E3 2009: Nintendo’s Wii Vitality Sensor

One of the few surprise announcements at E3 2009 was Satoru Iwata’s unveiling of the Wii Vitality Sensor at Nintendo’s press conference (June 2, 2009).

The device attaches to the port at the base of the WiiMote and appears to act like a clip that grabs your finger to measure your pulse. According to the very brief description in Nintendo’s press release, the sensor, “will initially sense the user’s pulse and a number of other signals being transmitted by their bodies, and will then provide information to the users about the body’s inner world.” Nintendo has not yet indicated the price or release date.

It’s unclear exactly which games will take advantage of the Vitality Sensor although it is clearly meant to compliment the recent push and popularity of fitness games. At the press conference, Iwata indicated it would “help you see how the inner world of your body works, and become more relaxed.”

It seems a silly little attachment at this point but it does have some potential such as biofeedback (mini)games or using it as a research tool for tracking the excitement generated by certain characters or levels in games.

Read [Kotaku]