Planet CNET loves toys Video

Planet CNET loves toys Video Transcript

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>> Hey there, I'm Kara Tsuboi reporting from CNET Headquarters in San Francisco. Welcome to Planet CNET. Our weekly show where we bring you reports from CNET editors around the globe. We start in the UK where Rory Reid may have just found the perfect office break. [ Background Music ]

>> Hello. Rory Reid for Planet CNET here. I'm in the UK. Today's excuse for not doing any work is the FPS Gaming Vest from 3rd Space. Now, unlike a traditional bullet-proof vest which actually stops you feeling the effects of being shot, this works in reverse. When you get hit in the game, this actually sends a signal to you, which actually makes you feel like you're being pumped full of virtual lead. Now it works--thanks to this air tube right here which gets a signal from a compressor down here and also, any signals from the game are sent via USB. [ Background Music ]

>> Okay. Now, the vest is supposed to work with most of us [unintelligible] shooters, but I'm gonna play a game of Incursion, which comes in a box, and then it's fire up and see what it can do. Nice and quiet. Lets' open up this door. There are a couple of bad guys down there. [Laughs] Yeah, I got--I got hit. It's quite a weird sensation. Let's go again. First time you get hit with it, there's an air pocket right above your heart it's there. It feels like it's gone wrong and like you're having a heart attack. Let's keep going. Let's find some bad guys now with bigger weapons, see if that affects it. Yup. Yup. That feels different, alright. [Laughs] Each time the pockets go off, this compressor has to refill and it's quite noisy and that's annoying. Let's see what the people think of it. [ Laughter ]

>> Okay. So, mixed results as we've seen. Some people can really feel the effects of the vest. Other people can't really get much from it, but I think the take-away is that it's not so great for actually enhancing your own game play, but it's perfect for watching other people squirm.

>> Oh!

>> Ooh!

>> Ah! Ah! [ Laughter ]

>> Eee, ow, ow! [ Laughter ]

>> I'm Rory Reid for Planet CNET.

>> What I would give to be able to access that vest by remote control and zap you from here, where you are across the pond? Ah! All in love, my friend, though, all in love. Turning to Japan, Kaori Omoto introduces us to a new toy that is proof that technology can help make a boy's dreams come true.

>> Hi. I'm Kaori Omoto from Tokyo. Today, I'm visiting the International Tokyo Toy Show. Around 36,000 toys from over 100 manufacturers were put on display at this country's largest annual show. Take a look at this demonstration of female-shaped sexy robot called Ema. [ Background Music ]

>> This can give out business cards and even kiss when you put your hand or face in front of her. She also dances to the music. She comes from SEGA toys and will be sold in late September for about 180 dollars. ^M00:03:22 [ Music ] ^M00:03:29

>> Well, small price to pay for your dancing, kissing bot, cheaper than a night out, I suppose, and by the way, her name Ema stands for Eternal Maiden Actualization. So, not just cheaper than a night out, but lasts forever too. Now returning back to United States, let's check out my story about a doctor prescribing a video game to take away the pain.

>> You're not even to walk it all. That's excellent.

>> That spark went off in my mind that I could apply this technology to the world, the rehab and really like, you know, help patients, you know, with their physical deficits.

>> It's more fun because I think you don't feel like it's therapy.

>> Dr. Justin Lou is a self-described techy and the chair of the hospital's Back and Trauma Rehabilitation Department.

>> It's something that where my personal life carried over into my professional life.

>> Ever since St. Mary's rehab program began at the beginning of 2008, more than 100 patients with varying degrees of disabilities have been helped.

>> Because of the challenges that the game is putting forth, the overall fun factor, a lot of times the patient completely forgets that, you know, "I'm weak on this right side." And so, we're really pushing them to use that extremity that's weak without them even knowing it.

>> The rehab therapist says patients seemed to benefit the most from the Wii-Fit Balance games like Table tilt, yoga, and ski slalom.

>> Nice.

>> Yes. I went to the Olympics.

>> Jamie Wineman [phonetic] is a mother of 3 and a recent brain tumor survivor.

>> So, they took part of it out but my whole left side was affected.

>> By playing the Wii-Fit, she is forced to learn how to shift her weight on the balance board in order to win the game.

>> It helped my leg get stronger. It helped me with my balance and it helped me with coordination. The more you use it, the better you get it, and so, your balance gets a little bit better and it kinda gets you excited to do it again, you know, because I'm trying to beat my last score. [ Background Music ]

>> Dr. Lou is so sure that his rehab games are not a fad that it's actually working with Nintendo to develop other games that can be used to help people heal. Pretty cool stuff. Thanks for watching Planet CNET. We'll see you next week with our global iPhone rap. I'm Kara Tsuboi, reporting from CNET San Francisco. [ Background Music ]