Cybercycle
{{Short description|Exercise game}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{POV|date=October 2018}}
{{unbalanced|date=October 2018}}
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{{Orphan|date=December 2020}}
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A cybercycle is a type of exergame which combines a traditional stationary bike with virtual reality tours, competitive avatars, and videogame features.Park, Alice (January 17, 2012). [https://healthland.time.com/2012/01/17/virtual-exercise-games-help-elderly-remain-mentally-sharp/ "Virtual Exercise Games Help Elderly Remain Mentally Sharp"]. Time.Park, Alice (January 30, 2012). "Exercise: Game On, Grandma (under 'Bat Signal'). Time. 179 (4): 14.[http://www.gvnews.com/sports/bigger-better-la-posada-s-pavilion-gets-million-upgrade/article_4b0b99f6-5fa1-11e4-8f6c-8f02967b2256.html "Bigger, better: La Posada's Pavilion gets $1.5 million upgrade"]. Green Valley News.
History
The term "cybercycle" has been used to refer to a futuristic vehicle in science fiction stories"Lawnmower Man II:Beyond Cyberspace". {{cite book|title=Film Review|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pHBZAAAAMAAJ|year=1996|publisher=Orpheus Pub.}} and video games.{{cite book|first1=Seth|last1=McEvoy|first2=Laure|last2=Smith|title=Revenge of the Raster gang|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1AqWoTNJcScC|date=1 July 1985|publisher=Dell|isbn=978-0-440-97354-6|page=67}} Stationary bicycles in combination with 2D or 3D displays have been in existence since the early days of personal computers,[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1291&dat=19830715&id=ORNUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=y4wDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4091,3661107&hl=en "Video Junkies Need Release"]. Boca Raton News. July 15, 1983. developing into virtual reality systems as graphic capabilities improved.[http://artradarjournal.com/2014/06/27/what-is-digital-art-art-radar-explains/ "What is ... digital art? Art Radar explains"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714125505/http://artradarjournal.com/2014/06/27/what-is-digital-art-art-radar-explains/ |date=2015-07-14 }}. Art Radar. Cay Anderson-Hanley of Union College and Paul Arciero of Skidmore College labeled the bicycle-virtual-reality combination a "cybercycle" in 2008 when they began conducting research on the benefits cycling exergames, to avoid referring to specific brand names.
Cybercycles and health
Anderson-Hanley and Arciero's research found increased cognitive benefits when older adults used cybercycles for exercise rather than ordinary stationary bicycles.[http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-exergames-cognitive-benefit-older-adults.html "'Exergames' may provide cognitive benefit for older adults"]. Medical Xpress.[http://news.discovery.com/human/cybercycling-brain-121801.htm Cybercycling Yields Benefits for Body and Brain : Discovery News]Union College. (2012, Jan). Brain power: "Exergames" heighten health benefits for seniors, study by Union professor finds. http://www.union.edu/news/stories/2012/01/brain-power-exergames-provide-greater-health-benefits-for-seniors,-study-by-union-professor-finds.php {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121190750/http://www.union.edu/news/stories/2012/01/brain-power-exergames-provide-greater-health-benefits-for-seniors,-study-by-union-professor-finds.php |date=2012-01-21 }}.[http://www.todaysgeriatricmedicine.com/news/021312_news.shtml "Cognitive Benefit for Older Adults From 'Exergames'"]. Today's Geriatric Medicine. These results have been written about in news media around the world,Phend, Crystal (January 16, 2012). [https://web.archive.org/web/20120120012250/http://www.medpagetoday.com/Geriatrics/GeneralGeriatrics/30694 "Cybercycling Gives Seniors a Brain Boost"]. MedPage Today.[http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/news/2012/jan/31/wellbeing-cybercycling-better-health/ Wellbeing: Cybercycling for Better Health] including The Wall Street Journal,Lukits, A. (2012, Feb. 28). A Bike Built for a Virtual-Reality Brain Boost. The Wall Street Journal, 259(47), D2. Press Association,Press Association. (2012, Jan. 17). Cyber exercise 'a mental boost.' MSN UK. http://news.uk.msn.com/health/cyber-exercise-a-mental-boost{{Dead link|date=November 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Medscape Medical News,Shelley, A. (2012, Jan. 19). 'Exergaming' Helps Older Adults Improve Cognitive Function. Medscape Medical News. and Zee News.[http://zeenews.india.com/news/health/fitness/cybercycling-can-boost-brain-function-among-seniors_15289.html Cybercycling can boost brain function among seniors] Additional research has been published on the benefits of cybercycling for college students {{cite book|title=Issues in Psychology and Psychiatry—Special Fields: 2013 Edition|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Eqr-AvSK1QMC&pg=PA540|date=1 May 2013|publisher=ScholarlyEditions|isbn=978-1-4901-1064-6|pages=540–}} and also for children on the autism spectrum.{{cite book|first=Fran C.|last=Blumberg|title=Learning by Playing: Video Gaming in Education|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eHjiAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA48|date=19 February 2014|publisher=Oxford University Press, USA|isbn=978-0-19-989665-3|pages=48–}}
Based on this research, some retirement communities have added cybercycles to their exercise equipment.[https://web.archive.org/web/20150924153746/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-290276614.html "The Terraces of Phoenix First in State to Offer Cybercycle Exercise Program."]. States News Service May 18, 2012..[http://archive.cincinnati.com/article/C2/20120717/NEWS05/307170029/Barrington-residents-try-CyberCycle "Barrington residents try CyberCycle"]. Community Recorder, via Cincinnati.com.