CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1. Introduction

The "Buck for Bucks" project rede nes the web browsing experience by integrating gami cation
to enhance user engagement and satisfaction. It provides users with a dynamic platform where
time spent browsing translates into earning virtual coins, called "bucks." These coins can be
redeemed for digital coupons across diverse categories, such as e-commerce, entertainment, and
food services, making routine online activity more rewarding and engaging.

The project is developed using PyQt5, a versatile library for building sophisticated graphical user
interfaces (GUIs). The application boasts an intuitive design, offering essential features like a web
browser interface, a progress tracker for earned coins, and a user-friendly coupon redemption
system. These features are seamlessly supported by an SQLite database, which manages the
storage and retrieval of coupon data, ensuring reliable and ef cient operation.

By incorporating gami cation principles, the project aims to motivate users and foster consistent
interaction with the application. The system promotes a sense of accomplishment and rewards,
encouraging users to remain engaged. Beyond its immediate functionality, the project highlights
the broader potential of gami cation in digital tools, demonstrating how routine tasks can be
transformed into enjoyable, interactive experiences. Furthermore, the scalable architecture of the
project opens doors to future enhancements, such as personalized rewards, tiered gami cation
levels, and real-time data analytics, to improve user satisfaction further and address evolving
technological trends.
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Ultimately, "Buck for Bucks" showcases how technology and behavioral incentives can be
combined to create innovative, user-centric solutions, paving the way for broader applications in
various digital environments.

1.1. Problem Definition

The goal of this project is to design a browser-based application that incorporates gami cation
principles to encourage healthy digital behaviours, speci cally promoting prolonged usage through
rewards. The problem this project addresses can be broken down into the following aspects:

1. Digital Engagement & Productivity:

◦ Many users face challenges in maintaining consistent online engagement, often

distracted by unnecessary activities.
◦ Users may struggle to stay motivated while browsing or using the internet for
productive purposes.
2. Lack of Motivation for Healthy Digital Habits:

◦ While digital usage has become a signi cant part of everyday life, there is limited
incentive for users to spend their time online in a productive or meaningful way.
◦ Traditional browsers or applications do not offer tangible rewards or motivation for
productive digital activities.
3. Under utilization of Reward Systems:

◦ Many reward systems are primarily seen in speci c industries (e.g., gaming, tness
apps, or e-commerce), but integrating these systems into web browsers has not been
fully explored.
◦ Users do not typically have access to rewards based on their internet usage that
could be redeemed for tangible bene ts like discounts or promotions.
4. Goal of the Project:
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 ◦ The project aims to solve these issues by creating a browser application that
provides users with tangible rewards (in the form of coupons) as they spend time
browsing productive websites.
◦ By rewarding users with coins for their online activity, they are encouraged to
engage more with the internet, while simultaneously offering incentives for good
browsing habits and promoting healthy lifestyle choices.
Challenges:

• User Engagement: Ensuring that users remain motivated and engaged over time.
• Incentive Structure: Designing a system that effectively balances reward accumulation
and coupon redemption to maintain user interest without feeling too forced or repetitive.
• Database Management: Maintaining a dynamic system that can store and retrieve coupon
data ef ciently.

1.2 Motivation of the project

The motivation behind developing this project stems from the growing need to enhance user
engagement and productivity in digital environments. As internet usage continues to increase,
people often struggle to stay motivated and focused on productive activities. This project aims to
address these issues through the integration of gami cation, a concept proven to enhance
motivation, engagement, and performance in various elds, including education, health, and work.

1. Increasing User Engagement: Traditional browsers do not provide any incentive for users
to stay focused or to use the internet in a productive manner. By introducing a reward
system tied to browsing activity, users are motivated to spend more time engaging with
web content. The inclusion of coin accumulation and coupon rewards ensures that users
remain actively involved, fostering a sense of accomplishment and progress.

