07/10/2026
🇵🇭 DID YOU KNOW?
Researchers in Mindanao have already studied how AI-supported activities can help improve physical fitness!
From PE classes to sports training and everyday wellness, research offers interesting possibilities for a more active Filipino community.
🏃 FITNESS | Turning screen time into movement time
A study involving 70 students at MSU-IIT found that, after eight weeks, the group using AI-supported activities scored higher on endurance and strength tests than the regular-class group. The programme combined movement games with structured exercise. The findings are promising, although the non-randomized design means they do not prove that every AI fitness app works.
📱 SPORTS | Your smartphone can capture more than a replay
Researchers developed OpenCap to estimate three-dimensional movement and forces using videos from two or more smartphones, AI, and biomechanical models. With proper setup and interpretation, this technology could support movement assessment through shared equipment in university sports programmes.
💬 WELLNESS | Could a conversation encourage healthier habits?
A review of 19 trials found improvements in physical activity, fruit and vegetable intake, and sleep through chatbot-based programmes. However, the review included both AI and non-AI chatbots, and most trials received low-quality ratings. Results should therefore be interpreted carefully.
Why does this matter for Filipinos?
Schools and barangays could explore supervised movement games, shared-device activities, and wellness check-ins suited to local languages, budgets, and available facilities. These possibilities need local testing to determine what works for our communities.
Through Sports, Fitness, Wellness, Research & Extension, the WMSU Sports Development Office highlights how research can inform meaningful opportunities for athletes, students, and communities.
Where would you like technology to make a difference—sports training, daily exercise, or wellness habits? Share your thoughts below! 👇
The photographs illustrate sports participation; the people pictured are not presented as participants in the cited studies.
Ompoc, H. M. S., & Aguinaldo, J. C. (2025). Evaluating the effectiveness of AI-driven applications in enhancing the physical fitness of tertiary physical education students. International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences, 13(1), 74–82. https://doi.org/10.13189/saj.2025.130109
Singh, B., Olds, T., Brinsley, J., Dumuid, D., Virgara, R., Matricciani, L., Watson, A., Szeto, K., Eglitis, E., Miatke, A., Simpson, C. E. M., Vandelanotte, C., & Maher, C. (2023). Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of chatbots on lifestyle behaviours. npj Digital Medicine, 6, Article 118. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-023-00856-1
Uhlrich, S. D., Falisse, A., Kidziński, Ł., Muccini, J., Ko, M., Chaudhari, A. S., Hicks, J. L., & Delp, S. L. (2023). OpenCap: Human movement dynamics from smartphone videos. PLOS Computational Biology, 19(10), e1011462. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011462
