Why Is It Important for Seniors to Stay Physically Active?
Staying active is a part of a healthy lifestyle, so it is important that seniors stay physically active because it promotes a longer life span and positive mentality, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol and prevents heart disease. One major way in which seniors can stay active these days is with the Microsoft Kinect for Xbox 360.
What is Microsoft Kinect?
Kinect is a attachment for the Xbox 360 that uses motion-sensing technology to allow users to perform different types of physical movements in order to achieve the goals of a particular game or physical activity.
Game Activities include:
Game Activities include:
- Sports
- Fitness
- Dance/ Music
- Action Adventure
- Family
How Can Microsoft Kinect Help Seniors Stay Active?
Through a process called exergaming, which uses interactive video games to promote exercise, seniors are taught habits that prevent obesity and maintain lower blood pressure. —The sensor technology is able to detect illness in seniors based on their physical positions while playing and can improve balance and hand-eye coordination as well as promoting laughter.
What is Needed for Gameplay?
If you would like to get involved in the exergaming using Xbox Kinect, here are a few materials that you will need:
Below is a video sample of a senior participating in the bowling game on Kinect Sports Season 1 for Microsoft Kinect.
- Microsoft Xbox 360 (with connection wires)
- Microsoft Kinect
- Kinect compatible game such as Kinect Sports Season 1
- A Television
- A room with at least 8-10 feet of unoccupied, open space
- Someone willing to assist the seniors in setting up and demonstrating the games a few times.
- A few willing participants
Below is a video sample of a senior participating in the bowling game on Kinect Sports Season 1 for Microsoft Kinect.
This webpage was created by Christine Singh and Roshni Ramdass for CIS 102t (Intergenerational Computing) at Pace University.