2. Incentivizing Healthy Digital Habits: Many individuals fall into the trap of mindlessly
browsing the web or engaging in non-productive online behavior. This project seeks to
transform passive internet usage into an active, goal-oriented activity by rewarding users
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 for their time spent browsing. This could potentially promote healthier digital habits,
where users feel motivated to make more intentional decisions about their online behavior.

3. Providing Tangible Bene ts: The integration of real, tangible rewards—such as coupons
and discounts—provides an additional layer of motivation. This gami cation approach
ensures that the effort users put into browsing is directly linked to valuable outcomes, such
as savings on e-commerce platforms. This not only enhances user involvement but also
promotes the use of the application as a tool for nancial bene ts, further increasing its
appeal.

4. Promoting Productive Internet Usage: Users often waste valuable time online with no
purpose or end goal. By turning regular browsing sessions into opportunities to earn
rewards, the project provides an incentive for users to be more purposeful in their internet
usage. The system encourages users to explore a variety of web pages and services,
resulting in more diverse and productive digital behavior.

5. Leveraging Gami cation for Motivation: The success of gami cation in improving
motivation in different sectors, such as tness apps, learning platforms, and workplace
productivity tools, serves as a key inspiration. In this project, gami cation is used to
combine the elements of fun, challenge, and rewards, creating a more engaging and
rewarding experience for users.

By offering a gami ed experience, this project seeks to not only improve user involvement with
websites but also create a healthier, more rewarding internet browsing experience.
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 CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE SURVEY

2.1.Existing System

The concept of gami cation, especially in digital platforms, has been widely researched and
implemented across various domains such as education, tness, e-commerce, and workplace
productivity. This literature survey explores existing systems that utilize gami cation to enhance
user engagement, motivation, and productivity, providing context for the proposed project of
integrating a reward system into a browser application.

1. Gami cation in Digital Engagement

• Gami ed Browsers: Some studies have explored gami cation in the context of browsers.
For example, the Beeminder browser extension allows users to set goals for their time
spent on speci c activities. It gami es the process of staying on task by turning the activity
into a form of self-commitment and accountability. However, this system does not directly
offer external rewards, which limits the incentive for continued engagement beyond the
user's personal goals.

• Chrome Extensions: Other Chrome extensions like Forest and Habitica use gami cation
to help users stay focused. Forest motivates users to stay off their phones and focus on
tasks by growing a virtual tree that dies if the user exits the app. Habitica, on the other
hand, turns tasks into quests, rewarding users with experience points and coins, which can
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 be used to level up their character or purchase in-game items. While these tools have been
successful in helping users maintain focus, they do not offer real-world rewards, like
discounts or coupons, as an incentive.

2. Gami cation in Health and Fitness

• Fitness Apps: A large body of research has shown the effectiveness of gami cation in
improving physical activity levels. Popular apps like Fitbit, Strava, and Nike Run Club
use gami ed elements such as achievement badges, leaderboards, and progress tracking to
increase user motivation. Users are rewarded for reaching tness milestones, and the social
features of these apps help create a community-driven environment that enhances
engagement.

• Health and Wellness Apps: Similar approaches have been applied to wellness apps, like
MyFitnessPal and WW (formerly Weight Watchers), where users earn rewards for
maintaining a healthy diet, tracking meals, or completing workout routines. These apps, by
integrating goals with tangible rewards, have proven to increase user participation and help
in behavior modi cation.

3. Gami cation in E-commerce and Loyalty Programs

• Reward-based Systems: Many e-commerce platforms have adopted gami cation to

increase customer loyalty. Platforms like Amazon and AliExpress offer reward programs
where users can earn points for completing purchases, writing reviews, or engaging with
the site. These points can later be redeemed for discounts, free shipping, or other rewards.
Similar systems are used by Starbucks and Sephora, where loyalty cards accumulate
points that can be exchanged for exclusive offers, encouraging repeat customers.

