Annotated+Bibliography

"50 Awesome Video Games for Physical Therapy and Rehab." USPharmD. N.p., 20 Nov. 2008. Web. 21 Oct. 2010. [] The author of this blog is not specified, however, I do not believe that the content of this source requires this information, because it just gives me a list of games that have been developed or are being used to help physical and emotional therapy and rehab, and what their purposes are within their fields. The author is most likely a lay person who bases the information off of other articles; but the blog is meant to be informative because it does not try to persuade of the effectiveness of any particular game, but inform of its use. Because the information is organized in a list, the author does not appear to be arguing any particular point of view. The main information comes in the form of brief descriptions after each title, which describes the type of game it is, and how it is used to help patients. The most helpful of these for me appears to be the “Researched Creations” section which is devoted to games created by Universities devoted to a specific purpose, while keeping patients motivated. Because each game has a link to an article writing about its usefulness in a therapy or rehabilitation setting, I believe the information on this blog is well-established, and can easily be confirmed by clicking on the link. Although I do not believe the list of games should be limited to 50 because different places will use different games, the author goes into a wide variety of types from mental health games to the standard console games. Because the article does not specify an author, I cannot determine whether or not there are any affiliations with the author between the Universities or Gaming Companies linked to on the website. The parent website does not appear to have such affiliations, though. This source is very helpful to my research because it will be important to put down what type of research is going into creating these types of games. On my report, I will be able to show the types of games Universities are creating to help improve patients experiences in the hospital.

Betker, Aimee L, et al. Game-based Exercises for Dynamic Short-Sitting Balance Rehabilitation of People With Chronic Spinal Cord and Traumatic Brain Injuries. Physical Therapy. American Physical Therapy Association, Oct. 2007. Web. 27 Oct. 2010. []. The authors of this report are knowledgeable in their fields. A. L. Betker is PhD candidate at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Manitoba. A. Desai is a student in the School of Medical Rehabilitation at the University of Manitoba. C. Nett is a practicing physical therapist and public lecturer. N. Kapadia is a student at the School of Medical Rehabilitation. T. Szturm is an associate professor for the Division of Physical Therapy at the University of Manitoba. This report appears to be an informational report created in a university related project. The intended audience is for experts in the field. Before conducting research, the authors “thought that the inclusion of motivational and functional gaming in rehabilitation and sports training might increase the people’s desire to perform their exercises and therefore result in improved dynamic balance control after the exercises.” Their conclusion shows that “graded, dynamic balance exercises on different surfaces can be coupled effectively with video game play.” To support this, they offer two observations: interactive gaming can motivate people to practice movement tasks. All three of their subjects indicated that they enjoyed the video game tools more than conventional tools. Another observation of the team was decreased fall rates. Two of the three patients were able to maintain a sitting position while performing functional tasks. After reading this report, I find a few flaws that could alter the results of the experiment. First, the team only had three subjects, each with a different type of injury. A larger sample size could yield a different result because three people probably does not represent the population of people with back and brain injuries. Furthermore, many of the researchers in this study are students in the University, instead of researchers investigating this subject, which could introduce some issues with their methods. Even so, all issues within the report are addressed including a diagram, and even a section including potential problems in their research. The only way I see bias being introduce into this report is through the questionnaire. The researchers believe that the question presented to the subjects may have introduced bias by influencing their decisions about the game. I think this report will be very helpful to my subject because it offers a professionally written report about how video games affect rehabilitation. This section of my research project will be well covered because I can cite the statistics obtained by the researchers of this report and even show the type of game they used.

Coyne, Claire. "Video 'Games' in the Clinic: PTs Report Early Results." PT in Motion. American Physical Therapy Association, May 2008. Web. 11 Oct. 2010. [] The author of this article is a freelance writer who has interviewed many different physical therapists in different fields to see how effective the Wii has been. The purpose of the work has been to inform about the growing use of the Wii in clinics to improve the quality of treatment and increase participation in rehabilitation. The author believes that the Wii is very effective in the field of physical therapy because of its motion sensing and balance capabilities. She includes testimony from various physical therapists who have included the Wii in their practice. Common results have appeared among them even though they work with different patients. Each of them have stated that the Wii has increased compliance among patients—instead of feeling pain during physical therapy, people focus on playing the game and improving their score. They also have stated that the Wii allows them to have more options with home-based programs that previously were unavailable. The article also contains a section that contains information on instances when the Wii may not be a great choice for physical therapists, because the games can be fatiguing and frustrating to some patients, and cannot be played by patients with seizure disorders. Overall, I believe this article was well research because most of the information came from information from experts in the field. I do not believe this information is biased because the author also included a section stating when the Wii should not be used, and does not have any ties to Nintendo. This source is very helpful to my research because it offered detailed descriptions of how therapists are using systems like the Wii to improve their practice right now. It also informed me about when motion gaming should be used over conventional therapy, and when conventional therapy is better suited to the treatment.

