Jumpstart Your Heart With A Wii Remote
Can the Wii remote save lives? The American Heart Association is betting on it, pledging $US50,000 to fund a student project that uses Nintendo’s TV killer to teach CPR.
Associate professor of biomechanical engineering at the University of Alabama Greg Walcott came up with the idea for a computer program that uses the wireless technology of the Wii remote to help teach proper cardiopulmonary resuscitation techniques. The student team working on the program aim to have the program available for free download via the American Heart Association website this fall.
“The Heart Association’s high interest in our students’ innovations points to potential of this project and how it fits in with its desire to deliver reliable CPR education to the masses,” faculty adviser Jack Rogers said.
The problem here is that this is a computer program and not a Nintendo Wii application, so the masses could largely ignore it. Perhaps Nintendo could reach out to help, offering the finished program as a free download to the console? You never know.
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Comments (AU Comments | US Comments)
I say the Heart Association has to develop a way to insert the CPR education part in some Battlefield, Team Fortress 2 or generic FPS shooter...
Not only tons of people would learn, but they'd also practice it on a daily basis.
Bokusatsu_Tenshi
I'm not trained in CPR but my guess is that the amount of pressure you put on a person's chest varies from individual to individual. You wouldn't mash on poor old brittle Grandma as hard as you would (insert big muscley dude here). And I know for a fact that you only use a couple fingers when resuscitating infants. Seems to me that the main issue this game would work on would be timing, so couldn't you just play Rock Band instead?
jayislost
Color me surprised... they actually found a use for the Vitality Sensor!
Perhaps Nintendo could reach out to help, offering the finished program as a free download to the console?
Nintendo, do this.
@wheelis: Seconded. I would love to buy this shirt as well.
Bigfoot
Wrong school Mike. It's the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The article you quote lists it as the University of Alabama, Birmingham. Original article is here: http://main.uab.edu/Sites/MediaRelations/articles/65537/
I really want that shirt.
THE REAL VAMPIRE-SLAYER!
asdf4321
Sam! Put the cube in my chest!
@'360 Fanboy: Alex Jones would like a word with you.
I guess that guy should have used the wrist strap. Things like this can happen!
gergsirronzero
Having the result as a free DL would be cool - Although with CPR, it'd need Staying Alive as the theme. ;)
(Kudos to anyone who gets the really subtle reference)
Well I'm pretty sure that image isn't what they meant. Unless that's what they're planning for the Wii Vitality Sensor?
Wiimotes can be used as a knife and there's nothing in the manual indicating this... I thought up a (stupid) brilliant plan! Where's my lawyer, it's time I got in to this whole suing fad that has gripped the American society.
Kind of like the Wii fad, except fads don't normally last more than 3 years
or 80+ years.
Be a lot more useful if they taught you how to turn the Wiimote and the Nunchuk into defibrillator pads.
AncientUnknown1
@'360 Fanboy: All part of Nintendo's ongoing bid for world domination.
ShoopDaBoofs
@superdance14: Oh my god. Jack Thompson was right. Wii Tennis really IS a "murder simulator".
Where can I buy that T-Shirt? Effing Hilarious!
Does this mean we'll have to implant one of the motion sensors into our chest? I think I'll pass.
That shirt reminds me of how my friend will try to stab me with a Wiimote after I beat him.
That really hurts.
superdance14
I just want that shirt.
SprinklesTDD
Nintendo is rather crafty. Who knows what they'll do with their new Vitality sensor. Or what we'll do with it.
http://www.gametrailers.com/episode/bonusround/306?ch=3&sd=0
ctorrans
I've always dreamed of the day when the Wii remote would actually be used in simulations like this. No, Trauma Center does not count.
I hope the game gets a Heimlich move DLC.
Ah, so this is where the vitality sensor kicks in.
freshmilk
I hope the people trying to save a nation's hearts know that the Wii remote is plunging into the wrong side of the tee shirt .
talk about accidents with the wiimote
roglrogl