Barney The Owl

Barney The Owl is a gamified productivity tool. Use this game to help you keep your focus on studies or work on Windows computers. The game has distraction detection capabilities for applications and web domains, as defined by yourself in the filters. Set a timer for how long you want to focus, and collect points after the timer is done. Get rewarded after a focusing session!

Distractions

The game detects open applications and compares them to the user-defined filters. If there is a match, then this application is a distraction, and you should close it to continue being productive and focused. The app detection is done using Windows API features.

The game can also detect web domains if you have our extension enabled. We currently support Firefox, Edge and Chromium-based browsers. The extension monitors newly opened web domains and sends the URL to a localhost port, which then the game matches against the filters. Links to the extensions can be found in the "Filters" scene. You can play without using the browser extensions, but you won’t be protected from getting distracted on the internet!

Timer

The timer runs in the background while you work, and periodically checks whether new distractions are opened. If you want to take a break from working you can spend a token to take a 5-minute break. Get more points to spend on rewards by completing a longer focusing session!

Barney

Barney is your focusing companion throughout your sessions. His favourite activity is reading books, he wants to become the wisest owl in the world. Spend your points and give him books to read, can you fill out his bookshelf?

Filters

In the "Filters" scene, you can customize what counts as a distraction, both for applications and web domains. You can also see what is currently open, and blacklist those apps or domains you deem distracting. 

Special Thanks

To our collaboration partner YTK Services
To all the team members
To Åbo Akademi