Deutsch, Judith E, et al. //Use of a Low-Cost, Commercially Available Gaming// //Console (Wii) for Rehabilitation of an Adolescent With Cerebral Palsy//. //Physical Therapy//. American Physical Therapy Association, Oct. 2008. Web. 10 Dec. 2010. []. This source is a report written to inform about the results of a study. Because it was published in a journal meant for physical therapists, it was meant for professionals to read. This journal offers much for my product, it gives a hypothesis on why the group was testing the Wii's uses with the adolescent, it gives reasons for the success of the Wii, and it breaks down how the Wii was used during the child's day. Because I am arguing that the Wii is helpful as a supplement to physical therapy equipment, I believe it it is important to have as much evidence as possible to add to the list. This is one bit of evidence that I can add. This group professionally wrote this paper, so there is likely as little bias as possible in their conclusion. It was also published in the APTA and cited by over 60 sources, making it a trustworthy source of information.

Gaudiosi, John. "Using video games for health benefit." Vancouver Sun. Postmedia Network, 9 July 2010. Web. 27 Sept. 2010. []. The author of this article is a writer for Reuters, whose purpose for writing this article is to inform about the health benefits of motion video games. The author argues that video games are beginning to show potential in the medical world. His main argument is the use of motion sensor games in the treatment of older patients and patients with motion impairing effects. He also shows that games for fitness is a growing industry and that companies who develop these games are receiving grants of up to 100 million dollars to help build the technology. While the author is not an expert in the field, the author was thorough with his research. The article contains the opinions of various experts, ranging from medical doctors to game designers. In addition to interviews with experts, it contains many links to foundations used within the author's research and in the area of “games for health” that will also provide me with information. Overall, I believe this article will be used as more of a starting point for other research than a source of information. I may use the opinions of the experts and links to various organizations within my research; however most of the information within the article was written by an author who has no more experience than a news writer.

Madonna Rehab. Brain injury rehabilitation using Wii recreational therapy. YouTube. N.p., 5 Jan. 2009. Web. 13 Oct. 2010. []. The creator of this video is the Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital. This hospital is focused on physical therapy to regain skills needed in real life. The hospital created this video to show how the Wii is being used as a tool to make the rehabilitation process easier for the patient and to focus on certain areas of the body. The hospital believes that the Wii, when used as part of a comprehensive integrated program, are an important part of brain rehabilitation therapy. The video shows different patients using the Wii as part of the therapy, and shows text stating how this helps the patients regain control and movement. The main support for this argument would lie within a long term study of the Wii; the video just shows how the hospital uses the console, and why it chooses to do so. Because the hospital uses the Wii as part of its brain rehabilitation program, it has first hand experience with the differences between programs utilizing the Wii and programs that do not. Because the hospital thinks that the Wii and other motion gaming platforms will have an increasingly large role in hospitals in the future, I believe that this shows that the motion video games have the potential to become essential to different types of therapy and rehabilitation. This video does not appear to present any bias because the hospital is not affiliated with any types of video game companies and is just trying to explain how the consoles assist in their programs. Overall, this video will be very helpful to my topic because I am researching how video games are being applied to various types of medical fields. It offers proof that hospitals are beginning to replace equipment with video games, and offers explanations as to why the video games are used over other types of procedures.

