The Games Institute acknowledges that we are living and working on the traditional territory of the Attawandaron (also known as Neutral), Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples. The University of Waterloo is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land promised to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River.
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Biometrics: The Machine Inside exhibit, gives visitors at the Ontario Science Centre a hands-on look at the natural engineering that drives human and animal movement.
Guests are invited to test drive a virtual reality headset to have their balance tested as part of a study looking into how the brain makes sense of the world. Games Institute member, Michael Barnett-Cowan, is a professor in kinesiology leading this research.
The aim is to gain insight into the potential genetic basis of motion sickness. "Identifying a genome linked to balance will help health practitioners identify those individuals at risk for falls - which is a serious concern with an aging population", said Barnett-Cowan. It is estimated that up to 30% of the population carry the genome for motion related sickness, which can be investigated through the use of virtual reality devices.
Additional research conducted by Barnett-Cowan and his team can be found on their website here. Be sure to visit the Ontario Science Centre exhibit until May 7th to learn more about the Biometrics exhibit!