that I could do whatever I wanted in the environment of the presentation". Items are rated on a 7-point Likert scale (1 = definitely no, 7 = definitely yes). All items are averaged to produce a single spatial presence score, with higher values indicating stronger perceived presence in the virtual environment.

    Measured: Immediately after each VR training session via computer-assisted web-based questionnaire (CAWI), up to three sessions per participant.

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted3 Feb 2026
  2. Study start6 May 2024
  3. Primary completion24 May 2024
  4. Study completion24 May 2024

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Basic science
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Crossover
Model description
This study uses a randomized crossover design in which all participants complete three virtual reality exercise conditions (no feedback, verbal feedback, and combined verbal-gestural feedback). The order of conditions is randomized, and each session is separated by a fixed 7-day interval to minimize carryover effects.
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
28 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07384065
Sponsor's protocol ID
4959.13336.14519
Status last verified
Jan 2026
First submitted
13 Jan 2026
Last updated
3 Feb 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
Yes: De-identified individual participant data underlying the results reported in the publication, including outcome measures.

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing VR Exercise With No Avatar Feedback, VR Exercise With Verbal Avatar Feedback and VR Exercise With Verbal and Gestural Avatar Feedback in people with Healthy Participants, run by National Information Processing Institute at 1 site in Poland.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 3 Feb 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Poland. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Exercise Accuracy Index (EAI) based on motion tracking during VR exercise (time frame: During each VR training session across fourteen moderate-intensity exercises (up to three sessions per participant); not assessed during inter-exercise rest periods or during the final low-intensity cool-down exercise.). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 3 Feb 2026.

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Real-Time Avatar Feedback in Virtual Reality Exercise | AzTrials