Miller, Joe. "Wii speeds up the rehab process." USA Today. Gannett, 24 July 2007. Web. 19 Oct. 2010. []. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">This source is a news article from USA today. The author is a reporter for this company who has interviewed experts necessary to write this article. The purpose of the article is to inform the audience about what types of illnesses the Wii is used to treat, and how the Wii is more beneficial than traditional treatment. The intended audience is anyone who is interested in new applications of technology in the gaming field because the article is under the technology and gaming section of USA today. After asking physical therapists and people who have used the Wii to recover from debilitating diseases and accidents, the author has concluded that the Wii speeds up the rehab process. The author gives the opinions of experts who say that the main benefit of the Wii is that it makes patients look at what they are able to do rather than what they cannot do after a serious accident. The article then backs this up with statements made by a patient who had undergone Wii therapy, who plans to play the Wii with his grandchildren when he gets home. Another argument that the experts make is that the Wii is purchasable for home use, so the process can be continued at home and after rehab is complete. Although many newsarticles arenot the best source of information because they are written by newswriters who are not experts in the field, the statements made by the physical therapists make this a useful source because it not only tells how the Wii is used, but it also tells what types of diseases the Wii is used for. The author did show how the Wii improved the rehab process by including information on how it affects the patients view of their treatment and how it can be used outside of the hospital unlike most expensive and heavy equipment. While I think much of this information is true, I do think it may be biased toward the use of the Wii because it does not state how the Wii may not be useful in some cases, or other opinions on the subject. This newsarticle will allow me to research specific names of companies like WakeMed, and gives me some useful information regarding the usefulness of Wii therapy.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">"PS3 Motion Controllers." Sony. Research and Development Department. Viddler. Web. 7 Oct. 2010. []. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The speaker in this video is a member of Sony’s Research and Development Department. As someone in this position, he is well qualified to speak towards the methods of how Sony goes about creating new technology and how the current technology works. The speaker of this video is describing the process by which Sony’s R&D department goes about creating new ideas like the PS Eye and the Move. He describes how products develop over time to become what goes on the shelf. For example, the department began the PS Move by putting a ping-pong ball on top of a cylinder to see if the idea was practical. Then they added technology like accelerometers to see how well the product would work, and finally they sent it to another department to make it more marketable. The speaker also spoke about the technology in many of the motion gaming products currently available like the Move, Wii, and cameras like the PS Eye. I believe that this researcher, as a member of the team that creates these products, has more than enough knowledge to address this topic. Although I do not feel as though the researcher presented the information with bias, I need to be careful that he may have overstated the complexity of some of the PS products because he is an employee of Sony. Although this information does not directly pertain to my research, I feel it is important to understand how these products are created and how they work if I want to create a project on how motion video games may be used within medicine in the future. It may not help my argument directly, but I can use this information about the development process to create a section about how new products that are fun and beneficial in multiple fields can be created by private companies.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Rajshri. "Stroke Rehabilitation Through Modified Video Games." MedIndia. N.p.,29 Aug. 2009. Web. 25 Oct. 2010. []. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The author of this article is a reporter for the MedIndia, who wrote this article to inform about how modified video games are being used to treat stroke victims. Because this article is featured as a news article, the intended audience is for the lay person rather than the expert. The author shows within the article how researchers at Rutgers have modified Xbox games to help stroke victims regain movement in, and how it may be more beneficial than the conventional treatment. First the author states that the system could only cost as little as $600 dollars—much less than current equipment—and could also be more effective. One of the members of the research team from Rutgers comments on how this system is more effective by saying that it gives therapists the tools to motivate patients, while continuing the same therapy. Next the article shows how the game works, and what types of activities the game presents. The modification to the Xbox is that the patient wears a glove that senses movement of the hand. The game uses this sensor to for games like making a fist to scare a butterfly, or wiping away pixels from the screen. While the researchers showed the positive aspects of the game, they also noted that the game has some flaws. The glove does not have the same accuracy or resolution that current gloves do and cannot measure precise movements. Although this article does not present as much information as I would have liked, it is well-researched because the author has interviewed the head researcher of the development team for the game. I still have some questions about this game, like has the research team named the game? I do not believe this article was presented with bias because it shows the game’s strengths and its flaws. I would have wanted someone from outside the research team to comment on the game, though. This source will be more helpful to my presentation than to my source. On my project, I will create a section that contains how video games are being created specifically for medical/rehabilitative purposes. While this article gives a brief summary of one game, it gives me enough information to create a compare and contrast between most commercial games and this modified game.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Thin, Alastair. Interview by Renee Montagnee and Steve Inskeep. Morning Edition. NPR News. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">15 May 2008. Web. Transcript. 5 Oct. 2010. []. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">This source is an NPR interview hosted by Renee Montagne. The interviewee is Dr. Alastair Thin, an exercise physiologist who conducted research on “exergaming” with his students in Scotland. His position is that exergaming has potential to offer people opportunities and motivation for exercise, especially those who live in areas where weather prevents them from exercising outside often. During the interview, Dr. Thin brought out a Wii and Wii Fit board to demonstrate how gaming is becoming a means to exercise. By playing a game that simulates hula hooping, he raised his heart rate to 156, common of hard exercise. Dr. Thin pointed out that these games allow people to move their whole bodies, not just their legs, arms or shoulders; but also how knowing how to play the game is necessary for getting exercise. Because Dr. Thin demonstrated some of the research during the interview, I believe that exergaming is clearly beneficial as an indoor exercise. While the researchers have proven that exergaming can be as effective as outdoor exercise, they have not proven why using a game is better than normal exercise. I will need to find another source that shows how effective exergaming is at motivating users to continue to exercise, and a study that compares this to normal exercise. Overall however, this article has provided me with valuable information from an expert and researcher, and a worthwhile directive to continue my research.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Today Show. MSNBC. 14 Mar. 2010. WakeMed. Web. 21 Oct. 2010. []. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The speaker in this video is a reporter from MSNBC showing how the innovative steps being taken at the rehab center of the WakeMed Hospital. This video is an informational report; it does not argue for the use of the Wii, but informs of the way patients benefit from its use. This video was intended for viewers of MSNBC because it was aired on the Today Show. Although the reporter does not have an argument, the author seems to believe that the Wii makes rehab quicker and easier for the patients. The main evidence is through the testimony of the patients. The video showed how the Wii has changed the treatment of four different patients with different diseases and injuries. One patient with a neck injury was paralyzed from the neck down and has almost regained control of his arms and hands. He attributes this recovery to the use of the Wii because it gave him a focus away from his disease. This research goes straight to the source; it interviews the patients and asks them what they think about Wiihab. It clearly shows that most patients believe it has had a positive impact on their therapy. Because it is a short segment about the situation, I am not sure it shows all aspects of Wii therapy. To truly address this topic, it would need to show doctor’s opinions and opposing arguments. The speaker does not appear to be biased because she was just showing how Wii is used by patients and what the patients think about it. I believe this video may be helpful to my project because I plan on having a short video like this to show in my presentation.