Will you help us test an idea for a conservation computer game using exercise apps? Exercise apps allow you to collect and store information about your runs, walks and bike rides. They also allow you to compete against fellow humans to see who can go the farthest or fastest. We have created a project that takes exercise apps to a whole new level by allowing you to compete directly with wild animals. Our project, Race the Wild, uses data from endangered animals fitted with spatial tracking devices to enable anyone with a smartphone to virtually 'race' against them.
We invite you to help us in the development of our project by taking part in a test challenge – a race against elephants roaming the plains of Africa. To do this we have partnered with Space for Giants, a charity working to conserve elephants in the wild in Kenya. They use GPS collars to track elephants on an hourly basis, providing important data for conservation purposes.
To participate in the challenge you will need to join Endomondo – a popular exercise app for smartphones – join one of our weekly challenges (they start on Saturdays), and then get into the great outdoors to start exercising! We will upload data from four elephants on a daily basis, and you can register as many bike rides, runs or walks as you like in your bid to win the race. Full joining instructions are below. We really hope that you take part and have a great time doing so. We would also really appreciate your feedback to help us to develop a full version of the app, and we will send you a short online questionnaire at the end of the challenge so you can tell us what you think.
Many thanks and good luck!
We invite you to help us in the development of our project by taking part in a test challenge – a race against elephants roaming the plains of Africa. To do this we have partnered with Space for Giants, a charity working to conserve elephants in the wild in Kenya. They use GPS collars to track elephants on an hourly basis, providing important data for conservation purposes.
To participate in the challenge you will need to join Endomondo – a popular exercise app for smartphones – join one of our weekly challenges (they start on Saturdays), and then get into the great outdoors to start exercising! We will upload data from four elephants on a daily basis, and you can register as many bike rides, runs or walks as you like in your bid to win the race. Full joining instructions are below. We really hope that you take part and have a great time doing so. We would also really appreciate your feedback to help us to develop a full version of the app, and we will send you a short online questionnaire at the end of the challenge so you can tell us what you think.
Many thanks and good luck!
Instructions:
1) We will be trailing the concept using the exercise app Endomondo. You can download Endomondo for free for android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.endomondo.android and IOS from the Apple app store
2) You will need to register a profile on http://www.endomondo.com (this is a very quick process)
3) Sign up for one or more of the following challenges (click the hyper link and press join)
a. Total distance challenge: Who can cover the most distance in 1 week you or one of our 4 African elephants?
Sports allowed: All sports
b. First to 50 Kilometres: Who will be the first to reach 40 miles? you or one of 4 elephants?
Sports permitted: On foot only (Walking, Running, Hiking)
4) Use Endomondo on your smart phone to track your exercise activities between the 5th and 11th of July. The times and distances you complete will automatically be entered into the challenges you have signed up for.
6) Every day at around 5pm the elephants that you are racing against will upload their data for the 24 hours leading up to that point.
7) Compare your progress or times against your fellow competitors including the elephants to see if you have jumped into the lead or fallen behind your 4 legged challengers
8) Two more weeks of these challenges will be run, from the 12th -18th and the 19th- 25th. You can take part as many times as you like and even join challenges half way through (though the elephants will have a head start!)
To protect the Elephants there is a significant time delay between the elephants transmitting the data to space for giants and us using it for these challenges. The elephants location on the map does not indicate their real time location.
1) We will be trailing the concept using the exercise app Endomondo. You can download Endomondo for free for android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.endomondo.android and IOS from the Apple app store
2) You will need to register a profile on http://www.endomondo.com (this is a very quick process)
3) Sign up for one or more of the following challenges (click the hyper link and press join)
a. Total distance challenge: Who can cover the most distance in 1 week you or one of our 4 African elephants?
Sports allowed: All sports
b. First to 50 Kilometres: Who will be the first to reach 40 miles? you or one of 4 elephants?
Sports permitted: On foot only (Walking, Running, Hiking)
4) Use Endomondo on your smart phone to track your exercise activities between the 5th and 11th of July. The times and distances you complete will automatically be entered into the challenges you have signed up for.
6) Every day at around 5pm the elephants that you are racing against will upload their data for the 24 hours leading up to that point.
7) Compare your progress or times against your fellow competitors including the elephants to see if you have jumped into the lead or fallen behind your 4 legged challengers
8) Two more weeks of these challenges will be run, from the 12th -18th and the 19th- 25th. You can take part as many times as you like and even join challenges half way through (though the elephants will have a head start!)
To protect the Elephants there is a significant time delay between the elephants transmitting the data to space for giants and us using it for these challenges. The elephants location on the map does not indicate their real time location.