From Virtual Gains to Real Pains: Potential Harms of Immersive Exergames

TL;DR

This paper explores the potential psychological and physical harms associated with immersive exergames in extended reality, highlighting the need for awareness and mitigation strategies as XR technology becomes more prevalent.

Contribution

It provides an analysis of possible risks and harms of immersive exergames, emphasizing the importance of understanding their impact on users' well-being.

Findings

Immersive exergames can lead to physical injuries and psychological issues.

The widespread adoption of XR devices increases potential for harm.

Awareness and safety measures are necessary for responsible XR use.

Abstract

Digitalization and virtualization are parts of our everyday lives in almost all aspects ranging from work, education, and communication to entertainment. A novel step in this direction is the widespread interest in extended reality (XR) [2]. The newest consumer-ready head-mounted displays (HMD) such as Meta Quest 3 or Apple Vision Pro, have reached unprecedented levels of visual fidelity, interaction capabilities, and computational power. The built-in pass-through features of these headsets enable both virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) with the same devices. However, the immersive nature of these experiences is not the only groundbreaking difference from established forms of media.