Gamertell

The next time your mother/significant other says videogames have no real-life value, point them in the direction of this article, which recaps an interview between News 8 Austin and surgeon Mark Smith. Smith claims that playing the Wii (with it’s motion controls and demand for precise movements) can help trainees improve their skills by 50%, and the relatively inexpensive console is a cheap, effective alternative to the ultra-expensive simulators (or actual surgery).

From the interview:

“I have never thought I’d be in video games to this extent. We have surgical simulators in virtual reality, but this has taken it to a whole new level, which is exciting.“

It looks like this is the new Wii-hab, and I’m sure Nintendo is eating it up. Speaking of learning on the job, the article also addresses the fact that only a few years ago, the only way for surgeons to train was the real thing - actually going in with a knife and assisting a real operation. Scary.

Read [Austin 8] Via [CVG]

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Many people would be inclined to think that video games have a negative effect on job performance in most professions, especially one as rigorous as a surgeon. However, NewScientist reports that Kanav Kahol and Marshall Smith of Phoenix, Arizona’s Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center found the opposite when it comes to Nintendo’s Wii.

Trainee doctors were given an hour to play games on the Wii console before performing a simulated surgery using the training tool ProMIS, which tracks the user’s movements and other information. Trainees who played the Wii prior to the simulation performed 48% higher on performance than those who did not.

The overall increase in performance was noted but the type of game that was played also determined to affect efficiency. Games that required small, precise movements such as Marble Mania had a much more positive effect than a games that required large, sweeping motions such as Wii Sports‘ Tennis. Software is now being developed for the Wii in order to accurately simulate surgical procedures. The development of such software would come as a great boon to surgeons, especially in less developed areas of the world, as traditional training tools often cost much more than Nintendo’s system.

It is interesting to see the immense flexibility of the Wii in areas other than entertainment. After all, professional bowlers have praised Wii Sports for realistic physics in the past and the upcoming Wii Fit will likely be a welcome addition in any Wii owner’s library. It seemed like only a matter of time before surgeons began contemplating taking advantage of the Wii, considering the highly praised surgical simulation series Trauma Center. There’s only one real problem though: the surgeons still have to find the Wii before they can use it.

Read [ NewScientist ] Read [Wired]

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