What could a Wii teach us about DaVinci ?

Ok you guys, go ahead and laugh, but sometimes this forum needs a little laugh now and then.

In following the thread about a new Davinci in Billings, I began thinking about my Christmas experience.

My wife and I finally gave in and bought a Nintendo Wii. Our adult kids, and grandkids exposed us to this electronic phenomena.  We have resisted all the other games for years.

I began to understand learning curves for robotic surgery after playing this for a few hours over the holidays.

I am a decent ping pong player.  But I am here to tell you, it will take me many games on the Wii to even approach my novice days at ping pong.

For one, I am old.  Many of our surgeons are older after graduating from college, med school, residency, etc. 

Two, I am not experienced in electronic games.

Three, it just requires time and practice to develop enough skill to do what has to be done.

This mayt be an awful example, but when we think of what a surgeon is actually doing in there, I can only imagine that it must take hundreds of times to be skillful enough to cut out a prostate, sew the urethra to the bladder, and all of the other stuff.

For you guys who want to argue that the open guys should qualify as having experience, I would suggest playing with your grankids Wii for a while.  You may change your mind.

Goodlife

The wife bought me one also anticipating that i would need something to do if we go ahead with the surgery. Interesting thought on the comarisons to the robot.

I can picture the game now. Two Italians, Mario and Luigi tag teaming to yank the prostate out of Yoshi. They swap the plumbers outfit for lab coats. You get power up points the more you do. If you leave any important stuff behind or remove anyting you are not supposed to, you lose points. Lose enough points and you lose a life. Not yours, of course, Yoshi's. You are the surgeon after all.

Another thought, at any given time 10% of the surgeons are in the top 10% while 10% have to be the bottom. 50% have to be in the bottom half, by definition. Why is it every one of us thinks the surgeon we went to is one of the best? Statistically that is impossible. I guess deluding ourselves lets us sleep nights. (You are saying to yourself right now "Yeah but mine really is the best.")
Jeff

We are Wii fans in our household too, have had it now for about three months. It's a good way for us oldies to keep fit and have fun at the same time. I can highly recommend the Wii Fit Plus (comes with the latest software which includes extra games), Wii Sports, Wii Play (often bundled with an extra remote) and the Wii Sports Resort. All great fun!

Games like ping-pong and tennis require a fairly quick reaction time, while I imagine robotic surgery requires a more slow and steady approach. I can see some parallels too with the skills required to operate a mechanical digger.

Wanted: Junior robotic surgeon. Must be good with a mechanical digger and experience with computer games an advantage.

I don't know. My BIL bought the Wii and had my wife and I play. Frankly I found the graphics and motion sensors archaic. But I figure it's a decent first step towards interactive games. But in the end, I see my BIL and his family not playing it once the novelity wears off.

Maybe in 10 years or so, touch feedback will be introduced. Who knows.