Effectiveness of virtual reality using Wii gaming technology in children with Down syndrome
Article published in Research in Developmental Disabilities, No.32 (2011) pages 312-321, by Yee-Pay Wuang, Ching-Sui Chiang, Chwen-Yng Su and Chih-Chung Wang in 2011.
This well written paper asks the question: do children with Down syndrome using Nintendo Wii compared with standard sensory-motor training by occupational therapists show differences in sensorimotor functions?
Three groups were created of children with Down syndrome and without comorbidities to populate two treatment conditions and a control. Fifty of the160 children who agreed to participate but were subsequently unable to attend the treatment sessions were assigned to the control group. The interventions were randomly assigned to children who received either Wii or SOT for one-hour sessions twice weekly for 24 weeks. Wii gameplay was compared with standard occupational therapy (SOT) treatments utilizing sensory integrative therapy, neurodevelopment treatment and perceptual-motor approach. The three groups’ outcomes were measured using the Bruininks-Oseretsky test of motor proficiency-second edition (BOT-2), the test of sensory integration function (TSIF) and the developmental test of visual motor integration (VMI).
Video games played with Wii showed significantly improved sensorimotor functions; both intervention conditions showed significant improvement over the control group.The Wii group outperformed SOT on three of eight BOT-2 subtests, six of seven TSIF subtests and both the VMI subtest measures. Statistically significant differences showed between both intervention groups and the control group. A moderate to large effect size was seen across all measures (Wii group vs. control) and across all measures except the BOT-2 strength subtest (SOT group vs. control group). Pre- and post-intervention analysis within groups showed the largest effect size for the Wii group, (14 of 17 pooled subtests).
Link to the article abstract: linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0891422210002404
Therapist's research digest: Active video games, robots and virtual reality for children's rehabilitation.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
The Floor-Board for Wii
floor-board.com/default.aspx
"The Floor-Board when used with the Nintendo Wii gaming console, Wii games, and Wii Balance BoardTM allows wheelchair and able body players to participate in exercises and games associated with the system."
To use the Floor Board, "set up a Wii system with Wii Fit, Wii Fit Plus or any game compatible for use with the Nintendo balance board. Set the Floor-Board on top of your balance board, then roll or step onto the Floor-Board and begin play. There's no need to remove the Floor-Board when switching between wheelchair and able-bodied players".
The inventor, Dave Rountree, came to Pitt Meadows, British Columbia, Canada after a spinal cord injury. He was motivated to figure out how to use the Nintendo Balance Board as a way for people in wheelchairs to access Nintendo Wii games. Dave has created and tested several prototypes of his Floor Board with good results.
The Floor Board is now available for $125 plus tax and shipping.
To see videos of the Floor Board in action: floor-board.com/Video.aspx
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| Image from: floor-board.com |
"The Floor-Board when used with the Nintendo Wii gaming console, Wii games, and Wii Balance BoardTM allows wheelchair and able body players to participate in exercises and games associated with the system."
To use the Floor Board, "set up a Wii system with Wii Fit, Wii Fit Plus or any game compatible for use with the Nintendo balance board. Set the Floor-Board on top of your balance board, then roll or step onto the Floor-Board and begin play. There's no need to remove the Floor-Board when switching between wheelchair and able-bodied players".
The inventor, Dave Rountree, came to Pitt Meadows, British Columbia, Canada after a spinal cord injury. He was motivated to figure out how to use the Nintendo Balance Board as a way for people in wheelchairs to access Nintendo Wii games. Dave has created and tested several prototypes of his Floor Board with good results.
The Floor Board is now available for $125 plus tax and shipping.
To see videos of the Floor Board in action: floor-board.com/Video.aspx
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Canadian Exergaming Research Centre
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| Image from: Canadian Exergaming Research Centre |
Exergaming leverages the video game environment familiar to children by adding an element of exercise. Exergames use video screen technologies that require physical participation in contrast to traditional sedentary video games.
“The Canadian Exergaming Research Centre (CERC) features games such as i-Dance (a wireless, multi-player system) Wii Fit and Exerboards. The Centre is a collaboration between the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Kinesiology, Mount Royal College and the Foundations for the Future school. An innovative research project is hoping to discover whether the new generation of ‘exergames’ can really impact on youth fitness, and perhaps help with the growing incidence of obesity among Canadian youth.”
www.ucalgary.ca/exergaming/
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