Retroverse: Envisioning Combined Physical Fitness and Embodied Learning

The concept of the Metaverse has been discussed and explored for several decades, with notable references in virtual reality (VR) and virtual social spaces. However, its applications in healthcare are still in their infancy. Researchers have explored its potential applications in smart healthcare from various angles, but few studies have shown how physical activity in virtual environments can support spatial learning. In this paper, we envision a new concept and application of the “Retroverse” characterized by embodied learning and incorporating virtual environments into a reality-based experience. Our main goal is to stimulate people’s memory through physical fitness activities in the virtual environment. By intelligently optimizing the sports equipment and campus management system at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), we connected the “Campus Brain” with a stationary bicycle. Through the “Virtual Campus Ride”,” visitors can get a 360-degree view of the campus while exercising either individually or in teams. This embodied learning experience allows users to interact with each other based on a digital representation of the real world. We believe that this interactive and physically engaging trend of smart healthcare can be further developed into simulation-based training and psychological therapy. In the future, such experiential learning or rehabilitation could be supported by AI-generated content in a computer-generated environment.