Public Voting Open For Active Gaming Awards

What are the best ‘exercise-games’ and hardware for 2010? Is it Microsoft Kinect, PlayStation Move or Nintendo Wii? These questions and more are the subject of a public vote in The Exergame Network Awards for 2010. Fifteen categories cover the new generation of Active Video Games (Exergames) with nominations from industry experts.

Public votes are being collected by The Exergame Network (TEN) at http://www.exergamenetwork.org and through social networking sites, such as Facebook and LinkedIn. The results will be released in the new year. Fifteen award categories include “Best Children’s Exergame”, “Best Seniors Exergame”, “Best Fitness Avatar” and conclude with the premier award “Best Home Exergame of 2010” that has the nominations PlayStation Move - Start the Party, Microsoft Kinect Sports, Nintendo Motion Plus - Wii Sports Resort, Ubisoft Just Dance for Wii, EA Sports Active 2 for Wii.

Most people have heard of Nintendo Wii but the world of Exergaming is much larger as indicated by the number of categories and the nominations included in the TEN Awards. Exergaming continues to expand its influence being represented on TEN by field specialists such as Sheryl Flynn from Games4Rehab. Mark C Barlet from Able Gamers and Dan Lawler from PE4Life.

"I am excited to be a part of TEN putting together these amazing awards, and I hope that companies see this as a further reason to drive innovation in the Exergaming genre. I hope this increases the awareness of gamers with disabilities and companies look to some of the new technologies emerging and find ways to further include them in the fun." says Mark C Barlet, CEO of the AbleGamers Foundation & Editor-in-Chief of AbleGamers.com.

“For the first time ever, you can nominate and vote for your favorite exergame as a way of saying "Thanks" to the development team that makes staying healthy or enduring arduous rehabilitation more FUN! By acknowledging our appreciation we are encouraging more development, research and application into the health, wellness, leisure and rehabilitation game space! Exercise your right to VOTE” adds Sheryl Flynn PT, PhD, co-founder games4rehab.org & CEO Blue Marble Game Co.

To vote for your favorite exergame go to http://www.exergamenetwork.org and click on “TEN AWARDS - VOTING” or go to The Exergame Network Facebook page. The results and winners will be announced on the TEN website in the new year. The nominations were assembled by the TEN Awards Committee and represent the best exergaming has to offer in many diverse fields.

Please vote for Gamercize in "Best PE Exergame", "Best Group Exergame", "Best Competition Exergame" and "Best Brain Exergame"!!!

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Active Gaming Video by USF from PECentral

To Be Healthy in Florida You Need More than Just Sunshine!

If you know what active gaming (exergaming) is all about, you need to check out this video. If you have no idea what active gaming is - you need to check out this video!

A very healthy looking Lisa Hansen and Steve Sanders of the University of South Florida's College of Education talk you through the ideas for using exergaming in schools, and the kids pitch in with their opinions.

Great to see Gamercize being used in the classroom and the game rooms in this video and thanks to PECentral for sharing this video via SchoolTube!

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The Healthy People of Tomorrow Play Video Games

Let's Move - with Gamercize!

What can Gamercize and active gaming do for health and fitness, after all it's just a game isn't it? There's a serious side to exergaming, even the White House is taking a look to find out what the benefits of "gamer burn" can be.

Reported by WTSP 10 News, executive directors of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, Melissa Johnson and Shellie Y. Pfohl (pictured left), had a first hand experience of exergaming at the University of South Florida’s active gaming laboratory in Tampa.

The USF Active Gaming Lab was started by Asst. Prof. Lisa Witherspoon Hansen three years ago with full support of the universities College of Education department. The lab facilites on campus are used to educate PE students in active gaming with another facility "in the field" at a local local elementary school.

The kids in the practical environment get moving. "Why not take what everyone is deeming the enemy [video games], why not let them play the games that they love just make them more active?" says Lisa.

Students are not just playing games, they are having fun, being active and learning too.

Jasmine says, "When you play the game it increases your heart rate, makes your legs stronger." 10 Year old Edgerrin James has taken more than 1,400 steps in 25 minutes. "I feel great. I know I worked hard but I feel very tired," describes Edgerrin. Does he feel energized? "Yes Ma'am," he adds.

It's not just the kids that love the onsite lab, "The more we can push the fact exercise is fun with friends, social type of thing, the more likely they will do it," says Lynda Correia, PE Teacher at Witter Elementary.

Check out the video from Ch10 here, and see Gamercize and exergaming in action improving health, fitness and awareness! Lisa also contributes to PE Central as the editor of the Active Gaming section for PE educators.

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Kinect: the Wii plug-in for your Xbox

Virtually getting your game on, but not quite.

