DS Enters The Classroom

Nintendo Japan is pushing forward with its plans to somehow make the DS even more widespread. We already reported on the recent use of the system as a guide for a shopping center in Tokyo Disney Resort. Today, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (it's like a Japanese Wall Street Journal) reported that Nintendo will be offering a content creation system to allow schools, museums, nursing homes, and other public facilities to use the DS in unique new ways.

The paper wasn't too specific, but it appears that Nintendo has created a PC-based content tool which allows partners to easily create content that an be sent out to the DS via Wi-Fi. In the case of a classroom, it would be possible for teachers to create lessons using this system, and transfer the lessons to students' DS units. Students can then respond to questions on the DS, with the teacher monitoring the results in real time.

Schools in Kyoto and Kanagawa (an area near Tokyo) are looking into adopting Nintendo's new system. But one institution is already using the system as part of a test program. Patrons to the Museum of Kyoto can, as of today, receive voice-based descriptions of exhibits directly through their DS. The service is free.

The paper also mentions the possibility of nursing homes using the system to manage staff schedules, staff contact lists, and to provide a message board for staff.

Nintendo hasn't made formal announcement of the system, but now that word has broken through Nikkei, we expect to hear something official in the coming days or weeks (Japan enters a week-long holiday period later this week). We'll let you know once we've gotten specifics.

http://uk.ds.ign.com/articles/977/977241p1.html