The research, reported in the latest edition of Nature Neuroscience, took a very deep look at how games affect vision. The results surprised the scientists - gamers got better at picking up changes in gray tones against a uniform background.

"This is not a skill that people were supposed to get better at by training," said Daphne Bavelier, the lead researcher and a professor at the University of Rochester. "It was something that we corrected for at the level of the optics of the eye – to get better contrast detection you get glasses or laser surgery."

What's more, it wasn't some temporary boost in vision. "The positive effect remained months, even years after training, indicating long-lasting gains," she said.

Just to make sure they weren't in a chicken-and-egg conundrum - whether people with strong contrast detection by nature self-selected into playing video games, skewing the results - they hooked study participants up for 50 hours of gaming. One group played Call of Duty, the other played an unnamed game that was "a rich visual experience, but bereft of action."

"We found that the people in the first group improved by 43 percent, and the other group not at all," she said.

Forty-three percent is what most would call statistically significant. From the writeup, it sounds like this are serious science and she are serious scientist. So, if someone sweats you for your obsessive L4D habit, just tell them that it's money in the bank for enjoying clear sight in your old age.

Shooter Games 'Sharpen Vision' [Agence France-Press]

You can actually purchase this sucker, which weighs in at more than a pound and measures 4.5 by 3.5 by 3 inches (a whopper, in other words). But the Zypad WR1100 does include a GPS receiver, electronic compass, biometric fingerprint sensors, and a position detector that switches the thing off automatically whenever your arm hangs down by your side.

It does not, however, pick up Galaxy News or Enclave Radio. So while the Zypad may not be good for your cosplay outing, in case of actual nuclear holocaust, it will help you navigate the wastelands. Provided the GPS satellites are still in orbit and functioning.

Military Wrist Computer Takes Over Your Forearm [CrunchGear]

As his wife called 911, Galvanek pulled two injured passengers from the truck, assessed their wounds, and properly prioritized/administered treatment (direct pressure and elevation) to one of the accident's more brutal injuries, a mutilated hand. In short, he did things just as he should have in a circumstance that could have ended even worse. And yes, Galvanek thanks his training in a video game for his performance under pressure:

I have received no prior medical training and can honestly say that because of the training and presentations within America's Army, I was able to help and possibly save the injured men. As I look back on the events of that day, the training that I received in the America's Army video game keeps coming to mind."

I remember vividly in section four of the game's medic training, during the field medic scenarios, I had to evaluate the situation and place priority on the more critically wounded. In the case of this accident, I evaluated the situation and placed priority on the driver of the car who had missing fingers. I then recalled that in section two of the medic training, I learned about controlled bleeding. I noticed that the wounded man had severe bleeding that he could not control. I used a towel as a dressing and asked the man to hold the towel on his wound and to raise his hand above his head to lessen the blood flow which allowed me to evaluate his other injuries which included a cut on his head.

Another interesting tidbit? The entire world may be unlocked from the start. I'm not sure how I feel about that. Will gamers lose incentive to keep playing? Thoughts?

Coverage of the PlayStation Holiday Preview Event [via gamernode]