Introduction into the Virtual Olympic Games Framework for online communities.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This paper presents the design of the Virtual Olympic Games Framework (VOGF), a computer application designated for athletics, health care, general well-being, nutrition and fitness, which offers multiple benefits for its participants. BACKGROUND: A special interest in starting the design of the framework was in exploring how people can connect and participate together using existing computer technologies (i.e. gaming consoles, exercise equipment with computer interfaces, devices of measuring health, speed, force and distance and Web 2.0 applications). METHOD: A stationary bike set-up offering information to users about their individual health and athletic performances has been considered as a starting model. CONCLUSIONS: While this model is in the design stage, some preliminary findings are encouraging, suggesting the potential for various fields: sports, medicine, theories of learning, technologies and cybercultural studies. First, this framework would allow participants to perform a variety of sports and improve their health. Second, this would involve creating an online environment able to store health information and sport performances correlated with accessing multi-media data and research about performing sports. Third, participants could share experiences with other athletes, coaches and researchers. Fourth, this framework also provides support for the research community in their future investigations.

Author information

Author/s: Stoilescu, Dorian (D);

Affiliation: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. dstoilescu(-atsign-)oise.utoronto.ca

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Health information and libraries journal (Health Info Libr J), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Jun; vol 26 (issue 2) : pp 143-50

Dates: Created 2009/06/03; Completed 2009/08/20;

PMID: 19490153, status: MEDLINE (last retrieved date: 8/21/2009)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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