Health Related Apps and Video Games

More and more health organizations are using wireless technology to promote healthy behaviors and improve outcomes. There are smart phone apps to help you to remember to take your medication, keep tract of nutritional intake and fitness routines as well as to record glucose levels, migraines and seizures.

David Pogue, New York Times technology columnist, blogger, and author (see http://www.davidpogue.com/) wrote about his recent presentation at the 2009 TEDMED—a completely independent event founded by Marc Hodosh and Richard Saul Wurman where the top minds in healthcare come together to share ideas and brainstorm.

His talk included a list of promising apps that he put together after reading online reviews, seeking input from Twitter users, and trying them out himself. He cautions that you do your own research before purchasing any of the following:

• JetLag Rx: Recommends schedules for eating, sleeping, and light exposure based on your travel itinerary (not yet available at iTunes app store; $10)

• Unhear: Self-administered test for hearing loss (free)

• SoundAMP: Turns iPhone into a hearing aid ($9.99)

• ProLoQuo2Go: Speech synthesizer that helps people who have trouble speaking ($190)

• Period Tracker: Helps women predict onset of monthly period and wirelessly syncs with companion app (Lite version, free; companion, $1)

• Lose It!: Weight loss app with program that contains wide range of food items. Also tracks activities and daily weight (free)

• Eye Glasses: Turns the iphone into a magnifying glass ($3)

• Retina: Distinguishes colors for color-blind people (free)

Gaming for Health

Game developers are also working to make learning about health fun and change behavior, according to a recent article on forbes.com by Oliver J. Chiang.

One, developed by nonprofit HopeLab, is called “Re-mission” and is aimed at teenagers who are on maintenance chemotherapy for up to a year. The game teaches the importance of taking a daily pill while players navigate a “nanobot” through a human body and shoot at cancer cells. See http://www.re-mission.net/site/game/index.php

“Immune Attack” is a 3-D game that uses a similar approach with players navigating a “nanobot” through blood vessels and human tissue. The goal is to entertain while familiarizing high school students with cellular biology and molecular science. Free download of a beta version for PCs is available at http://fas.org/immuneattack/

See what else is in development:

http://www.forbes.com/2010/01/20/iphone-apps-videogames-technology-breakthroughs-health_slide.html

References

Medical Apps for the iPhone by David Pogue. Posted 11/5/09. Accessed 1/24/10 at http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/medical-apps-for-the-iphone/

Apps and Video Games to Keep You Healthy by Oliver J. Chiang. Posted 1/20/10. Accessed 1/24/10 at http://www.forbes.com/2010/01/20/iphone-apps-videogames-technology-breakthroughs-health.html