Gaming for Health

Recently, more than 300 innovators demonstrated new games and discussed key advancements and collaborations across the health and games fields. This conference was held at the Baltimore Convention Center and referred to as the Games for Health Conference.

It was intended to build a convergence between cutting edge gaming technology and healthcare complexities, with an eye toward long-term, breakthrough health solutions.

There were more than two dozen innovative demonstration projects, including application of consumer games, such as Guitar Hero and Nintendo Wii, for self-care, rehabilitation and prevention purposes.

Other games focused on topics from exergaming and physical therapy to epidemiology and cognitive exercise.

The Games for Health Conference was started in 2004 in an attempt to utilize this generation’s love of gaming to promote health and exercise.

The conference provides a forum for collaborations to emerge between the video game industry and the health and health care industry.

There were more than 300 attendees and more than 60 sessions provided by an international array of 75 speakers.

Topics included exergaming, physical therapy, disease management, health behavior change, biofeedback, epidemiology, training, cognitive exercise, nutrition and health education.

The Games for Health Project is produced by the Serious Games Initiative, a Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars effort that applies cutting-edge games and game technologies to a range of public and private policy, leadership and management issues.

To date, the project has brought together researchers, medical professionals and game developers to share information about the impact games and game technologies can have on health, health care and policy. For more information, visit http://www.gamesforhealth.org/.