• Coupon-based Rewards: Rakuten (formerly Ebates) and Honey have implemented

reward systems that provide cashback or discounts after a user makes purchases through
the platform. However, these platforms do not offer ongoing rewards based on browsing
time, which could be an area for improvement in terms of user engagement.
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 4. Gami cation in Education

• Educational Platforms: In the educational sector, gami cation has been extensively
researched for its ability to enhance student motivation and learning outcomes. Platforms
like Khan Academy, Duolingo, and Quizlet use points, badges, and levels to make
learning more interactive and fun. These platforms encourage consistent learning and help
students stay engaged with lessons through visual rewards and achievements.

• Virtual Classrooms and E-Learning: Some e-learning platforms also integrate real-time
progress tracking, where students can earn rewards and unlock new content as they
complete lessons and assignments. Studies have shown that incorporating gami ed
elements increases completion rates and improves student engagement.

5. Challenges in Existing Gami cation Systems

• User Fatigue: A signi cant challenge faced by gami ed platforms is user fatigue. Over
time, users may lose interest if the rewards system becomes too predictable or if the level
of dif culty is not well balanced. Research suggests that a well-designed reward system
should offer a combination of extrinsic and intrinsic motivations, ensuring long-term user
involvement.

• Lack of Tangible Rewards: Many existing systems focus primarily on intrinsic rewards
(like badges or points) but lack tangible, real-world bene ts. A growing trend in
gami cation is the introduction of real-world rewards, such as discounts, coupons, or
exclusive offers. The integration of gami cation with e-commerce, as seen in loyalty
programs, presents an opportunity for enhancing user involvement with valuable outcomes.

2.2.Proposed System

The proposed system, which integrates a gami ed reward system into a web browser, builds on
existing gami cation techniques but aims to innovate by offering real-world rewards like
coupons based on users' engagement and browsing behavior. This section surveys relevant
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 literature and systems related to the proposed concept of rewarding users for their browsing
activity and increasing their engagement through gami cation.

1. Gami ed Browsing Systems

• Beeminder and Self-Control are examples of tools that gamify web browsing by setting
productivity goals. Beeminder, for example, uses a system where users set goals for how
much time they spend on certain productive activities, and if they fail, they are penalized.
However, these systems mainly focus on self-discipline and personal accountability rather
than providing rewards. The proposed system differs by offering positive reinforcement in
the form of tangible rewards (coupons) to users, motivating them to browse in a productive
way rather than merely avoiding distractions.

• Browser-based Gami cation: Habitica and Forest, two popular tools used to gamify
personal productivity, incorporate the idea of incentivized behavior to enhance focus and
task completion. Habitica turns tasks into a game-like experience with rewards and
consequences, while Forest encourages users to stay focused by growing a virtual tree
during productive periods. Though both are successful in gamifying time management,
they do not provide real-world rewards like coupons. The proposed system enhances these
approaches by linking progress in the browser directly to valuable, real-world rewards,
adding a layer of utility that is absent in current solutions.

2. E-commerce and Loyalty Programs

• E-commerce Gami cation: Several e-commerce platforms, such as Amazon, AliExpress,

and eBay, use reward systems to incentivize purchases and encourage customer loyalty.
These systems reward users with points, which can be exchanged for discounts, cashbacks,
or other offers. Rakuten and Honey extend this by offering cashback and coupons for
completing purchases on partner sites. However, the proposed system introduces the unique
concept of rewarding browsing activity rather than purchase-based actions. By rewarding
users with coins that can be redeemed for coupons through regular browsing, the system
extends gami cation beyond transactional behaviors to non-transactional digital
interactions.
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 • Browser-based Shopping and Rewards: Swagbucks is another example of gami cation
applied to internet browsing. Swagbucks allows users to earn points (Swagbucks) for
conducting web searches, watching videos, and shopping. These points can be exchanged
for gift cards or PayPal cash. While Swagbucks gami es internet usage, it is more focused
on speci c actions like web searches and shopping rather than a comprehensive reward
systemfor overall browsing time. The proposed system aims to incorporate a more holistic
approach by rewarding users for their overall interaction with the browser, enhancing
engagement across a variety of web activities.

