Boxer Albert Liaw got hit a few too many times. After suffering a stroke and brain injury, 34 year-old Liaw was left in a wheelchair with slowed speech and little movement in his left arm. The Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital is using the Nintendo Wii to help patients like Liaw recover. Instead of real world rehabilitation like throwing a ball or stretching putty, patients are guided through rounds of Wii Sports with help from therapists. They forget about their pain and simply enjoy playing the games — Sometimes for hours at a time! Virtual reality rehab expert and Rutgers University professor Dr. Griogore Burdea remarks:

This is pioneering work. ... Bill Gates (of Microsoft) would be wise to sponsor this kind of research.

Snap! There's even talk of having therapists monitoring remotely via Nintendo's online service and presumably using, err, Friend Codes. Heh. Brian Ashcraft

Wii Helps People Get Better [Edmonton Journal via VGB]

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