Hi everyone, 

Happy New Year and I wish you all the best for 2004. 

The purpose of my email today is to determine if anyone else knows
about or is using the 'Eye Toy' (a Sony PlayStation®2 piece of
additional hardware) as a therapy tool for client interaction and
biofeedback. A teenage client here at CCA with an acquired brain injury
is using the system, with the therapist saying that the system "has
proved useful in two ways - providing him with a means of access to fun
games on his PlayStation®2 prior to regaining control for the standard
mini toggles and buttons, as well as good rehab because of the
biofeedback". For those of you who may not know what the 'Eye Toy' is,
click on the link below (I've taken some text from the website and added
it below): 

http://au.playstation.com/ps2/hardware/eyetoy.jhtml 

From the website: 

"EyeToy is a totally new concept for PlayStation®2. No longer do you
have to depend on the DUALSHOCK®2 controller to control the game -
interaction is accomplished simply by moving your body! The EyeToy USB
Camera sits on top of your television and registers the motion of your
body, transforming it instantly into on-screen action. With a control
system this intuitive, EyeToy games are immediately accessible to
everyone! By linking the PlayStation®2 to the supplied EyeToy USB
camera, you will feature live on screen within the game enabling them to
physically interact with, and manipulate game-featured characters and
environments, allowing you to truly be the star of the game!" 

One of the more novel applications of technology that I saw during my
trip last year was the "Movement-to-Music" Therapy system being used at
Bloorview MacMillan Children's Centre in Toronto. This seems like a very
parallel system (in a gaming sense), allowing alternative access to
something that would be considered inaccessible to someone without good
hand and finger controls. 

I'd be very interested to hear from you if you are also using this
commercial system, or know of someone who is. Alternatively, you might
like to try it with some of your clients if this email has sparked your
interest. 

Cheers, 
Dave  ;-) 


David Hobbs
Senior Rehabilitation Engineer
Regency Park Rehabilitation Engineering
PO Box 2438, Regency Park, SA, Australia, 5942
Ph: + 61 - 8 - 8243 8338
Fax: + 61 - 8 - 8243 8337
Mob: 0418 221 811
Web: http://www.regencypark.org.au/
Email: [log in to unmask]

"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." 
                             - Dr Carl Sagan 


"This e-mail and any files transmitted with it are confidential and are only for the use of the person to whom they are addressed. 

If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any use, dissemination, forwarding, printing, copying or dealing in any way whatsoever with this e-mail is strictly prohibited. 

If you have received this e-mail in error, please reply to us immediately and delete the document. 

It is the recipient's duty to virus scan and otherwise test the enclosed information before using the information or loading attached files onto any computer system.  The Crippled Children's Association of SA Inc. does not warrant that the information contained in this e-mail is free from viruses, defects, errors, interception or interference. 

Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender, except where that sender specifically states them to be the views of the Crippled Children's Association of South Australia Inc."