Hospitals and Healthcare

In a pretty significant indicator that gaming is making inroads into everyday life, the Food and Drug Administration last year gave its first approval to a video game to improve attention function in children.

The game, “EndeavorRX” by Akili Interactive, may point to a potentially growing field of prescription-strength gaming, according to the 2021 Tech Trends Report by the Future Today Institute. Amy Webb, futurist and founder of the organization, made her annual presentation at SXSW on Tuesday, detailing her firm’s insights into the near- and long-term future of various media and technology industries, including news, health and the sciences.

Akili Interactive formed in 2011 with the intent to create games for clinical therapy. “EndeavorRX” is an on-the-rails, character-based racing game with bright colors, looking similar to a mascot-driven title like “Crash Bandicoot." But its game mechanics are designed “for target activation of specific neural systems in the brain to treat diseases with associated cognitive dysfunction.”