information aesthetics.
a persuasive data visualization that maps a player’s daily foot step count to the growth & activity of an animated virtual character, a fish in a fish tank. the "Fish’n’Steps" application links the size of a fish as the step count, while success in reaching a participant’s daily goal affects its facial expression (e.g. happy, angry or sad). baby fish appear once the upper appearance level is reached.
some fish tanks also include other players’ fish, to create an environment of both cooperation & competition. in a 14-week study with 19 participants, the game served as a catalyst for promoting exercise & for improving game players’ attitudes towards physical activity.
[link: uci.edu (PDF)]
Published with 
Content protected by 
Designed and Maintained by 
Time and Date follows
Amazing how a digital representation of yourself can influence or even motivate you to act differently. Quite a clever idea
thank you :).
Many of our participants actually developed a sort of emotional attachment to their fish during this process. They started talking about the behavior of their fish, about its size and mood - their own level of physical activity got externalized and created a comfortable space to talk with others in an office environment about weight management.
Feel free to contact me if you want to know more.
i would love to participate in this! i wonder where i can find one to join.
i would love to try this out. email me at georgejames at gmail dot com if you have any information on it you can share. thanks!
very nice. The shapes are very beautiful to use in my fish blow drawing. thanks.
Wow.. I love this post... Reminds me of M.C. Escher....
Greeting. Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.
I am from Maldives and now teach English, please tell me right I wrote the following sentence: "These two techniques bring other parts of your brain into the process not just your hand eye coordination."
:P Thanks in advance. Phaedra.