NAU professor’s new video game transforms health education
“Health Quest,” a game by NAU professor Hayley Root and artist Kevin Clark, blends fitness education with immersive gaming.
In an innovative fusion of gaming and health education, a groundbreaking digital wellness project is revolutionizing how people approach their fitness journey. The interactive experience, dubbed “Health Quest,” combines platforming gameplay with practical health guidance, offering a fresh take on physical wellness education that meets people where they increasingly are—in front of their screens.
Revolutionary health education meets gaming innovation
Created through a collaboration between NAU assistant professor Hayley Root and metaverse artist Kevin Clark (KevinOnEarth), Health Quest emerged as part of the Phoenix Bioscience Core’s third Artist + Researcher Exhibition (ARx3). The project aims to make health education more accessible and engaging through an interactive digital platform.
“Health Quest is meant to be a quick weekly challenge so that people spend more time applying that information in the real world,” Root told the NAU Review. “I hope the experience helps people build confidence in their ability to try new physical activity pursuits and to learn more about themselves and their health.”
A dual approach to wellness motivation
The program features two key components that work in tandem to promote healthy habits:
- A free-to-play video game with nine distinct levels set in a futuristic pink cityscape
- A collection of 99 physical 3D-printed totems, each representing different health motivations
Players navigate through challenging platforming levels while encountering educational videos and interactive prompts designed to encourage real-world physical activity. Weekly virtual meetups hosted by Root provide additional support and foster a sense of community among users.
Physical reminders in a digital world
The physical totems serve as tangible motivational tools, each embedded with NFC technology that triggers special events within the game. “Some of the totems are warriors, representing someone trying to channel their courage in their health journey, or other totems are of a mother and child, representing how some players may be motivated because they want to stay healthy for their children,” Root describes.
The development team plans to expand the experience with additional levels and competitive elements, including a culminating “boss battle” featuring special prizes for totem holders.
Those interested in experiencing Health Quest can access the platform at oncyber.io/healthquest.
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