The Nintendo Wii was a revolution, and that's mainly due to its broad appeal. Not only could fans experience their favorite Nintendo games, but both younger and older users enjoyed the console's accessibility and motion control setup. Now it seems that not only did the Wii provide entertainment for millions of players, but it's also being used to help with treatments for illnesses.
The Daily Star reports that two professors of Purdue University are using the Wii to help patients suffering from Parkinson's disease. Jessica Huber and Jeff Haddad from the College of Health and Human Sciences are using tailor-made games that, according to the professors, can help with movement, speech, and overall quality of life.
The two have published their methods and findings on the university's official web page, where they explain that they're using the balance board and Wii Motes specifically to stimulate the body, as well as to improve navigational skills and body control.
"We're looking at being able to do things in their house that may be challenging, like put away groceries when you have to stand on your toes and reach for cabinets, or to cook and communicate at the same time," said Jeff Haddad. "All these things that people, when they're younger, take for granted that get more difficult to perform as they get older, and even more so if they have some sort of neuromuscular disease."
Do you think more consoles and games can be used to help with medical practices?