Video Games: Curing Attention Deficit Disorder And Helping The Disabled
Electroencephalography, a bio-feedback learning tool, is being used by the not-for-profit company Games For Life in an effort to provide a more stable mental framework for children and young adults suffering from Attention Deficit Disorder. The strategy, known as Play Attention, relies on the use of a "biking-helmet" to facilitate communication between the subject and computer. The computer detects the brain waves or EEG of the subject and implements them as a control scheme for the in-game mechanics. The computer screen projects a simple game only when the participant remains focused and engaged. The moment the subject's focus is broken, the game stops. This becomes instrumental in providing incentive for the subject to re-engage as quickly as possible and as a result can train the subject to remain unreservedly lucid.
Professor Karen Pine at the University of Hertfordshire's School of Psychology studied 10 children suffering from ADHD and their interactions with Play Attention for 12 weeks and said the following:
Children with a diagnosis of ADHD find it hard to control their impulses and inhibit inappropriate behaviour. This can lead to educational and behavioural difficulties. The Play Attention method may prevent long-term problems by helping the children to be less impulsive and more self-controlled.
This technology also has potential for the physically disabled. A person who has no use of their hands would have a much easier time using a electroencephalography enhanced PC for work and play. On the video game front this may lead to vast improvements over manual forms of play control as a whole, providing a more integrated game world and uninterrupted interactivity. While this technology remains simple and can at best only facilitate singular game mechanics, Games for Life is continuing its investigation and plans to implement this learning tool throughout the United Kingdom this month.
Play Attention Excels in a Controlled Study [Play Attention]
ROCsteady
Posted to Video Games on 16 January 2010
Other stuff like this: adhd, eeg, electroencephalography, games for life, karen pine, pc, play attention, university of hertfordshire
