This randomized controlled trial protocol describes a study evaluating whether an AI-based coaching intervention combined with a smart ring (Oura Ring) can achieve comparable gains in arterial stiffness (cfPWV) and cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2max) relative to supervised high-intensity interval training in sedentary adults.
The trial targets 165 sedentary participants aged 30 to 65 years, equally randomized into three groups.
The co-primary outcomes are carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and VO2max, measured at baseline and after 12 weeks.
The AI-based coaching group receives personalized guidance using large language model (LLM) technology.
All participants wear the Oura Ring and are blinded to the cardiovascular health metrics provided by the ring.
The study includes a detailed process evaluation using structured interviews to assess feasibility and user experience of the AI coach.
Low long-term adherence to effective lifestyle regimens is identified as a major challenge limiting cardiovascular disease prevention.
This paper describes the design of a clinical trial (not yet completed results) investigating whether an artificial intelligence coaching app combined with a wearable smart ring (the Oura Ring) can help sedentary adults improve two important measures of cardiovascular health: arterial stiffness (how rigid the blood vessels are, measured by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity) and aerobic fitness (measured by VO2max). The study compares three groups of adults aged 30–65: one group receives personalized AI coaching encouraging moderate exercise, a second group participates in supervised high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and a third group simply wears the Oura Ring without any coaching. All participants are kept unaware of the heart-health data the ring collects, so that knowledge of those metrics does not influence their behavior. The trial aims to enroll 165 participants and runs for 12 weeks per participant, with recruitment starting in late 2024 and data collection expected to wrap up in early 2026. This research suggests that a scalable, low-cost digital tool—an AI coach on a smartphone paired with a consumer wearable—might be able to produce cardiovascular benefits similar to resource-intensive, in-person supervised exercise programs. The key innovation being tested is whether personalized AI guidance can solve one of the biggest problems in preventive health care: getting people to stick with healthy habits over the long term. The trial also includes interviews with participants to understand what it is actually like to interact with an AI health coach, which will help researchers understand the practical barriers and benefits of this type of technology. This research matters because cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death globally, and both arterial stiffness and low aerobic fitness are known risk factors that can be improved with exercise. If an AI coaching app proves as effective as supervised HIIT—which requires trained staff, facilities, and scheduling—it could eventually be deployed widely and affordably to large populations who currently have no access to personalized exercise guidance. The results of this trial, expected in 2026, will provide important early evidence on whether AI-driven digital health tools represent a genuinely effective and scalable approach to cardiovascular disease prevention.
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Upload Your LabsHeikki Pentikäinen, S. Strömmer, D. Caraker, J. Kosonen, A. Rantanen, S. Hiltunen, et al.. (2026). The Effects of AI-Guided Exercise and a Smart Ring on Arterial Stiffness: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.. JMIR Research Protocols. https://doi.org/10.2196/98213