http://www.healthgamers.com Playing games to improve lives. Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:05:47 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Have you taken the challenge yet?  “What challenge?”, you ask. The Health 2.0 Developer Challenge or those on Challenge Post. These sites take advantage of the recent US initiative to make health databases available to the public. Since 2010, both sites have hosted challenges sponsored by organizations, corporations, and the government. ... http://www.healthgamers.com/2011/uncategorized/take-the-health-challenge/ containers that ring, play music and send emails to remind people to take sixteen different medications when loaded only once in two or three months. Another medication lid glows when it is time to take a pill and then records the time the bottle is opened and the pill was ... http://www.healthgamers.com/2011/uncategorized/future-of-helathcare/ Games for Health Project originated in the United States in 2004. Ben Sawyer was instrumental in its foundation and development into the force that it is today.  It’s annual meeting draws hundreds of global participants each year in Boston. So it was exciting news this year when Games for Health announced a  ... http://www.healthgamers.com/2011/uncategorized/games-for-health-%e2%80%93-europe/ Nick Yee, PhD, a research scientist at the PARC (the Palo Alto Research Center) has published studies that show how people’s behaviors change when they use avatars. One study notes how players engage when offered tall, attractive avatars, versus shorter, less attractive ones. He suggests that people will exercise longer ... http://www.healthgamers.com/2011/research-theory/avatar-advantage/ Strong research is the foundation of the health professions, and health game development is no different.  When a person’s health is being manipulated, then people expect the method or product to be well researched before being recommended. After all, the physician’s oath is, “First, do no harm …” From the start, ... http://www.healthgamers.com/2011/uncategorized/new-journal-gets-in-the-game/ Organized by the the IU School of Informatics at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), the 2nd annual Midwestern Conference on Health Games conference will be held in Indianapolis on October 28, 2011. Abstracts are being accepted now. The submission deadline is June 1. 2011. For more information please contact Vicki ... http://www.healthgamers.com/2011/news/next-midwestern-conference-on-health-games-announced/ Potential for healthcare use. Back in 2010 we were introduced to the "Wii-killer," aka the Kinect for Xbox 360.  Microsoft's initial lineup of exergames revealed great health gaming potential. Others, such as Dr. Bill Crounse who writes for the Microsoft Health blog, speculated that the Kinect could be used in ... http://www.healthgamers.com/2011/using-health-games/microsoft-kinect-in-medicine/ A health game sleeper? One of the health game products I've been watching very closely is Zamzee. Not a whole lot has been written about this innovative new company yet, especially when one compares it to previous HopeLab products like Re-Mission. However, they have really geared up for an impressive product, ... http://www.healthgamers.com/2011/making-games/will-hopelabs-zamzee-be-a-market-success/ It's that time of year again where the best and brightest in the games for health field gather together for the Games for Health Conference. The 2011 conference will be held at the Hyatt Harborside Hotel in Boston, MA from May 18-19 with a pre-conference May 17. Opening keynote. This year, the ... http://www.healthgamers.com/2011/news/pre-register-for-games-for-health-conference-2011/ I received a very nice note from Dr. Sylvester Arnab of the Serious Games Institute requesting leads on researchers and practitioners interested in helping contribute to a new book called Serious Games for Healthcare: Applications and Implications.  Hopefully you healthgamers can be of assistance! Similar to the DIVERSE Conference call for ... http://www.healthgamers.com/2011/research-theory/serious-games-institute-call-for-book-chapter/