This edition of the Technology in Physical Education will take a closer look at a phenomenon long thought to be at odds with physical health and fitness – video games. Thanks to the most recent wave of gaming technology to hit the market from manufacturers such as Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft, students can now get a great workout while playing their favorite video games. This technology also has many applications suitable for use in classroom settings, including golf, bowling, tennis, boxing, and baseball.

This section provides a number of links to more information about this new technology, and how it is being used by individuals, as well as groups. Also included are lots of really good articles, some very good information on Internet safety, and don't miss the article at the top, right of this page entitled "PREDATORS PLAYGROUND?" It's recent news, very interesting, and it will be time well spent.

pelinks4u staff

Now That's Exertainment!
Time was, the only video games kids got to play in school were educational titles like the Western-settlement simulator Oregon Trail. But now, the school district in Redlands, California, is planning to put PlayStation in the classroom in a big way by adding "exertainment" - exercise plus entertainment - to its usual physical-education curriculum. Read the rest.

Wii - The New Video Game That Will Help Overweight People Get Slimmer - People may now play video games and exercise both their brains and bodies. What else could anyone want? Wii is meant to help overweight people have fun and lose weight at the same time. That's really something new and functional, isn't it? Especially if we look at the numbers that classify obesity as one of the most menacing disorders of the century. Find out more.

A Wii Workout: When Videogames Hurt
A videogame maker has finally succeeded in getting kids off the couch and moving around. But the new approach is turning out to be more exercise than some players bargained for. These surprisingly vigorous workouts are being triggered by Nintendo's new Wii videogames. The Wii game console, which went on sale November '06, competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's new PlayStation 3. Read more.

JumpSnap - The JumpSnap evolution is taking over America as more and more people discover the power of this exercise. Finally, a fitness product that really does burn more calories in less time, and is suitable for all ages and abilities. Don't wait, jump start your workout with JumpSnap!

Get Your Exercise! Play A Video Game
Which would you rather do: Play video games or exercise? Now, thanks to an interactive video game device which doubles as exercise equipment, you don't have to make that difficult choice. Kilowatt Pro is a device that connects to a television or a video game system like an X-Box, PlayStation, or Game Cube. Find out more.

And, you can find this product at Bonnie's Fitware Inc, or a closeout sale at powergridfitness, the makers of Kilowatt. I guess they might be coming out with a revised version of this exer-station, selling for a whole lot cheaper. This person criticizes everything, but gives a great review of Kilowatt.

Drop and give me 20 … dad! A new board game gets families off the couch and brings fitness and health back into the living room. An entrepreneur in Sacramento, California, developed "No Sweat" to bring exercise and fitness education to families. After almost 20 years of mulling over the idea, perfecting the game board, patenting it and establishing the company name, Fun & Fitness LLC, Dan Thompson created a unique and fun way to help families get fit. Read the rest of the article (you’ll also be told how to play it), and the game can be purchased at the No Sweat website, where there are also directions. Read the testimonials. This looks like a game worth purchasing.

Gamercize for PS2, Xbox or GameCube is the smart way to make exercise fun. Gamercise keeps the game going, and if you stop moving (by stepping or cycling, depending on your choice) the game stops too. Looks like a great product. The price is really reasonable, and is well worth the cost if you get to lose weight by playing, or can avoid weight gain by “sit playing” the game. Check it out!

INTERNET SAFETY
By: Arni Stinnissen, Detective Staff Sergeant, OPP

The internet is now a commonly used tool to support learning and communication, however, it also plays a growing role in sex crimes against children and youth. Law enforcement employs investigational strategies, and legislators have created new Internet offences and increased penalties, but all traditional measures to date have been reactive rather than proactive. We must focus on prevention, and teach kids to recognize situations that threaten their personal safety while accessing the internet.

To read more, visit: INTERNET SAFETY

Online Predators Prey on Kids - Crafty Internet predators can come from all walks of life. Read also, Abductee warns pupils about dangers of Internet.

