Abstract
Currently, research on the application of luminous environments in exercise is limited. This study addresses this gap by simulating a badminton game through somatosensory games streamed on television within a laboratory, where different luminous environments were established. A total of 40 participants, comprising 22 males and 18 females aged between18 and 50 years, participated in the experiment. The exercise process encompasses six stages: resting 1, warming up, exercising 1, resting 2, exercising 2, and relaxing, with a total duration of approximately one hour. Throughout the experiment, continuous measurement of heart rate (HR), skin conductance level (SCL), and electroencephalogram (EEG) data were recorded. Additionally, participants completed the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS) during the warming-up and relaxing stages. The results indicate correlations between physiological and psychological responses and the luminous environment at different stages of exercise. This study empolys a multidisciplinary approach, integrating concepts from architectural optics, sports psychology, and exercise physiology. By simulating exercise in different lighting environments through a combination of real light environments and somatosensory interaction technology, it offers an innovative solution for conducting controlled lighting experiments in indoor settings. Furthermore, a parameter system for the light environment in indoor fitness exercises has been established, providing a theoretical foundation and data support for constructing a "human-centered" fitness lighting environment.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank all the participants who took part in our experiments. We are also grateful to the Tianzuo Architecture Research Institute of Shenyang Jianzhu University for providing the venue support for this study, and to Kingfar International Inc., for their equipment support through their Scientific Research Support Program.
Funding
Basic Research Project of Higher Education Institutions of Liaoning Provincial Department of Education (LJ212410153052).
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Xuan Li : methodology, software, investigation, data curation, writing-original draft preparation, writing-review and editing, project administration; Weifeng Zhao : validation, writing-review and editing; Xiaowei Bai : investigation, resources. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
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The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Ethics Committee of the School of Architecture and Planning, Shenyang Jianzhu University.
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Li, X., Zhao, W. & Bai, X. Goal-directed human factor experiment on the non-visual effect of luminous environment on indoor exercise. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-40560-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-40560-0


