wjwinans
04-07-2005, 01:55 PM
http://www.rainbowbabies.org/images/common/null.gifhttp://www.rainbowbabies.org/images/common/null.gif
http://www.rainbowbabies.org/images/common/null.gifRainbow Babies & Children's Hospital Partners with Virtools to make online games
Cleveland, OH, Usa. April 4, 2005 - Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital has launched a new area on their web site, the Rainbow Virtual Playground (http://www.rainbowbabies.org/kids/default.aspx). As part of its Healthy Kids™ Healthy Play program, the use of online games and activities at the Virtual Playground aims to help create a connection point for patients in the hospital and family and friends at home.
Virtools™ (http://www.virtools.com/), the leading solutions provider for interactive 3D applications, assisted in creating Rainbow’s first videogame, MedEvac 911. The game is part of an effort to explore the benefits of gaming in the hospital context. Following up on Rainbow's successful venture into gaming for the International Children's Games, MedEvac 911 puts players in the pilot's seat of the hospital's emergency flight helicopter. Players fly through downtown Cleveland, past the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Browns Stadium, all the way over to Tower City. Meanwhile, players searches out and picks up gold ring bonuses along the way. With high scores as one of the rallying points, children at the hospital can challenge siblings and friends at a distance to play online.
The Healthy Kids™, Healthy Play Program is a vital Rainbow initiative. An obvious goal is to offer a fun way of connecting Rainbow patients with other kids once games are up and running. On another level, by involving kids in hands-on game production, Healthy Kids™, Healthy Play gives them a key role and creates a rewarding, therapeutic experience that extends beyond the game itself.
A 13-year-old patient is the first to take part in game production there. His input for testing and tuning made him a valuable team member in the development of MedEvac 911.
“As the trend in Pediatric Care in the U.S. leans towards private rooms and acute cases which lead to patient isolation, we are continually incorporating techniques to decrease the sense of seclusion and promote socialization,"
commented William Winans (william.winans@uhhs.com), Creative Developer of Marketing Technologies at Rainbow.
"We are exploring new interactive media in an effort to provide communication between patients and families, and developing (internet) video games was our next logical step. Of course, one of those pleasant surprises was that with the use of Virtools, patients benefit from the production process as well. It becomes a creative outlet for our patients as they take part in videogame design.”
http://www.rainbowbabies.org/news/newsletters/RainbowTechBrief/images/medevac911_000.jpghttp://www.rainbowbabies.org/news/newsletters/RainbowTechBrief/images/medevac911_001.jpghttp://www.rainbowbabies.org/news/newsletters/RainbowTechBrief/images/medevac911_002.jpg
Rainbow patient discusses the development with The Rainbow Channel (http://www.rainbowbabies.org/services/family/TheRainbowChannel/default.aspx) interactive producer.
Bertrand Duplat, Virtools CTO noted,
"Virtools is thrilled to see the Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital initiative picking up speed with the arrival of MedEvac 911. The Rainbow team brings incredible energy to these meaningful projects. Our hope is to see such efforts flourish so gaming can make a difference in the lives of all those involved,"
http://www.rainbowbabies.org/kids/images/BuddyWave.gif (http://www.rainbowbabies.org/kids/default.aspx)
http://www.rainbowbabies.org/images/common/null.gifhttp://www.rainbowbabies.org/images/common/null.gifhttp://www.rainbowbabies.org/images/common/null.gifCOPYRIGHT © 2005 - Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital; All rights reserved.
Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital: The pediatric hospital of University Hospitals of Cleveland, is the only hospital in Cleveland dedicated solely to the comprehensive care of children.
http://www.rainbowbabies.org/images/common/null.gifRainbow Babies & Children's Hospital Partners with Virtools to make online games
Cleveland, OH, Usa. April 4, 2005 - Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital has launched a new area on their web site, the Rainbow Virtual Playground (http://www.rainbowbabies.org/kids/default.aspx). As part of its Healthy Kids™ Healthy Play program, the use of online games and activities at the Virtual Playground aims to help create a connection point for patients in the hospital and family and friends at home.
Virtools™ (http://www.virtools.com/), the leading solutions provider for interactive 3D applications, assisted in creating Rainbow’s first videogame, MedEvac 911. The game is part of an effort to explore the benefits of gaming in the hospital context. Following up on Rainbow's successful venture into gaming for the International Children's Games, MedEvac 911 puts players in the pilot's seat of the hospital's emergency flight helicopter. Players fly through downtown Cleveland, past the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Browns Stadium, all the way over to Tower City. Meanwhile, players searches out and picks up gold ring bonuses along the way. With high scores as one of the rallying points, children at the hospital can challenge siblings and friends at a distance to play online.
The Healthy Kids™, Healthy Play Program is a vital Rainbow initiative. An obvious goal is to offer a fun way of connecting Rainbow patients with other kids once games are up and running. On another level, by involving kids in hands-on game production, Healthy Kids™, Healthy Play gives them a key role and creates a rewarding, therapeutic experience that extends beyond the game itself.
A 13-year-old patient is the first to take part in game production there. His input for testing and tuning made him a valuable team member in the development of MedEvac 911.
“As the trend in Pediatric Care in the U.S. leans towards private rooms and acute cases which lead to patient isolation, we are continually incorporating techniques to decrease the sense of seclusion and promote socialization,"
commented William Winans (william.winans@uhhs.com), Creative Developer of Marketing Technologies at Rainbow.
"We are exploring new interactive media in an effort to provide communication between patients and families, and developing (internet) video games was our next logical step. Of course, one of those pleasant surprises was that with the use of Virtools, patients benefit from the production process as well. It becomes a creative outlet for our patients as they take part in videogame design.”
http://www.rainbowbabies.org/news/newsletters/RainbowTechBrief/images/medevac911_000.jpghttp://www.rainbowbabies.org/news/newsletters/RainbowTechBrief/images/medevac911_001.jpghttp://www.rainbowbabies.org/news/newsletters/RainbowTechBrief/images/medevac911_002.jpg
Rainbow patient discusses the development with The Rainbow Channel (http://www.rainbowbabies.org/services/family/TheRainbowChannel/default.aspx) interactive producer.
Bertrand Duplat, Virtools CTO noted,
"Virtools is thrilled to see the Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital initiative picking up speed with the arrival of MedEvac 911. The Rainbow team brings incredible energy to these meaningful projects. Our hope is to see such efforts flourish so gaming can make a difference in the lives of all those involved,"
http://www.rainbowbabies.org/kids/images/BuddyWave.gif (http://www.rainbowbabies.org/kids/default.aspx)
http://www.rainbowbabies.org/images/common/null.gifhttp://www.rainbowbabies.org/images/common/null.gifhttp://www.rainbowbabies.org/images/common/null.gifCOPYRIGHT © 2005 - Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital; All rights reserved.
Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital: The pediatric hospital of University Hospitals of Cleveland, is the only hospital in Cleveland dedicated solely to the comprehensive care of children.