Nintendo’s global president, Satoru Iwata, briefly announced today a new attachment for your Wii remote which brings intuitive game design to a whole new level.
As you can see from the image above, the Wii Vitality Sensor simply clamps onto your index finger. The device measures “a number of signals” emitted from the human body and sends them to the Wii through the remote. Mr. Iwata sees the Vitality Sensor as the third branch in Nintendo’s reach toward blending physical human interaction with virtual reality.
“With Brain Age, Nintendo proposed training your brain. With Wii Fit, we challenged it using balance to train your body. Today we look for the first time at the Wii Vitality Sensor.”
Mr. Iwata believes the device has much use beyond gaming such as relaxation.
At first glance you might see the sensor as another one of Nintendo’s one-time-use peripherals, but you soon begin to see the depth behind Iwata’s thinking. Imagine playing a puzzle game in which your quickening pulse alters the playing field in the game. Maybe a horror game in which the gameplay adapts to your nerves, or even a Wii channel that can help you calm down after a long day at work. The possibilities open wide beyond just a chunky piece of plastic.
Though no software or tech demos were shown you can bet Nintendo’s internal development is hard at work. Don’t expect to see anything until 2010.
The Wii is much more than a gaming console now.
What uses do you see the Vitality Sensor used for?