EXERGAMING thesis by Heidi Karjalainen

VTT's EXERGAME-project is co-operating with Kemi-Tornio AMKK (polytechnic). Student Heidi Karjalainen is doing her thesis on exergaming there. She focuses on current game interfaces that enable physical control of the game. The most well known game interfaces to date are EyeToy web camera and dance pad (e.g. Dance Dance Revolution).

Heidi Karjalainen does group interviews and online surveys about children's interest towards physical game play. She also discusses about the notion of exergaming. Do people consider it to be a physical sport activity? What ways there are to combine digital games with physical exercise? What's the main target group for exergames?

You may follow Heidi's work at: http://koti.mbnet.fi/hhalttu/paattis/exergaming.htm (in Finnish!)

EXERGAME project has started!

In the EXERGAME (2005-2006) project we study "wellness gaming" in a broad sense. EXERGAME is a VTT's (Technical Research Centre of Finland) strategic research project. The aim of the project is to create an overall view of wellness gaming / exergaming markets, consumer cultures and technological possibilities.

Our hypothesis is that novel solutions for preventive health care and serious games will evolve within next 5 years. We will be in the forefront of the development.

During the project, VTT researchers shall create scenarios, concepts and prototypes of mobile and pc-based "exergames".

The EXERGAME blog is for those who would like to follow up the EXERGAME-project.
Comments, offers for co-operation and other suggestions are welcome!