There's a great deal of hype surrounding the Xbox Kinect buzzing around right now. What is it? Think of Kinect as a next generation 3D EyeToy accessory for your Xbox, that is not so fussy about background and doesn't need aluminium foil mitts to use like the original EyeToy. Sounds good, but there has been a mixed reception to the new entry into the exergaming world; I can see why.
The fitness focused love it right now. Of the 17 odd launch titles only 2 could be described as traditional video games - the rest being virtual sports, interactive workouts, dance and casual games. Have we seen this somewhere before? Oh yes, the titles and genres are all spin offs from Nintendo Wii. However, they are all improvements on the originals, which were never really updated when motion plus came out for the Wii. So Kinect wins on accuracy and realism. True it takes more space than Wii Sports, so expect single player or make sure your health and household insurances are up to date for accidental damage.

The gaming fraternity are not warming to it. Lots of posts on gaming sites exhibit great indifference. Why is that? Of the games only 2 promise some entertainment value that could hold sustainable interest and be worth the outlay - the rest are just not Xbox console games, the are Wii demographic games. Perhaps the business case for Kinect is to take Wii gamers to Xbox, not make Xbox gamers more active.

Of course Xbox gamers (and PS3 gamers!) already have a fitness option that provides genuine non-impact cardio with the benefits of online multiplayer gaming that really puts the game first in exergaming - Gamercize. With a range of exercise options it's the game that powers your workout. If you're unfamiliar with those types of games look at the Xbox 360 and PS3 video game charts and pick 8 or 9 out of the top 10s either in sales or in pre-orders - these are compatible with Gamercize.

For me and Gamercize the new product by Microsoft is very welcome. In 2006, when Nintendo Wii was launched, we saw a massive increase in Gamercize sales and awareness. Now the novelty of Wii is not grabbing the headlines, Microsoft is injecting new enthusiasm into exergaming in the way only multi-million advertising campaigns can. Sony is also putting it's best foot forward with Move, a cross between the Wii's motion and Kinect's camera control.

What I will find most interesting is if what I call "serious games" are developed for the Kinect and Move interfaces, or will the game controller stay king? At the moment I think it's obvious to replicate Wii style games, and a sound business approach. After the hype has died down on the conversions it will be up to the game developers to see what gets developed. For now, Gamercize stays the premier game entertainment exergame!

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Active Gaming Critique - Myths Busted

What's wrong with exergaming?

When I saw that PE Central was putting together a list of exergaming objections I thought it would be an interesting read, and it was. I've long maintained that simple miss-representation of exergaming as purely Wii Sports or Wii Fit has given rise to many of the objections.

Let's take a look at each of the common quibbles in turn, widen the population, figure out the origin and see if Gamercize measures up. Here's the list

1) Just go outside and play

This objection is around a general dislike of the idea of exergaming without a logical reason. It comes down to not specific exergames but a view that "back in my day". Well back in your day you had rickets and slavery, so let's move on....

Gamercize "Kids are playing sedentary games already, just use Gamercize to make them active games, your heart can't tell the difference between outdoors or indoors, if it could then people wouldn't get fit in a gym."

PE Central Post

2) Why would we encourage more screen time?

Screen time is seen as bad - that's because there's no activity and screen time is shown to be linked with obesity. The key here is lack of understanding and knowledge about exergaming (in this case visit The Exergame Network!)

Gamercize "Make bad screen time into active screen time, you can do this with Gamercize playing video games or on the computer."

PE Central Post

3) Traditional physical activity is better than technological physical activity!

This objection comes right out of Nintendo's back pocket. There has been so many studies that show Wii Sports or Wii Fit as little more exercise than a short walk to the cake shop. There's no denying the benefits of traditional physical activity, but if exergaming had comparable calorie burns then this objection wouldn't be anything like as strong.

Gamercize "Wii is not much exercise, and can always be cheated to be almost no effort at all. Not so with Gamercize, that is 4 times more exercise then the most strenuous of Wii activity and on a par with swimming or soccer!"

PE Central Post

4) Active gaming breaks the piggy bank

This objection has a focus on schools and the mismatch in costs between traditional and exergaming. It's a fair point. However, comparing exergaming against, say, a gym membership - you're quids in to go electronic!

Gamercize "In most PE catalogs, Gamercize is the lowest cost option. Given the sustainability (and therefor utilization) is unrivalled, it's the cheapest option over time"

PE Central Post

5) Active gaming takes up too much space

This objection comes from fixed based exergames need a whole room to be dedicated. These are the big commercial installations that'll take a day to install. Remember when "back in your day" computers needed a whole room? Now exergaming can be mobile, and that's good news to share it around facilities!

Gamercize "The Gamercize Mini-Pod is ideal for mobile applications, but bear in mind the space a Gamercize stepper takes up - about 1/3 of that required for a Wii Sports player, nice and neat!"

