Would you play a game that gave you experience points for taking care of your health in real life?
A recent report from Engadget introduced the world to a new game that brings wireless sensors into all of the aspects of our lives. The new prototype of the game, called Green Goose is supposed to be a role-playing game that takes place in real life.
A team of San Francisco Bay area programmers have come up with wireless sensors to mount on everyday household objects. Water bottles, toothbrushes and even bicycles are tagged with these sensors to monitor how the players interact with the devices. The more water you drink and the more often you brush your teeth, the higher your score will go. The goal is to create a game that rewards players for taking care of their health.
The game is still in the early stages of development and the developers are currently looking for partner companies to help finance the manufacturing of the sensors. Although the game isn't up and running yet, users can purchase the starter kits at the end of February for just $24.
I am not sure how I feel about having my daily habits become part of a game. I wonder what sort of rewards I will get for brushing my teeth consistently, aside from healthier teeth and gums. Will there be any cool sound effects or coaching?
I guess what concerns me the most is that the technology that is being created for the game can also be used by healthcare providers, or more likely, insurance companies to monitor the habits of their patients and customers. I can see it now, if you have a track record of healthy habits, your rates go down and if you don't “level up” fast enough, then you pay a higher deductible. Already, auto insurance companies have started offering the option to have a monitor installed on your car, giving you discounts for safe driving. When you look at the bigger picture, it isn't far fetched.
Perhaps I am a little bit paranoid, and maybe most people would feel uncomfortable being monitored in this way. But with so many people not being able to afford health insurance, I think that in return for a more affordable premium, people might be willing to deal with a whole lot of uncomfortable.
What do you think about this new game? Let me know in the comments.
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for HealthcareJobsiteBlog. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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