Well, I work in a hospital so I've seen these things before.  Very useful devices.  But for video games?  I'm not really sure what they hope to achieve with it, maybe they've got this ambitious polygraph-esque type of thing in mind where we control objects in the game by controlling our emotional states.  But I doubt it.

In other news, I make my bold prediction regarding what promises to be an intensely hyped Wii exclusive:  Wii Meditate!  Expand your mind and attain higher reaches of awareness through the the latest peripheral for the Wii!  Embark on an enlightened journey with your Spirit Guide, who will act as your coach  and offer friendly advice to clear your mind. 

Its Nintendo's Wii Music of this year. At least this did not require Ravi Drums to come out and annoy us.

Someone could make an insane horror game with this thing.

IMO this is the lamest peripheral announced this gen. Possibly any gen. But then again we dont possibly know what this could be used for apart from an add on to wii fit

I can think of a number of uses, from meditation programs to other relaxation tools. Also, something like that in the use of a horror game could be interesting.

The NES had a LOT of worse ones than this

yeah but atleast they had an excuse to suck. Technology wasnt advanced enough back then. The problem with them is they aimed to high while this peripheral is aiming too low. All i can see this doing is being bundled into wii fit plus and trying to get everyone to buy that game as well. Nintendo can and should do better

I think it was a mistake for them to show it just as a concept. They always say that the peripherals are all about the software, so they should have waited, or at least shown some sort of concept.

I really don't think they intended to show it. Perhaps NATAL forced their hand.

Its probably a tie-in to Wii Fit +. Heart rate monitoring is important for fitness! Thats the most obvious reason I can think of.

It looks very like a pulse oximeter found in hospitals which can measure your pulse and the oxygen levels in your blood. As for it's use in games...........

Apparently the sound of your own heart beat is known to increase your level of excitement, so this could obviously be manipulated in games, horror and the trauma series of games would be prime candidates.

They could use it to affect game music on the fly e.g. if you are freaking out in a particular stage the rhthym of the music could change to match your level of excitement.