Gamification techniques have been introduced as possible means to motivate patients to sustain adherence to medical treatment [23]. Gamification is using elements of game design [24], i.e., points, leader boards, levels, competitions, rewards, achievements, mini games, goals, experience points, rules, narrative, graphics, imagination, role identification, or setting step-wise challenges in pursuit of a goal. Use of games or gamification in health behaviour change programs might thus be a way to intrinsically motivate users to expose themselves to and continually engage with these programs (Baranowski et al. [25], Thompson et al. [26], Cugelman [27]). In serious games, elements of game design [28,29] are used to help the user learn to reach non-game goals. The ultimate goal is to foster intrinsic motivation for learning and maintaining desired behaviours [30].
In a special issue on Games for Diabetes, Theng et al. [38] provide a review of evidence on the efficacy of video games and gamification in diabetes self-management (not specifically targeting, but including T1D). The duration of most of the ten studies was short with small sample sizes of those that studied patients aged between 8 and 16 years old. All the interventions targeted behavioural changes to promote healthy behaviours among the study participants. Video games were found to be effective tools for education while gamification and virtual environments increased intrinsic motivation and positive reinforcement. Remarkably, their study did not find any research specifically targeting medication adherence as part of the behavioral change process.
Does access to video games or the possibility of making progress in a video game work as a reward for regular glucose measuring and control? In a study by Klingensmith et al. [45] acceptance of a system that connects a blood glucose meter with a Nintendo game was assessed in a sample of children, adolescents, and young adults with T1D. Users receive reward points that can be transferred from the meter to the video game, allowing access to new levels of play and mini games. Rewards are based on frequency, timing and results of blood glucose testing. Healthcare providers can also set personalized target ranges in the meter to help patients reach glucose goals. The majority of healthcare providers agreed that the coupled system would solve a problem in diabetes management, and that it would motivate patients to test their blood sugar. They observed an increase of use in the home situation compared to the lab situation because users wanted to have more advanced games [45].
In this research we investigate if the PERGAMON framework does support the specification and implementation of a pervasive serious gaming and coaching system for specific target groups. We demonstrated the answer by developing the system for young children with diabetes in a clinical setting. Next to this question, this research tries to investigate if patients do like the PERGAMON platform, how they use the different functions and the games of the platform, and if the integration of the components motivate educative game play as well as self-management of diabetes (in particular adherence to blood glucose monitor use).
Some of the design principles of the PSD model are implemented in our system by means of specific game elements (which encompass game mechanics, themes, game characters, challenges, rewards) from game design [28]. For example, the principles of reduction and tunneling in the PSD model are materialized by dedicated learning tasks in different mini games and by distinguishing different reachable goal levels. Other principles are implemented in actions of the virtual coach: praise, rewards, reminders, suggestions as well as by various game elements. Similarity and social role are materialized by game elements that aim at identification with the main character in the game as well as by the use of a similar character for the virtual coach.
The lowest levels in the class hierarchy will be the individual device plugins. They represent actual physical devices instead of categories into which they should fit. They will define the actual behaviour that is executed when the functions defined by parent classes are called.
Prejudice and stigmatization play important roles in the acceptance of tools and devices that support disease management [70,71]. This is not only the case for medical devices, but also when the game, or platform components like an activity tracker, or a sensor look clumsy or childish, they may become objects of mockery [72]. We learned from the user evaluations how essential a good balance is between flawless and non-obtrusive technology, challenging but not to difficult gameplay, and excellent fine-tuning to the age group.
Yes, customers can evaluate their high-impact workloads for suitability with AWS. Currently, customers can place their high-impact workloads on AWS GovCloud (US), which has been granted a Joint Authorization Board Provisional Authority-To- Operate (JAB P-ATO) for high impact level.
Most database management systems (DBMS) have built-in, active data dictionaries and can generate documentation as needed (SQL Server, Oracle, mySQL). The same is true when designing data systems using CASE tools (Computer-aided software engineering). The open source Analyzer tool for MS Access can be used to document Access databases and Access-connected data (SQL Server, Oracle, and others). Finally, use the Data Dictionary - Blank Template for manually creating a simple 'data dictionary' in Excel.
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