Inspiration

I wanted to create a VR experience that removes all friction from working out. Many fitness apps feel overwhelming — full of menus, onboarding steps, and complex flows. My goal was the opposite: a lightweight micro-workout tool that starts instantly. In Fitness Counter Lite, you simply raise your hand and the app begins counting reps. No controllers required, no configuration, just movement.

This project also became my introduction to Unity XR, OpenXR, VR UI design, and the complete Meta Quest build-and-publish workflow.

What I Built

Fitness Counter Lite is a minimal VR rep-tracking tool for Meta Quest.

It detects upward motion from either a hand or controller and increments a rep counter when the vertical displacement exceeds a threshold.

Inline example:
(\Delta y = y_{current} - y_{baseline})

Displayed math:

$$ \Delta y > \tau \;\Rightarrow\; \text{reps} = \text{reps} + 1 $$

Where (\tau) is the tunable motion threshold.

Features

Hand-tracking and controller support
Real-time rep detection using vertical motion deltas
Clean world-space onboarding UI (“Raise your hand to start”)
Built with Unity 6 + XR Interaction Toolkit + Input System
XR Device Simulator support for desktop demo recording
Meta-compatible APK (landscape, targetSdk ≤ 34, installLocation=auto)

How I Built It

I implemented a simple rep-detection algorithm based on motion deltas:

if (currentY - baselineY > threshold && cooldownPassed) {
    reps++;
}

A cooldown timer prevents double-counting:

$$ t_{now} - t_{lastRep} > \Delta t $$

Other development steps:

Configured XR Origin, camera offsets, and hand/controller input
Designed VR-readable UI in world space using TextMeshPro
Tuned thresholds for accuracy across different motion patterns
Resolved Meta validation issues (orientation, SDK version, install location)
Uploaded the build to a Competition release channel and generated judge testing links

What I Learned

This project taught me the full XR development pipeline: configuring OpenXR, building spatial UI, optimizing performance for standalone VR, debugging hand-tracking, and navigating the Meta Quest build/validation system for the first time. I gained a deeper understanding of VR motion data, Unity’s XR stack, and mobile VR constraints.

Challenges I Faced

Making UI text readable at realistic VR distances
Balancing sensitivity to avoid missed reps or false positives
Fixing manifest and Android build errors flagged by Meta
Ensuring consistent behavior between hand-tracking and controllers

Each challenge improved the final experience.

Plans for Future Improvements

Adaptive motion thresholds
Additional exercises (squats, curls, presses)
Audio cues or voice coaching
Simple form analysis using velocity + angle vectors
Workout history, sets, and streak tracking

Summary

Fitness Counter Lite delivers a clean, accessible micro-workout: raise your hand, and reps are counted instantly. It demonstrates motion-based interaction, Unity XR development, VR UI design, and complete Meta Quest deployment — all within a simple, beginner-friendly experience.