Total Recall

Total Recall is a simple and interesting memory game with a theme based on musical bands from 60s to 90s. It is a lively engaging game by Physeek Fit which helps one to Stay Sharp.

Comment

Inspiration

According to the World Health Organisation, currently more than 55 million people live with dementia worldwide, and there are nearly 10 million new cases every year. Cognitive inactivity is one of the key risk factors identified by WHO. Staying sharp as one ages is one of the best ways to avoid or delay the onset of memory-related issues. Total Recall is a memory game that attempts to address it as part of the Alexa Skills Challenge : Ageing and Engaging under the Stay Sharp category.

What it does

This fun memory game is themed on music bands from the 60s to the 90s. During these decades, the current 55+ year olds were either in their teens or most active youthful days. Total Recall skill presents a random list of bands from the decade chosen by the user. Once the list is announced, it picks one band from the decade and the user has to answer yes or no to indicate if the band was announced on the list or not. The game has five levels and the size of the list and the number of questions gradually increase at every level. The user can also change the decade in between the levels without affecting the score. To make it more interesting, after each level, the skill presents interesting trivia from the chosen decade. The skill also uses APL and sound effects.

How we built it

The idea of the skill evolved after a couple of iterations. Every idea was run past seniors at our house and friends and relatives. Feedback collected and analyzed. The first three to four hacks were found to be either difficult or not relatable to the demographic of users. We found that they had fond memories related to music of their generation. They strongly related to the music especially the ones they were attracted to in their teenage or youth. They were (are still!) fans of these bands. Based on this, we decided to build a music band themed memory game. A list of the most popular top 100 bands from each of the four decades and related trivia for each decade were collected and compiled from various online and offline sources. We used randomisation to pick the announcing list, the question list and trivia. To make it more interesting, APL and sound effects were included.

Challenges we ran into

There are a lot of memory and trivia games. Our aim was to make a special game for senior citizens.

  1. The main challenge was to keep the skills simple and easy to play. The skill requires the player to say only - YES, NO and ROCK ON for most part and choosing a decade only once and optionally after each level.
  2. Memory games in general present items that might not be related to the users or evoke any emotion. We chose the most popular artists and bands from the 60s through 90s to make it more relatable to the audience, who would be in their teens or early youth during those decades.
  3. Sometimes, memory games can get monotonous. To avoid this, we interspersed it with trivia after each level. Reliving these wonderful experiences can help simulate a positive happy mood.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Mental health is as important as physical health. As a fitness start-up, Physeek Fit is not only proud of creating a game that focuses on mental health, but also one that focuses on senior citizens who are important members of our society.

While many senior citizens may feel neglected after a certain age, this game is a fun and engaging way of keeping their mind sharp and also takes them on a wonderful walk down memory lane.

Total Recall is the first skill on Alexa by Physeek Fit and we hope to create many more such unique skills in future.

What we learned

We learned how to simplify the skill flow and make the game as easy as possible for the seniors. Alexa skills can not only make a best companion in old age but also help in staying sharp.

What's next for Total Recall

Future developments planned for Total Recall include the ability to track changes using AI models to help detect early stages of memory issues and conditions like dementia, which is often overlooked because the onset is gradual.

Increase engagement by expanding on other topics like movies, actors, books, etc.

Monetize with shopping actions through sale of related merchandise.

Built With

Share this project:

Updates