When Dieter Kirsch's son Jordi (who suffers from cystic fibrosis) didn't do his breathing exercises regularly, Kirsch didn't despair and instead gamified the breathing exercises to encourage his son to do his exercises.
Despite not being a doctor or indeed a video game professoinal, Kirsch came up with a system that connected his son's nebulizer to a video game responding to his use of the nebulizer. In one game, Jordi can control a hot air balloon with his inhalation and exhalation. In other, he can use his breathing to control an astronaut while avoiding asteroids.
The device, dubbed the 'Jordi-stick', gamified Jordi's breathing therapy so effectively that it is hoped that the contraption will eventually be brought to market.
This innovation shows how gamification can be used for good, and could spawn a whole glut of gamified contraptions that encourage children to take care of their health.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Gamified Health Devices
- Gamification in health and wellness, especially for children with conditions like cystic fibrosis, could revolutionize treatment.
- Personalized Therapy
- With the use of personalized games and activities, patients can have a more engaging and fun experience while doing their therapy.
- Healthtech for Pediatrics
- The use of technology, specifically gamification, could be a disruptive innovation opportunity for the pediatric health industry.
Where This Applies
- Healthtech
- Gamified health devices could be a new category for the healthtech industry, offering an innovative and playful approach to health treatments.
- Pediatrics
- The use of gamification could revolutionize the way children receive therapy, offering a more fun and exciting treatment for pediatric patients.
- Gaming
- The gaming industry can partner with healthtech companies to create personalized games and activities that could help patients with specific conditions like cystic fibrosis.
