This is Randi Hacker with another Postcard from Asia from the KU Center for East Asian Studies.

It had to come to this. You know it did. Sega, the Japanese video game maker that brought you Sonic the Hedgehog has developed a new hands-free video game. No. You don’t control it using your mind or a helmet and head motions. Your controller is, well, let me put it this way: the game is played at the urinal. By directing the stream at a sensor that measures speed and volume, guys can play one of five video games that are broadcast on a console mounted on top of the urinals. An infra-red device shuts the game down if players become too exercised and lose their aim. We’re far too highbrow here to make the obvious reference to ‘joystick’ but not too highbrow to say this brings a whole new meaning to the idea of the “Wii” system.

From the KU Center for East Asian Studies, this is Randi Hacker. Wish you were here.