The Wii Balance Board (BB) peripheral could provide doctors with a cost-effective way of assessing a patient’s ability to stand up straight, a report has concluded. Medics from the University of Melbourne and Singapore General Hospital’s Department of Physiotherapy together tested Nintendo’s £70 accessory as a way of assessing …

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Tuesday 19th January 2010 16:14 GMT Anonymous Coward

Blinding with science

"force platforms – high-tech scales that measure ground reaction forces created when someone stands on them"

I thought the article was generally sensible, but couldn't let this bit of technobabble pass without comment. All weighing machines measure ground reaction forces.

The feature of the high-tech ones is that they measure the forces at several points of contact.

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Tuesday 19th January 2010 16:14 GMT David Edwards

Inexpensive £70

"The Wii was connected to a laptop and its COP readout "

So thats £70 for the board

£150+ for the WII

£300 + for the laptop

£?? for support instaltion maintenence

Isnt TCO a bummer

How much are those sclaes again??????????

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1. Wednesday 20th January 2010 04:57 GMT Lee Chong Yew
  
  RE: Inexpensive £70
  
  > How much are those sclaes again??????????
  
  Some US$10 or so last I checked.
  
  I agree. Maybe Nintendo gave that guy the stuff for free, that's why it's inexpensive...
  
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Tuesday 19th January 2010 16:14 GMT Elmer Phud

and for the cops?

Howsabout (now then, now then) the police using them for sobriety tests?

None of yer walking a stright line, pointing to yer nose etc. etc.

"Right then, Sir. Just step on here and maintain this yoga pose for more than ten seconds"

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Tuesday 19th January 2010 16:14 GMT James Pickett

Scope

This is worth pursuing, surely? Give every patient a ‘Mii’ (carefully!) and it will track their weight, BMI, balancing skill and even work out their fitness ‘age’. Mind you, I think it stops at 70...

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Tuesday 19th January 2010 16:14 GMT Anonymous Coward

Okay, this sounds okay

If the old BB _is_ similar to the full blown (/expensive?) test gear then it seems pretty sensible - to me at least - to consider it as an alternative. I'm assuming that Nintendo will give a good discount for the medical use, (since you'll need the Wii as well) - and presumably someone'll do some proper software for GP's - I think there might be some raised eyebrows if the Doc asks you to log into "Wii Fit"!

Speaking of software - why stop at balance checks, do a simplified urine analysis sensor. Presumably in that case the accompanying software would be "Wii ... Into-this-cup-please"!

(AC because of that last paragraph)

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Wednesday 20th January 2010 00:19 GMT Yet Another Anonymous coward

No need for a WII

You don't need a Wii, the balance board is just a bluetooth device like the Wii controller.

There are free libraries for windows and Linux to use it directly, you can also use the hand controller as a mouse.

And it's only $70 with the old game - $90 with the new fitness+.

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Wednesday 20th January 2010 10:18 GMT Lu

according to /.

This is second hand info, but according to a couple of different commentors over on Slashdot, those specialised force scales cost thousands of dollars (US).

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Wednesday 20th January 2010 14:15 GMT Simon B

I CAN rip you off therefore I WILL!

"Doctors often use force platforms – high-tech scales that measure ground reaction forces created when someone stands on them — but most are expensive ..."

"intendo’s BB, however, is “inexpensive ..."

Conclusion: doctors have been ripped off by greedy bastard manuafacturers, because they make a set of scales that are simple but only they make, they rip people off, because they CAN.

A similar thing happens in many areas of life. Bastards.

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