The United States Army Special Forces Qualification Course is a multi-phase training event that produces the most storied and versatile Soldiers in the world. The principles of game based training percolate throughout the course, and the end result is irrefutable.
NewU is a free IOS app (and apparently not yet available for Android platforms) designed to integrate with all popular fitness tracking apps. Once that integration occurs, calorie burn statistics are pushed into NewU and converted into Sweetsweats. If the user changes his or her fitness tracking hardware – perhaps from FitBit® to MapMyFitness® or from Jawbone UP® to Apple Health® — NewU is supposed to seamlessly reintegrate with each new tracker. Moreover, NewU also provides users with access to what is described as “curated” health and fitness goods and services such as food, gyms, spas, nutritionists and other resources. NewU also has its own flavor of “selfies,” called “Fitfies,” and users can share them to inspire friends and earn bonus points when a user’s fitness partners join NewU. Bonus Sweetsweats are also awarded for your health and fitness-related recommendations.
Gamification startups are a dime a dozen in Silicon Valley and the surrounding high tech area. Kidaptive, which makes an educational app aimed at preschoolers called Leo’s Pad stands out for two reasons. The founders of this startup located across from Stanford University have incredibly impressive backgrounds and the company raised 18.2 million dollars in seed funding which is unheard of for edtech.
The numbers of children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, have steadily increased in the last decade, figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show. Many of these children are prescribed pills for treatment. But pharmaceuticals come with side effects that parents may not want to risk. Some companies believe that technology can treat the disease and they’re doing it with games. Focusing the child’s behavior on a video game with a health care objective has helped some children alleviate the behaviors observed in ADHD.
Kids are told non-stop to put the video game controller down and go outside. Or read a book. Or play with siblings. Video games have gotten a bad reputation as a waste of time, but in the field of education, they just might redeem themselves. The incorporation of games in education has its benefits, including increased learning retention, greater…
The latest innovation in the mobile shopping space is Biddl, a U.S.-only smartphone application that hopes to make the experience more entertaining and visually appealing by “combining mobile game mechanics and gamification with easy-to-use shopping features…” according to PRNewswire. Developed and released by Biddl Inc. for both iPhone/iPad and Android platforms on October 14, 2015, Biddl invites users to compete for high-end branded items.
Boosting Civic Engagement With Gamification In Ovar, Portugal There are many approaches politicians use to try to encourage civic involvement and voter participation. Talking about government budgets is usually not one of them but the Portuguese town of Ovar took to a gamification approach to civic discussion, and to the politicians’ surprise, learned that it was a…
While automobiles have been part of the American landscape for a century, mobile phones only started becoming commonplace about 15 years ago. Today, the pairing of the two products forms a dangerous combination leading to distracted driving, and in far too many cases, car accidents. TextNinja, a gamification startup is trying to overcome the problems caused by the collision of these technologies with a new technological solution: a mobile app that helps keeps drivers’ focus where it belongs – the road.
Last time, we featured Ball State University Achievements program coordinator, Scott Reinke to talk about the university’s student engagement app, Ball State Achievements. Developed in-house, the mobile application helps at-risk students engage with the university ecosystem and improve learning outcomes in higher education.
Watch the full interview below to learn about:
Watch the video, listen on the audio podcast or subscribe to our iTunes channel below. Be sure to catch our next episode of the Gamification Revolution.
Last week, we featured Quantic Foundry co-founder and analytics lead, Nick Yee to talk about Quantic Foundry’s Gaming Motivation Model. Combining social science and data science, Nick’s team was able to decipher users gaming behaviors and motivations through the unique framework.
Watch the full interview below to learn about:
Bonus: Interested to find out about your gamer motivation profile? Try taking the survey here.
Watch the video, listen on the audio podcast or subscribe to our iTunes channel below. Be sure to catch our next episode of the Gamification Revolution.
Training for a marathon feels like a lonely challenge for many runners, quietly logging in the miles. To alleviate this, Milestone Sports is launching a platform called MilestonePod for runners to track their training progress with gamification elements according to MarketWired. Individuals using the platform can track many metrics, connect with others, and compare training progress.
With an eye toward international expansion, London-based consumer engagement app OnePulse recently closed a $1.07million seed investment round. Led by D5 Capital, AngelLab and LCIF, OnePulse has already signed over 300 clients looking for on-demand consumer insights. Major businesses and retailers including Aviva, Coca-Cola, and CGA Strategy, look to OnePulse mobile app users for instant responses and feedback.
Last week, we featured CleverPet Inc. founder & CEO, Leo Trottier to discuss about the company’s gamified device, CleverPet. Successfully funded on Kickstarter, the device provides engaging stimulation for a more active lifestyle desired by bored, lonely dogs.
Watch the full interview below to learn about:
Watch the video, listen on the audio podcast or subscribe to our iTunes channel below. Be sure to catch our next episode of the Gamification Revolution.
With much of the West Coast mired in a years-long drought, it’s hard to get away from the stream of messaging about water conservation. But much of that messaging doesn’t get through. Many people still use (and unfortunately waste) water in the same way that they did when water was abundant. A gamification startup called Oasys has a developed a device that aims to help homeowners understand just how much water they use.
Loyalty programs have a long and varied history, with retailers rolling them out in different forms to entice longtime customers to continue spending with them. Canadian Tire, one of Canada’s largest automotive accessory retailers, has one of the oldest customer loyalty programs. Consumers who buy items with cash or credit cards earn paper bills that look like money. The Canadian Tire Money loyalty program has been in place since 1958.
