Okay, so it might seem gimmicky at first, but that is the exact same thing that people say about every single new piece of technology that the big N develops, and here is why I think that the Vitality Sensor is Genius;

The Power Glove, released in 1989.

The technology and gaming implementation was well before its time and probably seemed like a gimmick with very little true application, however, it laid the foundation for the Wiimotes which have 'Revolutionised' gaming, even with rivals adapting the same technology.

Virtual Boy, Released 1995 

Again, with new and original technology implemented into the gaming world with a truly unique and somewhat 'iconic' product, Nintendo demonstrated a new form of gaming into the Market.  Granted the technology was primitive at the time and functionality and and user experience was troublesome, its reminds of that Nintendo have a business model of innovation even if it doesn't end up being popular.  Now some 15 years later, Nintendo have announced a 3D DS, which, even though it won't have anything in common with the virtual boy, technology wise, it seems to go down the route of providing a 3D gaming experience just like its distant relative.

Any Finally, coming to the Vitality Sensor.

Once again, a strange new product, unheard of in the gaming world, is being released by Nintendo which basically promises to alter games depending on the results from the Vitality Sensor, exactly how this will be done is yet to be seen.  But if history has taught us anything, is that never call a Nintendo product gimmicky, that is at least until it hits the market, even if it does turn out that it is not entirely useful or implementable, you know that Nintendo will eventually refine the technology, repackage it (possibly incorporate it into a future edition of the wiimote) and we could see it being adapted into mainstream gaming.

If it's a hit, maybe we'll see it in the 3DS, too.

i got it now the nest Nintendo system will use two gloves with built in sensors that sense how you react plus the motion of the Wii Mote but even better so it is 100% 1:1 and 3D. how the 3D will be done is something ells :P

It's genius just like the Wii Remote with Wii Sports and the Balance board with Wii Fit were. It's a completely new way of experiencing video games, not just playing but experiencing. It's the kind of thing that got Nintendo into the number one spot this generation.

Also as I've said previously, Nintendo will now have brought key new genre's to popularity;

- Brain training
- Fitness
- Stress relief/Relaxation

Yes I think the Vitality Sensor has the ability to be as big Brain Age and Wii Fit. We'll see though, the software is the important part.

@puffy, I must stress too, software is essential which is part of the implementation of the product

I can see the vitality sensor or something like it really really change the face of gaming (that includes both casual gaming and hardcore gaming). However I wish it were something that could be built into the controller itself instead of into a separate attachment. I could imagine an action game that speeds up the action based on your heart rates changes and slows it down when you remain more calm, essentially making it harder for you the more finicky you are. Or vice versa, if something is not challenging and your heart rate is too slow it could throw waves of enemies from all sides on the screen to increase the difficulty. Games like Heavy Rain, or Eternal Darkness could mess with you if they had a heart rate monitor on the screen, that suddenly trips and says your heart rate is massively increasing, causing the screen to blur and your character to be on edge. There are a million possiblities if this thing is implemented well, however I do wish it was built into the controller (something the controller could sense just from being in your hand).

I hoping for the best for the vitality sensor and the games for it as well.

So, the vitality sensor is genius 'cause

- some of Nintendo's innovations already are genius
- the others will become genius



Give me a break....

It could be genesis because it will allow for something completely different.
It could be genesis because it has the competitors worried about what it might be when it is nothing at all.

Mike from Morgantown