Hey folks, it’s no secret that after I was inundated with extensive creativity and innovation at the last San Francisco based Health 2.0 conference, I was bright eyed about games for health. Well, over the past few months I have become an avid fan of one of the companies that demo’d their products – Playnormous. After the conference I had to look them up and was happy to see that their target audience were young kids – helping them to learn healthy habits and ideals in a society where the opposite bombard them constantly through television, the Web and yes even through video games.
I’m always interested to see what new technologies and tools of interactive engagement are being used to further health initiatives and right now the healthy gaming industry is molten lava hot. I don’t have to tell you how well the Nintendo Wii is doing with making huge strides in changing the way people think about exercise. But who’s to say that I don’t want to continue telling you how well things are going? 
Which leads me to the reason I wrote this for all of you.
A new blog has been unveiled to the public from the great people behind Playnormous, to bring you fresh, current and interesting points of view on the growing applications of the healthy gaming movement. The blog, healthGAMERS, is focused on taking a look at some of the innovations around game-based technology to improve public health. One of the coolest parts of the blog launch is that Playnormous got in touch with me and asked me to be a co-author! Of course I was thrilled and couldn’t turn it down.
So check out healthGAMERS for those of you interested in how the video/computer/interactive game world is makin waves to improve our health and the health of our kids. For some added coolness, check out a clip of Playnormous being featured on the local ABC news recently. If you are interested in writing for healthGAMERS, please feel free to contact me!
Finally, here is a video of the Playnormous presentation from the Health 2.0 conference breakout session last year. I took this on a Flip camera so it isn’t best quality (will have to turn up the volume) but it’s pretty cool.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey Amy! Thanks for stopping by as usual
Let’s get that interview done! I will let Melanie know and we can set something up.
Oh I’m on a reading rampage these days! Great minds think alike
Would love to interview you both for Shaping Youth! What say you favorite pals-o-mine doin’ good things for the kidlets? An e-interview perhaps? (p.s. Andre, I’m lookin’ at your Shelfari queue and cracking up because I have both of those at my bedside for a re-read!)
We are honored to have you be an integral part of healthGAMERS, Andre. Thank you so much helping sing the praises of this new blog and Playnormous too!