3. Gami cation in Health and Fitness

• Fitness and Wellness Apps: As seen in apps like Fitbit, Strava, and MyFitnessPal,
gami cation has proven highly effective in motivating users to adopt healthier habits by
rewarding progress towards tness goals. These apps integrate rewards such as badges,
points, and leaderboards, which drive users to engage with the app regularly. The
integration of gami cation with real-world rewards (such as discounts on tness
equipment or health-related services) is a natural progression. For example, Pact allows
users to set tness-related goals and earn money when they meet them. The concept of
rewarding healthy behaviors and engagement through gami cation directly relates to the
proposed system's goal of promoting productive online behavior.

• Rewarding Productivity and Engagement: The proposed system aims to incorporate

elements from wellness apps but applies them to digital engagement, focusing on browsing
behavior as a form of digital productivity. By awarding coupons for time spent on
productive browsing, it mimics the reward structures used in tness apps, but in a more
digital and non-physical environment. This approach could provide users with incentives
for focused and intentional web browsing just as tness apps incentivize regular
exercise.

4. Gami cation in Education and Learning Platforms

• Gami ed Learning Platforms: Systems like Duolingo and Khan Academy have shown
how gami cation can drive engagement and learning outcomes in educational contexts.
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 These platforms use rewards, badges, and level-ups to motivate users to continue learning
and completing challenges. This type of gami ed system encourages progress through
continuous engagement with the platform. The proposed system applies this principle by
gamifying browsing and offering rewards based on interaction with websites, not just
completing educational tasks.

• Behavioral Engagement and Rewards: Similar to how learning platforms encourage

users through gami ed challenges, the browser-based reward system is designed to make
browsing itself a productive task by linking rewards to the time spent on meaningful
activities rather than arbitrary metrics. The goal is to increase engagement with websites
that offer tangible bene ts (e.g., e-commerce, health, productivity sites), creating an
intrinsically motivating environment that encourages users to spend their time online
more wisely.

5. Challenges in Current Gami cation Systems

• User Fatigue and Over-saturation: One of the primary challenges of gami cation is the
risk of user fatigue. If the reward system becomes predictable or lacks novelty, users may
lose interest over time. Research on gami cation suggests that for sustained engagement,
systems need to introduce dynamic rewards that vary in complexity and signi cance. The
proposed system addresses this challenge by incorporating a variety of coupons from
different categories, allowing users to redeem rewards that appeal to their personal
interests.

• Lack of Long-Term Engagement: Many existing systems fail to maintain long-term user
engagement. For example, some users may stop using apps like Habitica or Forest after a
period of time because they no longer feel incentivized or nd the rewards insuf cient. The
proposed system aims to overcome this issue by offering real-world, immediately
applicable rewards, which provide more tangible and practical bene ts, ensuring that
users remain motivated over the long term.
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 2.3. Objectives of the Proposed System

The primary objective of the proposed system is to gamify the browsing experience by providing
users with rewards based on their engagement. These rewards can be redeemed for real-world
bene ts, such as coupons. Below are the key objectives of the system:

1. Incentivize Productive Browsing

• Objective: Encourage users to engage in meaningful and productive online activities by

rewarding them for time spent on productive browsing.
• Explanation: The system will track the user's browsing behavior and assign rewards based
on time spent on certain websites, fostering a productive and focused browsing
environment. This aims to turn casual or passive browsing into an active, goal-oriented
activity.
2. Provide Real-World Rewards

• Objective: Offer tangible incentives, such as coupons, which users can exchange for
discounts or offers in various categories (e.g., e-commerce, food, entertainment).
• Explanation: Unlike traditional gami cation systems that offer digital or virtual rewards,
this system focuses on real-world bene ts. By providing users with redeemable coupons,
the system ensures that rewards have practical value, increasing user motivation to
engage.
3. Increase User Engagement with Websites

