Events Archive

Sure, computer games are fun, but that does not mean they can’t also have important health benefits. In fact, hospitals, doctors, and researchers today are collaborating with creative game developers worldwide. And games can now be used to train our brains, assist doctors and nurses, motivate rehabilitation, and help keep us fit.

The evening’s program will showcase some of the most innovative applied games currently being used for health and healthcare purposes.

Designing health games that are appealing, engaging, and impactful is both an art and a science. Hear from representatives of the Applied Game Design research program in the Netherlands and meet the researchers and developers behind theYouGrabber glove and Gabarello, a therapeutic game developed for a physiotherapy robot. Learn how a neurofeedback game helps children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), and how another helps to improve memory. Get a peek at what a surgery training game? soon to be released on Nintendo looks like, and learn how health gaming is now a burgeoning field in Canada, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. After the presentations, try out some of the games yourself, explore the exhibition, and exchange ideas with the speakers and each other.

University of Fraser Valley professor Chris Bertram will be speaking about the NEUROGAM project, a collaboration between GRAND and NeuroDevNet exploring how video game technologies can diagnose and treat children with brain disorders such as cerebral palsy and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).

This event is organized by swissnex San Francisco, the Netherlands Consulate General in San Francisco, and the Consulate General of Canada in San Francisco.

Program:

5:30 pm doors open
6:00 pm presentations and Q & A
7:30 pm game demos, exhibition viewing, reception, and networking
9:30 pm doors close