Dr. Bruce Battles, who still has the coolest name of any researcher I've ever talked to, took some time to talk to me for a feature piece I'm writing. Battles' has finished his first study with "Wiihab," using the Wii to aid in physical rehabilitation and actually, you know, get fit.
Battles let a number of patients at Western Kentucky University's Brain Trauma unit use Wii Sports (he specifically mentioned bowling, but there was no word on whether any other programs were used) to help the injured individuals help regain gross motor and socialization skills. And the final word? It worked.
Battles says that while Wiihab does not replace traditional therapy for trauma patients, it is a good supplement to their regular workouts, making the repetitive tasks involved in regaining motor functions fun. Additionally, the multiplayer aspects of the Wii allow individuals who've had this brain damage to recover social skills lost in their respective accidents, putting (and pitting) patients together in a shared experience on the Nintendo system.
Battles' first study was successful enough to spawn a second spin-off study, this time using the Wii Fit in addition to Wii Sports to test balance and other functions.
The doctor has not yet finished his article on the first study, but says it should be ready in early-to-mid April. If so, he should be the first person to report statistically relevant results with the Wii in rehabilitation.
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