Indie developer Will Brierly’s sipping simulator Soda Drinker Pro has been repurposed as a physical therapy aid for stroke survivors after a chance encounter between Brierly and Myomo developer Sean Halloran.
This nice bit of news is especially intriguing in light of its serendipity; the Boston Globe reports that the two started talking after Halloran tried to order a case of promotional soda from Brierly and discovered they both worked out of the Cambridge Innovation Center.
See, Myomo is the Cambridge-based maker of the MyoPro powered arm brace, and Halloran’s (part-time) work for the company encompasses designing games that wearers can play to help them rehabilitate a weakened arm in the wake of a stroke, spinal cord injury or other neuromuscular trauma.
By working with Brierly to mod in support for the MyoPro as a controller, the pair repurposed the languid sip-and-stand gameplay of Soda Drinker Pro to serve as a rehabilitative tool in a matter of months.
“I remember how nice it was being able to play video games in the hospital. It was at least a nice break from it,” Brierly told the Boston Globe. “I had never thought [Soda Drinker Pro] would be able to do this but it’s an honor, and I hope it helps people.”