PE Central Post

6) Durability and service is problematic

One big issue with exergaming is who fixes it? I'm no so sure where this objection comes from, but one issue could be using equipment that was designed for home use in a heavy use environment - a fabric dance mat for example lasts mere days in a school.

Gamercize "In six years we have had one failure of a Gamercize unit, and that was replaced even though it was a year outside warranty. Our exercise machines pass the required standard by a factor of 20, and yes, we test against standards for heavy use, including schools."

PE Central Post

7) Children will get bored

Hello Nintendo, see you're back again. Yes, this is the old Wii in the cupboard objection. The novelty wears off and the fun runs out. There are alternatives to Wii Sports and Wii Fit!

Gamercize "Kids don't get bored of video games, and these exact same video games are what is behind every Gamercize. We use the games that keep you interested. What's more that gives better flexibility to engage many different people - you want to play Pac Man on the PC? You got it! Gears on the Xbox? We're playing too... there is no limit with Gamercize and it's all active!"

PE Central Post

I think you can see from that list that not all exergames are created equal, and it looks to me that Gamercize has ticked most of the boxes! Now take a look at the original responses to these issues at http://pecactivegaming.blogspot.com/2010/09/critiquing-active-gaming.html. Huge thanks to PE Central and Lisa for bringing up the points.

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Smart Thinking Inside The Box

The Future is Now

How many times have you heard the phrase "think outside the box"? This is a fine phrase to ask people to expand the boundaries of thought process in search of solutions to long standing problems.

Thinking outside the box has given rise to the trend of reducing sedentary activity and increasing voluntary physical activity with exergaming. The concept of using the "enemy" of fitness to actually promote and improve fitness could never have been arrived at with conventional thinking. So it's good to think outside the box? Yes, but there's a limit. When thinking is done, it's time for the doing.

This is what I mean by thinking inside the box. The physical activity innovation exergaming has now been bought inside the "box" - so let's think about using it, start the "doing". Constantly thinking of new ideas is great, for example Xbox Kinect and PlayStation Move, but hang on, where's the justification and credibility of exergaming? What successes have we had so far, and is it enough?

The success of the Wii is not in doubt, selling more units than you can shake a wii-mote at, but is that success in physical activity? Not really. From my experience there's not been successful, sustainable, repeatable implementations of Wii in homes or schools (outside of obvious commercial success). How do we change that?

It's pretty clear from the research into energy expenditure and sustainability that we can get a better base for real implementation. This is what we are doing with Gamercize, from a base of promising data from studies we're looking into wrapping product with the process - in a schools programme.

To do this we need to think inside the box, look at what we have, use our experience, look at what it does and then figure out the best way to use it. In the next few months schools and teachers will be preparing to unleash this new thinking on the children of London, and those kids are sure going to have fun! Watch this space for progress updates!

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Microsoft Kinect and Playstation Move - The Missing Games

Virtual Fun or Real Fun?

It is good to see Microsoft and Sony finally get the hint that active video games are the future with the release of Kinect and Move. But the new toys add nothing new over the Wii - A mix and combination of Eyetoy and Wiimote style controllers comes with the same old casual, dance or fitness game genres.

This is great, if you like that sort of thing, but if you like that sort of thing the new active video games are only likely to take you away from the gym or you traditional workout schedule. These game genres equally have a low utilization, mainly due to the lack of online play or narrative.

What are the best active video games? Sports, racing and first person genres have the focus of the vast majority. Just take a look at the pre-order charts. All of these games can be active by using Gamercize, without degrading the control or fun.

Take a look at what'll be keeping your kids (boyfriend, spouse, etc) indoors this winter and then look again at what makes the best active video game.

NOW		WAS	TITLE	PUBLISHER
2	Up	3	Formula One 2010 (F1) Microsoft Xbox 360	Codemasters
3	Up	4	FIFA 11 (2011) Sony Playstation 3	EA
4	Up	6	FIFA 11 (2011) Microsoft Xbox 360	EA
5	Up	9	PES 2011: Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 Sony Playstation 3	Konami
6	Up	13	Formula One 2010 (F1) PC	Codemasters
7	Up	14	Call of Duty Black Ops Microsoft Xbox 360	Activision
8	Up	18	Dead Rising 2 Microsoft Xbox 360	Capcom
9	Up	17	Call of Duty Black Ops- Hardened Edition Microsoft Xbox 360	Activision
10	Up	12	Gran Turismo 5 Sony Playstation 3	Sony

Don't forget that there is a Gamercize fitness machine to suit all abilities, and compatibility with Xbox 360, Sony Playstation 3 and PC. You can get fit playing all these games with Gamercize, solo, online or multiplayer.

