When it comes to staying healthy during the pandemic, there are a few things we usually hear – wash our hands, practice physical distancing, and eat healthy, but we usually forget one last item in this list of safety precautions and health activities – exercise. This is why the government of Singapore has partnered with Apple Watch for a one-of-a-kind two-year program to incentivize exercising by giving financial rewards.
Through an app called LumiHealth, Singaporeans can get one-time financial rewards of up to SGD 380 or around USD 280 from the two-year program whenever they do activities that promote a healthier lifestyle such as meditation, walking, playing sports, and even getting vaccinations. Users will be given weekly activity goals that are personalized based on the user’s age, gender, and weight. A good aspect about the app is it promotes not just physical but also mental wellness through activities such as mindfulness and improving sleeping habits.
The app was created with the help of a team of physicians and public health experts, and will include games and an interactive interface. Users can travel through worlds within the app with a friendly intergalactic explorer guiding them through their tasks, and with every successful task, the users are helping the intergalactic explorer return home while earning financial rewards.
Image from Apple
This initiative is part of Singapore’s Smart Nation initiative, the country’s national effort to utilize technology to bring more benefits to its citizens and local businesses.
In a public statement, Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said, “Even as all of us around the world are dealing with the challenges of COVID-19, we must keep investing in our future. And there is no better investment than in our own personal health. This partnership between Singapore and Apple will enable Singaporeans to lead healthier lives, but equally important, it will contribute valuable insights to improving the health of people all over the world.”
The LumiHealth app is now available for pre-order at the Singapore app store and will be launched in late October 2020. Of course, an Apple Watch is needed to be able to use the app and join the program. Watch the video below to find out more about LumiHealth: