step2play
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Fitness gaming moves beyond DDR
Gaming is frequently blamed for many of society's ills. One social problem, child obesity, is now being taken on by gaming. Gymkids, a UK manufacturer of children's fitness products, has released the Step2Play,seeks to tackle the problem of childhood obesity not by taking the games away, but turning every game played into a workout. The theory behind Step2Play is that outdoor activities aren't necessarily for everyone and that many kids simply won't put down the controller. The Step2Play system, which resembles a stair-stepper workout machine, plugs into the child's Playstation 2. If the child wishes to play the game, he must use the machine. If the child stops, the controller cuts off and the game cannot be played. Parents can even change the pace the child must keep up to develop a workout regimen. For £115.00, parents can buy a tool that could prove valuable in battling life-long illnesses that result from obesity. The site does not indicate if the product works in other markets, such as the United States, or if they will ship internationally. The product does have opponents who claim that Step2Play only highlights the problems with society; however, why should we undertake an impossible social re-engineering program when it's far easier to convince people to better themselves by playing on what they normally do every day? [Thanks Jose]
Gymkids busts out Step2Play, frustrates lazy children
While it's no surprise that children are gaining weight at an alarming rate these days, there's always the Dance Dance Revolution workout or the entirely more evil MealpayPlus route, but now Gymplay is offering up a fitness-based middleman to keep kids' heart rates up while gaming away. Crafted solely for Sony's now antiquated PlayStation console, the appendage acts as a liaison between the controller and your system, requiring the child (or adult, actually) to continually exercise at an "adjustable rate" determined by the lieutenant parent in charge. The Step2Play will only allow the controller to function if the youngster onboard is keeping those paddles moving at a satisfactory pace, and supposedly targets the "calf and leg muscles" -- but we can envision a good bit of hostility being created when little Johnny finds this accessory waiting under the tree. Although we can't imagine any sane child enjoying this torment as much as the (presumably staged) children are in the photo above, you can give your offspring the gift of motivation for a staggering £115 ($218).[Via Uber-Review]
