to business and, with the help of the multi-billion dollar computer

gaming industry, will be helping healthcare organisations to manage the

physical fitness of ageing populations in the near future. Researchers

are now improving on the techniques employed in existing computer games

to develop home-use applications that can supervise movement. With

high-speed data transmission, the next generation of healthcare

providers may be virtual physiotherapists who guide patients through

entertaining electronic rehabilitation "games" and send updates to their

doctors. And that's just the beginning, says international AI expert,

Lundy Lewis, a visiting professor at the University of New South Wales.

Don't hit the pause button! Soon university students may be discussing

their courses with virtual professors.