Michael Thompson over at Ars Technica reports on grants from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that are funding games for health initiatives. In particular, Thompson reports the University of Vermont School of Medicine received almost $190,000 for a videogame to help Cystic Fibrosis patients. Dr. Peter Bingham is spearheading the grant.
An early form of Bingham’s game used teenagers with Cystic Fibrosis as test subjects; it had them using their breath to control the vertical position of an icon, with the goal of keeping the icon on a curvy road that scrolled by. While the game is a bit simplistic, Bingham is hoping to make it more elaborate with the help of the [Champlain College] Emergent Media Center team. “We know that eye-hand coordination can be improved by playing video games, but eye-breath coordination is something new,” Bingham stated. “With the help of some very creative patients with CF, we hope to devise a completely new kind of game that helps kids to connect with each other about breathing and puts CF patients more in charge of their own health.”
Thompson says the second round of funding from the foundation will bring its total funding toward games for health grants to $2 million. A new CFP will go out in January 2009.
References:
Thompson, M. (2008, June 25). Games for Health program explores gaming-fitness connection. Ars Technica. [Online.] Available: http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080625-
health-foundation-provides-grant-money-to-game-study.html
