Nintendo Announces Heart-Monitor Gaming Device for Wii

Nintendo is to unveil the Wii Vitality today, in conjunction with the American Heart Foundation.

The two organisations are to show the new Vitality gaming peripheral at a joint press conference in New York, according to a report last week in games blog Destructoid.com.

Wii Vitality, first shown by Nintendo at the E3 conference, is designed to measure users' heart rates using a peripheral that is attached to the gamers' fingers.

The data collected will be monitored by the American Heart Foundation and used for studies.

Destructoid also suggested that Nintendo's upcoming Legend of Zelda game might be compatible with the Wii Vitality gaming device.

Nintendo has been trying to compete with increased competition from rival gaming companies including Microsoft and Sony, as well as the emerging online gaming scene.

Nintendo hopes to use the Wii Vitality peripheral to re-assert its dominance over the gaming market.