Co-creating an Object Recognition Exergame with Hospital Service Users to Promote Physical Activity

Abstract

It is challenging to encourage hospital service users with mental health conditions to engage in physical activity despite its proven benefits. Technological implementation, such as mobile games could offer a method of improving healthcare delivery without significant cost. Co-design helps create a sense of empowerment and a feeling of competence, which benefits the participants as they derive satisfaction and fun while feeling useful through their participation. Therefore, we propose the co-creation of objects using papier-mâché for use within an AI exergame whereby hospital service users and staff construct co-created models that are placed along a mile long walk around the grounds for use within the game. This enables a novel approach to gamify exercise and promote physical activity by developing a smartphone app that encourages hospital service users to search for and scan co-created objects around the hospital grounds. The game has successfully engaged hospital service users as they both enjoyed the active gamified experience and took ownership of the co-designed objects used within the game.