It is good to see Sony and Microsoft jump on Nintendo's bandwagon, but ultimately the best games have the longest game time, and sustainability and repetition are the true fitness "must-haves". The games in the list have this, that's what Gamercize is all about!

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Newly Published Article Reviewing Active Video Game Studies

I just received a PDF of this review article entitled, "Active video games to promote physical activity in children and youth", by Elaine Biddis and Jennifer Irwin. It came out in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescence Medicine, 2010; 164(7):664-672.

The objective of this study was to "...systematically review levels of metabolic expenditure and changes in activity pattenrs associated wtih active video game (AVG) play in children and to provide directions for future research efforts." This covered published studies spanning Jan. 1, 1998 to Jan. 1, 2010.

If you'd like a copy of this study via PDF, send me an e-mail at ernie@medplaytech.com.

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BREAKING NEWS! NEW Active Video Games Energy Expenditure Study Released!

"Wii Don't Have the First Clue about Exergaming" say Wiisearchers

I came across this gem of a study that's been published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. The wiisearch, from New Zealand has stumbled across some ground breaking findings...

- Playing Active Video Games (AVGs) uses more energy than doing nothing.

- Playing Nintendo Wii is no more active than aimlessly walking in circles.

Wow guys, this is impressive stuff. Who knew?!

What is the complete waste of time in this study is that researchers, co-authors, peer reviewers and editors have been tied up on the most pointless and over studied "exergame" in history. It would not surprise me if Nintendo have fronted the money for this work, which they do under a number of covert "charities" and "consultancies". If this is the case then I have been too harsh on the academics of New Zealand.

What would NOT have been a waste of time would have been comparing OTHER exergames against Wii. Gamercize is easily four times more energy expenditure than Wii Sports and almost infinitely more sustainable (due to the ability to play any game on Xbox360, PS3, etc etc).

At this point I do wonder - the "no news wii" stories are damaging the reputation of exergaming and undermining the effectiveness in the eyes of the public - is this deliberate by the Journal? Make your own mind up at http://www.jsams.org/article/S1440-2440(10)00154-4/abstract

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Experts Rate “Exergames” for Consumers

The Exergame Network has been busy rating exergames (via http://exergamenetwork.blogspot.com/2010/09/experts-rate-exergames-for-consumers.html). Gamercize isn't rated in this batch, but I say - bring it on, we've got the "A" game(s)!!!


Exergaming (Active Gaming) combines video games and exercise to provide a physically challenging but enjoyable experience. Traditionally, laboratory tests have been used to determine exertion levels and mainstream journalists review and rate a game’s game-play.

The Exergame Network (TEN) has created a next generation rating system which is ready for world wide release. TEN’s ratings system evaluates the holistic experience of an exergame in it’s Exergaming Experience Rating System (EERS)

TEN is a non-affliated, non-profit games for health exergaming advocacy. Its website portal is http://www.exergamenetwork.org/. TEN represents an international collaboration of dedicated health and fitness practitioners, exergame developers, researchers and clinicians, wellness entrepreneurs, all devoted to promoting an active and healthy lifestyle through exergaming.

The peer-reviewed EERS results have been compiled by a panel of world renowned exergaming experts. The system used to rate the exergame experience has taken a collaboration of over 12 months, driven by the previous lack of real world consumer information into the genre.

Exergames are not only scored on exercise and game play, including the physical interface between the two, but also on the interaction of seven further attributes including sustainability and intervention capacity. Six popular video games with an exercise component have been scored in the first results, including Wii Fit, Dance Dance Revolution (DDR), Eyetoy Kinetic, Wii Sports, EA Sports Active and Rockband.

"With so many different games available on the market, a rating system for exergames like the EERS by TEN, is a welcome tool for healthcare practitioners trying to help their patients make the most appropriate choices for their families." says TEN contributor Dr Ernie Medina of MedPlay Technologies LLC.

The highest rated exergame, so far, is Dance Dance Revolution (DDR), which scored 63% with the popular Wii Fit making a mid-table position with 57%. TEN has a resource of over 40 exergames listed that will be peer-reviewed and rated over the next 12 months.

"The EERS results compliment the research work being done in the Exergame Lab at SUNY Cortland. While there is no substitute for scientific research in PE, the thorough rating system is extremely useful to consumers when looking at which product to purchase." says TEN contributor and exergame expert Stephen Yang.

The full Ratings table can be viewed at the TEN Blogsite http://exergamenetwork.blogspot.com/p/exergame-experience-rating-system.html and the resource of exergames at http://exergamenetwork.blogspot.com/p/exergame-products.html The Exergame Network can be joined or contacted via LinkedIn, Facebook, Wiki, Twitter or by email at info@exergamenetwork.org

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