BACKGROUND
Physical activity is important for everyone to maintain and improve health, especially for people with chronic diseases. Mobile exergaming has the potential to increase physical activity and specifically to reach people with poor activity levels. However, commercial mobile exergames are not specially designed for older people with chronic illness.
OBJECTIVE
The objectives of this study is to describe the rationale of a mobile exergame for inactive older people who have been diagnosed with heart failure. The goal of the exergame is to increase physical activity by increasing the time a person spends walking each day by at least 10 minutes.
METHODS
The rationale behind the design of the mobile exergame is based on gamification components, gamification elements, and gamification principles related to the design and implementation of gamification strategies that can be applied in cardiovascular care. The exergame was developed using three gamification components, five gamification principles, and four gamification elements.
RESULTS
The Heart Farming mobile exergame is about helping a farmer take care of and expand a farm, with these activities taking place while the patient walks in the real world. The exergame is developed using augmented reality so it can be played both indoors and outdoors. The augmented reality technology is used to track the patients’ movement rather than to augment the user interface. The exergame is adapted to individual preferences and physical condition.
CONCLUSIONS
A mobile exergame to support patients’ own individual preferences and conditions regarding where, how, when, and how much to play can be developed by applying AR technology to detect patients’ physical activities both indoors and outdoors. AR is used to reveal patients’ movements in the real world and interpreting them into events in the exergame.