Bush Signs Child Predator Law - President Bush signed a new law that requires convicted child molesters to be listed on a national Internet database and face a felony charge for failing to update their whereabouts.

CYBERCOPS: AIR DOGS
CyberCops: Air Dogs is an educational, computer-based program that teaches students about the risks and safety issues associated with Internet use. Based on a real case involving a young student, it deals with three types of Internet crime: credit card fraud, software piracy and bullying. For more information on this resource, visit: CyberCops: Air Dogs - An Interactive Internet Safety Program.

This month we've included a "letter to the editor" to address a particular segment of society's needs and interests in relation to Technology in PE. The following letter is from an unsighted individual looking for answers about innovative ways he might become more physically fit.

letter to the editor:
Like many Americans, I am overweight and concerned by my lack of physical activity, and even though I have a treadmill and an exercise bike, my favorite activity is playing video games. If I put in as much time on my workout equipment as I do playing video games, I’d be in great shape!

Because I am blind, I use a hand-to-ear system for video games, most of which uses the keyboard. I know there are physical force joysticks on the market. Does anyone know if there is a physical force feedback keyboard on the market?

What I would really like to see is the development of a virtual reality software system that would enable a person to play a video game while on the treadmill or exercise bike. Participating in the game while being able to hear, feel, and even smell the game would go a long way towards increasing my motivation to exercise. The exercise prescription (written by a physical therapist, for example) would be entered into the software, which would then monitor and control the workout speed and intensity through heart-rate feedback.

Medical professionals might already be using something like this for sighted people. Does anyone know if this type of virtual reality system (especially for people who are blind or visually impaired) is being worked on anywhere in the country? I would certainly be a willing test subject for its development.

Any information readers have on this or on adapting fitness activities for the blind or visually impaired will be appreciated. Thank you.

R.C. Kolesar

Please respond to this letter in the forum.

Early Findings Suggest Link With Poor Sperm Quality, but More Study Needed. In a study led by researchers from The Cleveland Clinic, men who used their cell phones the most had poorer sperm quality than those who used them the least. The lowest average sperm counts seemed to be in men who had the most cell phone use (more than four hours a day); those who didn't use cell phones seemed to have the highest. Read more.

Cell Phones Give Brain Burst of Caffeine-Like Energy - Scientists Don't Yet Know if This Is a Good or Bad Thing. (Personally, knowing that ANYTHING was doing something to my brain would be very scary, especially when scientists are still researching how cell phones effect us, not enough history has gone by in regard to cell phone use, and scientists don't know the 'why' in regard to findings.)

CELL PHONES MAY POSE HEALTH RISKS FOR KIDS - Parents should think twice before giving in to a middle-schooler's demands for a cell phone, some scientists say, because potential long-term health risks remain unclear. Researchers have speculated for more than 10 years that the electromagnetic radiation emitted from cell phones may damage DNA and cause benign brain tumors, said Henry Lai, a bioengineering professor at the University of Washington. "We don't know very much about the health effects of cell phone use on kids, but there are speculations," Lai said. Read the rest…

How Cell-phone Radiation Works -

Just by their basic operation, cell phones have to emit a small amount of electromagnetic radiation. If you've read How Cell Phones Work, then you know that cell phones emit signals via radio waves, which are comprised of radio-frequency (RF) energy, a form of electromagnetic radiation.

There's a lot of talk in the news these days about whether or not cell phones emit enough radiation to cause adverse health effects. The concern is that cell phones are often placed close to or against the head during use, which puts the radiation in direct contact with the tissue in the head. There's evidence supporting both sides of the argument. Read this article…

'PREDATORS PLAYGROUND'?
A Web safety expert offers tips for keeping teenagers and children safe on social-networking sites like MySpace.com. Q&A: Newsweek National News. A 'must read.'

