Optimizing the Interaction System for Treadmill Video Games Using a Smartphone’s Front Camera

Martin, Micaela Yanet; Marín-Lora, Carlos; Villar-López, María Beatriz; Chover, Miguel

doi:10.3390/s26010020

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Open AccessArticle

Optimizing the Interaction System for Treadmill Video Games Using a Smartphone’s Front Camera

by

Micaela Yanet Martin

^1,*

,

Carlos Marín-Lora

²

,

María Beatriz Villar-López

¹

and

Miguel Chover

¹

Institute of New Imaging Technologies, Universitat Jaume I, Av. Vicent Sos Baynat s/n, 12071 Castellón de la Plana, Spain

²

Department of Computer Science and Systems Engineering, University of Zaragoza, Escuela Universitaria Politécnica de Teruel, C/Ciudad Escolar, nº2, 44003 Teruel, Spain

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Sensors 2026, 26(1), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26010020

Submission received: 24 October 2025 / Revised: 29 November 2025 / Accepted: 16 December 2025 / Published: 19 December 2025

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Sensors in Extended Reality: Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality)

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Abstract

This paper introduces a lightweight and accessible interaction system for treadmill-based video games, relying solely on facial tracking via a smartphone’s front camera. The system enables real-time estimation of running cadence and directional control through natural head movements, providing an immersive and hands-free gaming experience. A key contribution is the implementation of a FFT-based cadence estimation method that achieves accuracy errors below 5% using only 128 frames, enabling real-time feedback. Preliminary evaluations with 11 participants demonstrate that the FFT-based approach outperforms traditional peak detection in both accuracy and robustness across multiple running speeds. These results position the system as a practical, efficient, and scalable solution for fitness-oriented human–computer interaction, with promising implications for digital health and exergaming.

Keywords: treadmill interaction; face tracking; mobile technology; active video games

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MDPI and ACS Style

Martin, M.Y.; Marín-Lora, C.; Villar-López, M.B.; Chover, M. Optimizing the Interaction System for Treadmill Video Games Using a Smartphone’s Front Camera. Sensors 2026, 26, 20. https://doi.org/10.3390/s26010020

AMA Style

Martin MY, Marín-Lora C, Villar-López MB, Chover M. Optimizing the Interaction System for Treadmill Video Games Using a Smartphone’s Front Camera. Sensors. 2026; 26(1):20. https://doi.org/10.3390/s26010020

Chicago/Turabian Style

Martin, Micaela Yanet, Carlos Marín-Lora, María Beatriz Villar-López, and Miguel Chover. 2026. "Optimizing the Interaction System for Treadmill Video Games Using a Smartphone’s Front Camera" Sensors 26, no. 1: 20. https://doi.org/10.3390/s26010020

APA Style

Martin, M. Y., Marín-Lora, C., Villar-López, M. B., & Chover, M. (2026). Optimizing the Interaction System for Treadmill Video Games Using a Smartphone’s Front Camera. Sensors, 26(1), 20. https://doi.org/10.3390/s26010020

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Optimizing the Interaction System for Treadmill Video Games Using a Smartphone’s Front Camera

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