By Ana Gomez Salcido
A video game as a doctor’s prescription, it is the future according to Asi Burak, technology executive and social entrepreneur.
The award-winning game creator explained that videogames have already been used in medical projects. “Snow World,” for example, is a virtual game that helps patients with third degree burns focus on a game that transports them to the North Pole, while they receive painful medical procedures.
“Imagine using this method on people that have anxiety or depression, and that the video game is approved by the FDA authorities, and that a doctor prescribes a video game,” he said.
Patients will no longer be taking prescription medicine, he said, they will be using digital medicine.
The game creator said that this method has already been used on seniors. The game “NeuroRacer” puts seniors behind the wheel of a race car, but at the same time, the player needs to catch signals on the race track, in an activity that helps the players to improve their multitasking abilities. Burak says “NeuroRacer” is programmed to improve certain brain functions.
“It is a medical thing, not a game industry thing,” he said.
The video games can also help the medical industry to change behaviors, he mentioned. A game called “Remission,” created for patients that are receiving cancer treatment and sometimes forget to take their medicine. The game helps patients remember that they need to take their medicine.
“Video games need to be seen as a tool with a lot of potential,” he added.
Video games are not only used in the medical sector or to entertain, he said, they also work to improve social situations on the players.
Last August, Madison Square Garden was full of fans of the online game “League of Legends” who attended to spectate the tournament live, instead of from their couch.
Burak mentioned that the tickets to see the competition were sold out in 72 hours. The competition was also watched by 32 million viewers from home.
“It was a bigger audience than an NBA final game. It is a good sign when you break the virtual screen, and it is a good example for people that think that you disengage from society when you play video games,” he said.
Asi Burak was part of the Joan B. Kroc Distinguished Lecture Series that was presented at the Institute for Peace and Justice Theatre at the University of San Diego, this past Tuesday, April 12.