Would you run three miles for a digital butterfly?

From Wellness Junction:

Researchers at the University of Washington (UW) and Intel have created a new cell phone application, dubbed UbiFit, to automatically track workouts. The programs display motivational pictures on the phone’s background screen that change the more the user works out.

What kind of motivational pictures? Try a garden.

UbiFit displays an empty lawn at the beginning of the week, and flowers grow as the user works out during the week. Different kinds of workouts yield different colored flowers. Users set weekly workout goals and are rewarded with a butterfly when the goal is met.

All it takes is a few electronic flowers and insects? (A picture is here.) The phones researchers say they test the application over last year’s holiday season and they swear it works. Hey, if flies work for urinals…

Hat tip:
Jeff Sybesma