Gameful Design of an Application for Patients in Rehabilitation

Abstract

The design process of any interactive application is an important part of its lifecycle, since it largely defines its structure, means of interaction with the users and its actual content. In the case of applications related to medical uses and self-help, it is even more important, given the aims of the application, the diversity of target users and the urgent need for increased retention. In this article, we present a gameful design process for a mobile application targeted toward patients in rehabilitation, implementing concepts related to increasing user rapport and motivation through gamification, and means to offer guidance and personalized services to improve user experience. Both gamification and personalization build on narrative concepts, by putting patients in the place of a “hero”, offering them the opportunity to overcome “challenges” and receive a clear view of their progress (a.k.a. a “hero's journey”), both in terms of physical and mental condition. Finally, we discuss measurable indicators used to evaluate the application in terms of the progress that patients showed, their motivation and interest, and degree of adherence to the exercise plans.

Artificial Intelligence in Gamification to Promote Mental Health among University Students: A Scoping Review

“…De esta forma, la gamificación ofrece beneficios para los usuarios como la retroalimentación instantánea, sensación de progreso y motivación para usar el tratamiento correspondiente a lo que requiere cada uno de ellos, lo que enriquece las experiencias de las personas al interactuar con la metodología aplicada. (35,36) La tabla 2 proporciona un análisis de las posturas autorales respecto a la aplicación de estrategias gamificadas mediante IA en el ámbito de la salud mental en la educación superior, estratificadas en tres categorías: afirmativas (resuelve problemas), neutrales, y negativas (no resuelve problemas). Según los datos, el 86 % (n=12) de los autores respaldan que la gamificación tiene un papel resolutivo en los desafíos de salud mental, evidenciando una tendencia positiva y un consenso sustancial hacia la eficacia de este enfoque.…”