Six Cleveland State University undergraduate students are spending their summer doing research on how technology (in this case, Wii boxing) can be used to increase physical activity, especially for youngsters who tend to get less physical activity than they should.

This week, the students have been monitoring the oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production and energy (calories) expended as 30 test subjects (ages 18-40) did Wii boxing and bag boxing. The subjects were hooked up to a portable oxygen analyzer and heart monitor, as well as a pedometer. They boxed for three-minute intervals with 10 second breaks for 30 minutes each on the boxing bag and Wii game as it’s projected on a big screen.

The project is part of CSU’s second annual summer Undergraduate Research Program, funded by the Office of the Provost to give undergraduate students the experience of conducting research with faculty, something usually reserved for graduate students.

The six undergraduate students were selected based on their GPA and an interview. The four women and two men all are physical education majors – two each in teacher education, sports management and exercise science. For each, it’s their first time doing research. Their involvement includes putting together materials to get consent from the University’s Institutional Review Board, writing consent forms, recruiting the 30 test subjects, scheduling and conducting the tests, collecting and analyzing data, and writing up and presenting the results of their research.

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