NIH grant to fund oral-health computer game

Mar 15, 2009

Firsthand Technology has received a $3.4 million Small Business Initiative Research grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to research the effectiveness of interactive computer games to change the oral health habits of children, according to the company.

Firsthand and the department of dental public health sciences at the University of Washington School of Dentistry in Seattle are developing a multiplayer, stereoscopic 3D action game to engage children ages 8-12 in the world of bacteria and biofilms with the goal of improving oral health habits. The game will be offered in both English and Spanish.

"There is a whole world in kids' mouths that they know almost nothing about," said Ari Hollander, CEO, technical director, and principal investigator at Firsthand, in a press release. "We have new information and new and exciting science on the dynamics of tooth decay and its prevention. But we're not just trying to teach kids about this -- we believe our immersive game will change their behavior. We are using our experience in virtual reality and game design to create a game that meshes the physicality of the Wii with the engagement of stereoscopic 3D movies."

The game will be the centerpiece of a hands-on, interactive museum exhibit with its public debut at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle in early 2010, according to Firsthand. Later, the exhibit will be converted into a traveling exhibit for science centers across the U.S., as well as around the world.