• Objective: Enhance user interaction with websites, especially those offering coupons and
deals, by incentivizing consistent participation.
• Explanation: By rewarding users for browsing, the system will lead to greater
engagement with websites that offer valuable content or services, such as e-commerce
platforms and entertainment sites. Users will be motivated to spend more time interacting
with websites, leading to higher traf c and user retention.
4. Track and Reward Consistent Participation
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 • Objective: Track users' browsing time and actions, rewarding them for consistent
engagement over time.
• Explanation: The system aims to track users' time spent on the browser and ensure that
users are consistently rewarded for long-term involvement, rather than just one-off
interactions. This could include incremental rewardsas users accumulate points or coins
over time.
5. Offer a Seamless, Non-Intrusive Experience

• Objective: Provide a smooth, user-friendly browsing experience that integrates the reward
system without disrupting the user’s natural browsing ow.
• Explanation: The proposed system will be designed to ensure that the rewards system is
non-intrusive and works in the background while users browse. The goal is to avoid
overloading users with noti cations or disruptions while still offering rewards for
productive browsing.
6. Promote Positive Behavioral Change

• Objective: Utilize gami cation to in uence users’ online behaviors by making their
browsing habits more intentional and productive.
• Explanation: By rewarding users for positive browsing behaviors, such as spending time
on educational or e-commerce sites, the system aims to nudge users towards more
productive online habits, helping them manage their time more effectively while
browsing the web.
7. Create a Sustainable and Engaging Reward Model

• Objective: Design a reward system that ensures long-term user engagement and retains
the value of rewards over time.
• Explanation: The system will offer dynamic rewards to keep users motivated over long
periods. It will feature a variety of rewards that appeal to different user interests, ensuring
that the reward model remains sustainable and engaging.
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CHAPTER 3
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS SPECIFICATION

3.1 Hardware Requirements

The following are needed to efficiently use the application.

Processor - Intel Core i3 and above
Speed - 2.5 GHz
RAM - 8 GB (min)
Hard Disk - 50 GB
Android phone with OS version 5.0 and above

3.2 Software Requirements

Software requirements define software resource fundamentals that need to be installed on a

workstation to provide optimum working of a software. The following are required for optimal
development and usage of the application.
Operating System - Windows 7 and above

Programming Language - Java 8, Python 3.7

Compiler - Android Studio, Anaconda, Spyder

3.3 Datasets Used

The project uses an SQLite coupon dataset to manage and store reward-related data. It includes
fields such as ID, name, code, category, and section, enabling the system to assign coupons
randomly upon coin redemption. Sample entries include discounts from Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra,
and Zomato. While the current dataset contains a limited number of records, it is scalable to
include more coupons. Future enhancements could introduce a user interaction dataset to track
browsing time, coins earned, and redeemed coupons. This would enable better user behavior
analysis, improve engagement strategies, and personalize coupon offerings for a more rewarding
experience.
CHAPTER 4
SYSTEM DESIGN

4.1 System Architecture

Fig 4.1: System architecture

Browse for Bucks AY 2024-2025

CHAPTER 5
IMPLEMENTATION

5.1 Code Implementation

Fig 5.1 : Code implementation

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Fig 5.2: Code implementation

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CHAPTER 6
EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

6.1 Outcome of Proposed System

Fig 6.2: Coupon Availing

Provides with coins for every 10 seconds spent on the site, which could be exchanged for coins
6.2 Performance Evaluation
The performance comparison between the proposed gamified browser application and existing
systems highlights significant improvements in user engagement and system efficiency. The
proposed system demonstrates higher user retention, increased time spent on the platform, and a
more streamlined reward redemption process. By integrating gamification, such as earning coins
and redeeming coupons, the system fosters continuous interaction, leading to a more engaging
experience. Additionally, the system’s database performance and response time are optimized,
reducing delays and improving user satisfaction. Overall, the proposed system outperforms
existing models by providing a more dynamic, user-centric, and rewarding browsing experience.
Browse for Bucks AY 2024-2025

