Nintendo teams with electronics makers for Wii Fit health services

Nintendo announced today the development of Wii Fit Body Check Channel, a new Wii Channel program that will shortly be used by NEC, Panasonic and Hitachi for various health products and services.

A Wii Fit billboard ad. Recently, Wii Fit topped the three million mark in domestic sales.

The Wii Fit Body Check Channel program serves two purposes. In addition to providing a simple interface for users to receive health instruction, it also connects to the internet to send Wii Fit player data to health professionals.

NEC, Panasonic and Hitachi take over from there. Each manufacturer is developing specialized systems for long distance health guidance. The systems use Wii Fit Body Check Channel as a bridge between users and professionals, offering the two parties a better means of communication.

Hitachi's system, which is being developed with Hitachi Software Engineering, will see an internal test in February, with a full rollout taking place if this is successful.

Panasonic's system, Plissimo Sigusa, will be offered to health organizations and insurance companies in April.

NEC's system, developed with NEC Mobiling, will take the form of a health support system for NEC Group employees and their families to kick off in April. In addition to long distance guidance, the service connects Wii Fit Body Check Channel with a mobile health service that NEC has been offering since December, allowing users to regularly check up on their health. NEC plans on offering the system externally as well, and hopes to receive 150 orders over a three year period.

In addition to Wii Fit data, the Wii Fit Body Check Channel program will support user walking data from Nintendo's Lifestyle Rhythm DS title (Aruite Wakaru Seikatsu Rhythm DS).