Monday, September 26, 2011

University Applies Videogames To Cancer Healing

You might not think that you can help treat cancer with videogames; however, researchers at the University of Utah have done just that, and are applying videogames to helping children with cancer during their treatment. The school detailed its efforts over weekend to develop a game which helps kids increase their physical strength and help mentally in combating their disease. The University of Utah said its Engineering Arts and Entertainment (EAE) program, the university’s departments of pediatrics and medicinal chemistry, and Primary Children’s Medical Center has unveiled a new videogame, which it says helps patients with physical strength, sense of empowerment, and mental state while fighting cancer. The game--built on Microsoft XNA and played using Move Controllers on the Sony PlayStation 3--put kids through a number of different levels, with original characters and animation, which researchers say can help with physical therapy and mental healing. Currently, the game is only available at Primary Children's Medical Center, but the school said that it now has graduate students at the Pierre Lassonde Entrepreneur Center looking to make the game available to other hospitals and caregivers.