The gaming docs

The craze for aggressive video games is not restricted to kids alone. The fact that more people are taking to multi-dimensional, mind-boggling and adventurous games is due to the immense success of Harry Potter and Indian superman Hrithik Roshan’s out-of-the-world antics.

Researchers in various video and computer games-savvy countries have already offered conflicting reports on the impact of video games on children. While, according to many, it increases aggression, keeps kids secluded from society, spoils their studies and makes them obese, others have prescribed ‘moderation’ for such games saying they help children suffering from mental trauma to overcome pain, improve mathematical skills and add to their comprehension level.

But curious as it may seem, it has been found in a recent survey that surgeons who are hooked to video games have better skills in maneuvering laparoscopy tools in complex key-hole surgeries.

According to a study carried out at the Beth Israel Medical Centre in New York, playing video games seems to hone up a surgeon’s operating techniques while performing a laparoscopic surgery.

Laparoscopic surgery entails inserting surgical tools into the body through tiny incisions, and controls them using a television or computer screen.

At least 33 surgeons participated in the study. Nine of them, who had been playing video games for a minimum of three hours per week, were found to make 37 per cent lesser errors, completed the surgeries 27 per cent faster and scored 42 per cent better in the surgical skills compared to the 15 surgeons who had never played video games.

Conventionally, it has been proved that video gaming skills can improve motoring skills, eye-hand coordination, visual attention, depth-perception and computer competency.

It’s expected that the global market for mobile games might grow considerably over the next few years from around $3 billion in 2006 to $10 billion in 2009.

According to Pearl Research, a San Francisco-based consulting firm which focuses on gaming trends in Asia, the Indian online games market will cross $200 million in 2010. That’s what China had in 2001.