Build a 12 Foot Wide Video Game & DVD Movie Screen It's Easy & Cheap Check It Out
Trade Flab For Fit As Video Games Blaze New Trail -- With You On It (afp)
Primary Navigation
Secondary Navigation
Search:
All News
Yahoo! News Only
News Photos
Audio/Video
Trade flab for fit as video games blaze new trail -- with you on it
Sun May 22, 8:11 PM ET
LOS ANGELES (AFP) - "You exercise different muscles, you use muscles that you don't normally use," raves Jay Lynch. No, he's not rolling out a new exercise video: he just played a videogame said to help its fans stay fit.
At Los Angeles' E3 -- an interactive entertainment trade show -- Lynch, all of 18 and wearing jeans and a headset, worked up a light sweat as he took a turn at Eye-Toy technology.
It's not entirely new -- Japan's Sony has used it since 2003 in a number of its
games in which it was sold under license.
But its lure is growing, and the exercise factor has become a hot new selling point.
The technology requires a user to step face to face with the screen used with a console. A minicamera beneath the screen sends your image into an animated world -- and let the game begin. A boxing match pits the virtual you against a game world foe who looks a lot like a Mr. Universe.
"I knew what it was, but I never used it before," said Lynch, short of breath and sweaty of brow, after punching for almost 10 minutes -- but playing the game with real punches that tire a person out, jumping on a small mat, instead of twiddling a joystick or plastic buttons.
"It's a good work out," Lynch concludes. "You exercise different muscles, you use muscles that you don't normally use. And it's a good cardiovascular workout."
According to David Gosen, of the mobile phone games firm I-Play, Eye-Toy is one of the key new innovations moving the videogame industry.
"It brought millions of people into the console business those last two years," Gosen says.
These videogame newbies are largely women -- and Eye-Toy isn't only for virtual boxing; it comes in versions that include ping-pong and even dancing.
"Manufacturers' biggest problem was getting women interested. Now for the first time, they are going to see 80 percent to women and 20 percent to men," said Richard Brunois, spokesman at Sony Computer Entertainment France.
He said there is more to come on the Eye-Toy horizon: a new version expected on the European market in September.
Dubbed Eye-Toy Kinetic, it would allow players to have their body interact with the machine, which would design a personalized physical training or workout program for them.
"You key in your weight, and your height, and the machine devises a workout for you, and in some cases a certain number of calories to burn," Brunois said.
In one demonstration -- facing off with an image of oneself -- you tap at certain balls coming down the screen your way, while steering clear of other ones.
Fabrice Poisblaud, marketing chief at France's BigBen, known largely for its accessories, says the new wave is all about trading the old joysticks for games to play with real sensations.
RECOMMEND THIS STORY
Recommend It:
Not at All
Somewhat
Moderately
Highly
Very Highly
Average (Not Rated)
AP
AP
AP
AP
AP
AP
AP
Reuters
Reuters
Reuters
Sponsored Links
( )
Intersystems Certified Expert professional consulting services: programming, design, conversions and more. Senior staff with experience in application development and systems administration.
www.cacheconsultant.com
Cache, web tracks, Internet history cleaning/erasing information. Evidence Eliminator v5.0. Eliminate hidden/invisible files about you imbedded on your hard drive. Links to download/purchase
www.evidenceeliminator-download.com
Evidence-eliminating software. Dept. of Defense standards. Completely clears your cache, Internet history logs, hidden/invisible files, and Web tracks. Speeds up your PC. Download it free.
www.privacysoftwarereport.com
Japanese girl Keiko Fujihiro tries out Sony Computer Entertainment's 'Eye Toy' motion capture camera for...
RELATED QUOTES
2075.73
+4.49
950.07
+1.81
401.63
+1.23
Delayed Data
-
Add headlines to your personalized My Yahoo! page
Technology - AFP
NEWS ALERTS
Get an alert when there are new stories about:
PlayStation2
TECH TUESDAY
Make your car a rolling entertainment, communications vehicle.
