Exploring Kinetic Meditation as an Emerging Frontier in Technology-Assisted Mindfulness: A Comparative Review

Abstract: Mindfulness has gained increasing attention in digital health research due to its demonstrated mental and physiological benefits (Plencler et al., 2024; Yusim & Grigaitis, 2020). While technologies such as mobile apps, wearables, and virtual reality (VR) have increasingly supported mindfulness practices, the majority of interventions continue to emphasize static meditation such as seated breathing and body scanning (Chandrasiri et al., 2020; Zafar et al., 2020). In contrast, kinetic meditation, including yoga, Taiji, and mindful walking, engages both body and mind through slow, intentional movement and embodied awareness, offering a more holistic approach to well-being (Barton et al., 2024; Niksirat et al., 2019). Despite this potential, the incorporation of kinetic meditation into technology-assisted mindfulness remains limited and underexplored in the current literature. To investigate this gap, we propose the following research questions aimed at identifying the overlooked role of kinetic meditation in technology-assisted mindfulness and exploring future opportunities for its integration into digital design.RQ1: What underexplored areas exist in current technology-assisted mindfulness research?RQ2: How can future mindfulness technologies be designed to support kinetic meditation practices?This study first analyzes a dataset of 3,053 peer-reviewed publications to examine publication trends and disciplinary contributions in technology-assisted mindfulness research. It then conducts a comparative review of 10 empirical articles from top-tier HCI journals and 30 peer-reviewed empirical studies retrieved from the Web of Science database (2014–2024). Using qualitative thematic coding, we examined technological applications, mindfulness categories, and sensory design strategies to identify key characteristics of the field, reveal differences between high-impact and broader empirical studies, and highlight underutilized design opportunities in the leading HCI literature.Across both sources, we find that technology-assisted kinetic meditation remains underrepresented, with the majority of interventions continuing to emphasize static meditation delivered through VR-based visuals, ambient soundscapes, and audio guidance (Lee et al., 2023; Payne et al., 2024). Despite its limited presence, the kinetic interventions identified in both top-tier and broader studies consistently demonstrate notable advantages: enhanced presence enabled by visual-auditory immersion, deeper interoception supported by movement-synchronized vibroacoustic feedback, and greater user engagement through motion tracking (Barton et al., 2024; Le Roy et al., 2024; Niksirat et al., 2019). These features suggest that kinetic meditation may provide more dynamic and integrative support for psychological and physiological regulation than static formats. However, most existing implementations remain constrained by passive content delivery, a narrow focus on individual stress relief, and an overreliance on visual and auditory design, with limited incorporation of haptic or other multisensory interaction elements. This review highlights future design opportunities to develop more active, adaptive, multi-sensory, and socially connected environments that foster embodied awareness, sustained engagement, and holistic well-being through technology-assisted kinetic meditation.In conclusion, this review outlines a theoretical direction for immersive environment design within the digital health domain, where embodied interaction, physiologically responsive feedback, and multisensory immersive media support both psychological and physiological regulation. Practically, it offers insights for developing next-generation mindfulness technologies that move beyond static practice toward more adaptive, immersive, and socially connected kinetic meditation experiences for diverse users.

Keywords: Kinetic Mediation, Technology-assisted Mindfulness, Virtual Reality, Multisensory Interaction, Psychological and Physiological Regulation

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1006900

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