Post on 07-May-2015
Video Games & Mobile Apps for Health and Healthcare
Aaron Gray, M.D.Depts of Family Medicine & OrthopaedicsUniversity of Missouri
Overview Why Games for Health? Benefits of Video Games Gamification Mobile Apps/Games Microsoft Kinect
Yearly conference that brings together those in video game industry with those in medicine and academics
RWJF Support Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s
Pioneer portfolio has given $9 million for Games for Health exploration
“Pioneer saw games as a promising but unconventional area for exploration, with the potential to lower costs of patient care and drive significant improvements in people’s health and health care.”
Excellent database that looks at effectiveness of interactive games for health
Also provides grant funding for projects
How Games can be used for Health (from Archimage.com) Change player’s health behavior
Getting a child to eat more fruits and vegetables
Change player’s health attitude about a health topic Being physically activity isn’t as hard as it
seems Increase player’s knowledge about a health
topic Nutrition
How Games can be used for Health (from Archimage.com) Help player make a difficult health
decision Choosing a cancer treatment option
Engage player to make an otherwise boring topic fun
Wait, I thought video games only made kids fat?
Benefits of Video Games Increased creativity in kids with regards
to drawing pictures and writing stories than those who didn’t play video games.
Improved treatment adherence and indicators of self-efficacy in adolescents undergoing cancer therapy using a video game intervention
Jackson et al. Computers in Human Behavior, 2011.
Kato, et al. Pediatrics, 2008.
Parents should play too!
Girls who played video games with their parents had decreased levels of internalizing and aggressive behaviors and heightened prosocial behavior
Video Games for Health Many different types of games for many
different populations
“It made it a lot more fun,” said Gladys Moore, 89, while cyber-racing through the streets of “Palm Beach”
Re-Mission (by HopeLab)
Re-Mission (by HopeLab)
Gamification “is the integration of game mechanics
or game dynamics in order to drive participation and engagement”
Examples?
Games that aren’t games
Zamzee – What is it?A digital accelerometer connected to a website with virtual awards, badges, and real rewards.
Measures and encourages physical activity in children
Zamzee – Does it work? 448 middle school kids from across the
country in study with half using Zamzee Intervention group - 59% increase (45
min. per week) in moderate to vigorous activity (MVPA)
102% increase in MVPA in girls
Rewards and Levels on Zamzee
Mobile Apps for Health
Smartphones are everywhere! February 2012 only 12% of Americans
reported have no cell phone 62% of 25-34 year olds own
smartphones Half of mobile phones in the US are
smartphones Around 100 million people have
smartphones in United States
Smartphones = Multiple sensors disguised as a phone GPS Accelerometer Compass Gyroscope
Combined Mobile Apps & Websites Many successful health and fitness
products combine mobile apps and more detailed websites
Social networking and support groups can provide great help for patients trying to reach goals
Let’s look at some apps…
Want to eat healthy and stay active? There are MANY, MANY apps for that!
Let’s try to make running a little more fun!
Zombies can get anyone to run
Zombies not your thing…
Picasso in France in 1971. Photograph: Ralph Gatti
YOU are the Pencil
Superbetter Web and mobile based “game” to
empower users to battle anxiety, depression, insomnia, overeating, lack of exercising, etc.
Developed by Jane McGonigal
The Origins of Superbetter
Microsoft Kinect - You are the controller
Microsoft Kinect Motion Sensor Device
Nike+ Kinect
Kinect Skeletal Tracking Demo
Possibilities of Kinect Home physical therapy Balance testing and training Injury prevention
Endless …
Microsoft Application Development Lab at RJIPartnership with Microsoft and Univ. of Missouri to promote app development
Full time lead developer and lab manager
Great location for partnerships of different schools/departments on campus to develop innovative solutions
@MizzouSportsDoc