Fig 6.3: Comparison of efficiencies

Browse for Bucks AY 2024-2025

CHAPTER 7
CONCLUSION AND FUTURE ENHANCEMENT

7.1 Conclusion

The proposed gamified browser application for promoting healthy lifestyles and rewarding users
for their browsing activities has proven to be an innovative solution, combining technology with
behavioral science to motivate users towards healthier habits. By offering an engaging and
interactive experience, this system encourages users to stay active while utilizing the browser for
daily tasks. The integration of a reward system, where users accumulate coins based on their
browsing time, fosters an environment of continuous engagement. These coins can be exchanged
for coupons stored in an SQLite database, providing an extra layer of motivation for users to stay
connected with the platform.

One of the key highlights of the project is its effective use of gamification, which has been shown
to enhance user engagement, increase motivation, and improve retention. The coin accumulation
process, combined with a simple yet effective user interface, encourages users to engage with the
application regularly. By tracking users' progress through timers and providing visual cues like a
progress bar, the system ensures a steady flow of incentives, thereby creating a sense of
achievement and satisfaction among users. This type of reward system aligns with behavioral
theories that emphasize the importance of positive reinforcement to build lasting habits.

The integration of the SQLite database ensures that the coupons and reward system are efficiently
managed, allowing for seamless transactions and updates. The system's performance in terms of
database management, response time, and overall functionality has been optimized to ensure a
smooth user experience. By limiting system requirements to an Intel Core i3 processor, 8 GB of
RAM, and an Android phone with OS version 5.0 or above, the application remains accessible to a
wide range of users without overloading their devices.

Despite these achievements, there are areas for potential improvement and expansion. Future
iterations could explore adding more advanced gamification features, such as multiplayer
 Browse for Bucks AY 2024-2025

challenges or social sharing options, to increase user interaction. Additionally, more personalized
reward systems, based on user preferences or browsing habits, could further enhance the system's
appeal.

In conclusion, this gamified browser application offers a unique and effective approach to
promoting healthier browsing habits and engaging users in a rewarding experience. The project
demonstrates how gamification can be leveraged to not only increase user interaction but also
drive positive behavioral changes in daily routines.

7.2 Future Enhancement

Personalized Rewards System: Implement a more tailored rewards system based on users'
browsing habits or preferences, offering customized coupons or rewards based on individual
activity patterns.

Multiplayer Challenges: Introduce multiplayer functionality, where users can compete or

collaborate in challenges, encouraging a community-driven experience and fostering social
engagement.

Health-Tracking Integration: Integrate with wearable devices or health apps to track physical
activity levels, providing additional rewards for users who engage in physical exercise while using
the application.

Advanced Gami cation Features: Add levels, badges, or achievements that users can unlock as
they progress, providing a sense of accomplishment and continuous motivation.

Push Noti cations and Reminders: Implement noti cations or reminders to encourage users to
engage with the app at speci c intervals, helping to build consistent usage habits.

Social Sharing Capabilities: Allow users to share their achievements or rewards on social media
platforms, creating a social incentive to continue using the app.
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Browse for Bucks AY 2024-2025

Machine Learning for Behavioral Analysis: Utilize machine learning to analyze user behavior
and suggest personalized browsing or activity tips to improve engagement and coin collection
rates.

Fig 6.1 Preview

User Feedback System: Implement a feedback loop where users can rate their experience, suggest
improvements, or request speci c features, enabling continuous re nement of the application.
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Browse for Bucks AY 2024-2025

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histograms, IEEE Trans. Image Process. 22 (12) (2013) 5372–5384.
[2] Research Papers(minimum 25 papers to be cited)
[3] Web link( only 2 links can be added)
[4] Books