Promoting physical activity is crucial for well-being and mental health, especially for older individuals with reduced risks of physical and psychological diseases like cognitive decline. In Italy, 17.5% of people aged 65-74 engage in sports, with a higher prevalence among men (21.6%) than women (13.7%). Theoretical models like self-determination theory (SDT) offer insights into motivational factors. SDT suggests a continuum of motivation, from absence to intrinsic motivation, with controlled and autonomous motivations driven by internal or external factors. Supporting autonomy in meeting psychological needs enhances motivation. We describe a proof-of-concept of the Age-It Project. Aiming to evaluate the impact of encouragement messages formulated based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT) received during physical activity while being immersed in an Augmented Reality (AR) Environment. The AR app acts as a virtual coach, leveraging psychological determinants to promote healthy behaviors. The objective is to foster behavioral change, enhance mental and physical functioning, and assess intervention effectiveness.

We describe a proof-of-concept of VITA, a two-year project started in the fall of 2023, aiming to develop innovative dual cognitive/motor training for healthy older adults in an Augmented Reality (AR) environment intended to foster behavioral change processes, promote general cognitive and physical functioning, and social interactions. Previous work, in fact, always focuses on individual, either cognitive or motor, training. In the paper, the project’s initial work is presented, consisting of an AR environment in which users can perform motor tasks, such as catching balloons with a ring and avoiding falling rocks, simultaneously with cognitive training.

Several attempts have been made to enhance mindfulness through Virtual and Mixed Reality. To date, they only offer users an alternative way of presenting guided imagery (e.g., mentally visualizing a beach vs. rendering a beach). We propose a preliminary study investigating whether allowing users to actively explore guided imagery through their actions (e.g., grasping virtual objects with hands) affects the mindfulness experience. To this aim, we present a preliminary study on a VR scenario for mindfulness practice that encourages the user’s interactive behavior in two conditions: interactive multimodal VR vs. audio-only. No significant difference was observed in self-reported mindfulness between the two conditions.