Exploring Real-Time Collaborative Heart Rate Displays for Cycling Partners
Maedeh Agharazidermani, Lincoln Lu, Kristy Elizabeth Boyer · 2023
Training with a partner is beneficial for promoting enjoyment and persistence. However, there has been little research on real-time collaborative displays that enable co-located training partners to share data, such as heart rate (HR). We developed a prototype interface that enables cycling partners to view each others’ HRs both as beats per minute and as percentage of each user’s maximum HR. In a pilot study with six participants, we found that the real-time display may be particularly helpful for less experienced recreational cyclists, and highly experienced cyclists find it useful when road conditions are dynamic. We also observed that real-time collaborative data may facilitate more social dialogue. All participants indicated that they would use this app in the future. This study highlights the importance of future research on real-time interfaces for exercise, with the goal of enabling more users to integrate physical activity into their lives through successful collaboration.