First it was the Nintendo 3DS, then X-Box, and now the Wii seems to have jumped on the medical application bandwagon.
“Students from Rice University are using Wii balance boards to create a balance training system for kids. They have linked five balance boards to a computerized motion-tracking system and developed a game based on this system to help children advance their skills. The boards are lined up in a row between active handrails that provide feedback on how heavily users depend on their arms. It will be used with children that have conditions such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida or amputations, who can practice tasks including standing still, taking a couple of steps and turning around without losing balance.”
That does it, if I have any hope of maintaining my Mom credibility, I am going to have to rethink my whole “video games are bad for you” mantra…