Kids Can Access Porn On PlayStation Portable - Expert Says Manufacturers Allow It.
Investigators warn that a toy on the top of the wish lists of children all over the country this holiday season could be loaded with inappropriate material. The PlayStation Portable has already been one of the top sellers this holiday season, but many are now learning it has the potential for more than just games. The portable game system is called the PlayStation Portable, but a nickname used by many is the PlayStation "Porn-able." Find out more.

Step2Play Child Torture/Exercise Device – (This is a new take on child obesity. Let’s hear all sides, huh? It's interesting how some people think…) UK Company Gymkids unleashes a new weapon in the war against a global epidemic - fat kids. The company is releasing the Step2Play, a stair stepper device that hooks up to any Playstation 1 or 2 system, allowing your child to play only as long as they continue walking, an idea I believe they stole from Dante's Inferno. Read the rest.

Should Kids Play Games? - Wow, so that question about the best video game console to start your kids out on elicited a lot of very thoughtful comments, nearly 50 of them to be exact. But one in particular caught my attention. A reader sent me an email saying that the best console for a kid was none. Read the rest of this article. Very good. Also read the comments below it.

(NOTE: Although this article is really good, the top banner is slightly pornographic. Ignore this article if you might take offense.)

Study: 1 in 5 parents think kids online too much - This article can appear to be just another one on unfit kids, but read the article for the stats. It seems that kids do nothing BUT sit, due to various reasons. Think about it. Sit at school, sit coming home on the bus, sit at the computer, sit watching tv, sit while eating meals, sit while on the phone. That takes up most the day. No wonder kids are getting heavier. Calories consumed are more than calories burned. It all adds up.

The VoIP Bicycle - (Inveneo) Although we're living in the 21st century, and the development of technology seems to know no boundaries, there are about 1 billion persons out there who don’t even benefit from one the most basic utilizes: electrical power. Practically, without power, there can be no telecommunications. Or are we wrong? Find out how physical exercise and communications come together. Also, read VoIP and Wi-Fi Where There Are No Telephones.

Brain Age Clocks Up 4 Million Sales - Are gamers stupid? I don’t think so, although there are a lot of stupid games played by normal folk with average brainpans. So, who'd a thunk a brainy game that has no killing, sex, hidden sex, violence, horror, foul language, bling or gangstas could become such a hit? Find out more. This article is short, so follow the link within this article to find out more about this product.

Turn on your Game Cube to visit your doctor - A visit to your doctor could soon be as easy as picking up your cellular phone or turning on your Nintendo Game Cube. A doctor at the University of Washington is working with game developers to create an interface that reaches young people with diabetes where they are: on the phone or playing video games. Find out more. Read a review.

Man Uses Ropeless Jump Rope To Work Out - Man Says JumpSnap Works For Less Coordinated. A new product claims to give people all the exercising benefits of jumping rope without the hassle. The product is a ropeless jump rope called JumpSnap. It's the invention of an Annapolis man who says he got frustrated trying to jump rope. Find out more.

Physical Fitness Improves Brain Health

Everyone knows that exercise is good for them. It helps you lose or maintain your weight. It’s good for your heart and your cardiovascular system. And it generally keeps you fit and healthier.

But did you know that exercise is also good for your brain? It can actually make you smarter. Not only that, but exercise can help prevent disorders like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and depression. It can even increase your chances of recovering from a stroke or traumatic brain injury. Read more.

Exercise & Your Brain

Your brain is a thinking organ that learns and grows by interacting with the world through perception and action. Mental stimulation improves brain function and actually protects against cognitive decline, as does physical exercise.

The human brain is able to continually adapt and rewire itself. Even in old age, it can grow new neurons. Severe mental decline is usually caused by disease, whereas most age-related losses in memory or motor skills simply result from inactivity and a lack of mental exercise and stimulation. In other words, use it or lose it. Read more.

Physical Activity Also Exercises the Brain- Physical activity improves cognitive function and mental abilities and also prevents age-related memory loss. Find out more.