A sneak peak from the article: A team of University of Akron researchers is about to show how Microsoft’s Kinect™ sensor device for Xbox can transition from the family room to the classroom. Dr.Yang Yun, associate professor of biomedical engineering; Dr. Philip Allen, professor of psychology; and Dr. Yingcai Xiao, associate professor of computer science, are developing an educational tool that uses Kinect™ to noninvasively stimulate the visual center of students’ brains to help them comprehend engineering principles. Read more by following the link:

Researchers say Xbox technology is fair game for engineering education : The University of Akron News.

Channel 4 in the UK offers a spate of serious games about different social issues.  They included Fallen City, a game inspired by the recent London rebellions in which players must stop the breakdown of an urban center, and  Sweatshop–the subject is obvious.  Read more about it by following the link:

Fallen City: could a game help us find a solution to society’s ills? | Technology | The Observer.

A Colorado based startup called Simple Energy has designed a way to use social networks like Facebook to motivate people to use less energy by having them rank their energy usage against their friends.  Read on:

Simple Energy: How Gamification Might Just Save the World – ecomagination.