Of the next generation video game consoles, Sony's Playstation 3 is regarded to have the most advanced technology, while Microsoft's Xbox 360 has been on the market the longest and has the largest selection of software titles. Yet it is Nintendo's Wii that is currently outselling both its competitors combined, earlier this year posting about twice the sales of the Xbox and nearly four times the sales of the PS3.
There are several contributing factors to explain this (one of them being cost). One of the more distinctive components of the Wii is the console's wireless, motion-sensitive controller: the Wiimote. This controller represents a significant advance in interaction technology, allowing the player to control gameplay through actual physical motion that, in many cases, mimics the real-life activities being simulated. Tennis? Hold and use the Wiimote just as you would a regular tennis racket. Bowling? Swing your arm with the Wiimote with the right finesse to score that strike. But beyond the more obvious play activities, the Wiimote can even be used for surgery simulations, complete with haptic feedback.
The beauty of the Wiimote is that it may be used as an interactive input device for the Second Life virtual world, facilitating the construction of ultra-realistic training simulations for the corporate and higher education marketspaces. Wired Magazine recently published an article entitled "Wii + Second Life = New Training Simulator" in which such possibilities are discussed. The article is worth a read for its exploration of combining these technologies. Clearly as we enter the arena of high-stakes training and education, we will need to develop new techniques to serve ever-increasing learner populations with restricted resources. What's not so clear is how we will meet the challenge of delivery.
- Hap Aziz