Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : COMS & the Ghost of USRX w/ other STUFF -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Dwight E. Karlsen who wrote (10806)	12/16/1997 10:56:00 PM
From: Moonray	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 22053

Not all rosy there: Japan TV cartoon triggers mass kid seizures Reuters TOKYO -- A television cartoon based on the popular video game ''Pocket Monsters triggered convulsions in hundreds of children around Japan on Tuesday night when a ''bright red explosion'' flashed for five seconds on screens. A spokesman for the Fire Department, which carried out a national survey, told Reuters at least 618 children suffered convulsions, vomiting, irritated eyes and other symptoms. Many were rushed to hospital by frantic parents and 19 were badly enough affected to be kept in hospital. The cartoon ''Pokemon,'' aired every Tuesday at 6.30 p.m., has an audience of millions of children. The children all came down with the symptoms about 20 minutes into the 30-minute long animation. The Yomiuri newspaper quoted a doctor specialising in epileptic fits as saying the symptoms were similar to fits that some children are susceptible to when they play video games. Executives of TV Tokyo, the network which broadcast the programme, said they had been inundated with calls but could not immediately give a figure on how many. We have to find out all the facts, and find out the actual medical explanation, the executive said. The ages of the children ranged from three upwards. The cartoon features some ''Pocket Monsters characters in a video game produced by toy maker Nintendo Co (7974.OS). Kyodo News Service said some children reportedly said they felt bad and had vision problems after seeing ''Pikachu, one of the most popular characters, flash its eyes red during the cartoon. Tuesday's programme featured a scene with an explosion of a ''vaccine bomb to destroy a computer virus. That was followed by the flashing of Pikachu's eyes for five seconds. The cartoon has been broadcast on 37 TV stations nationwide since April and has the highest audience rating in the Tokyo area for its time slot. Dr. Yukio Fukuyama, an expert on juvenile epilepsy, said bright flashes of light and colour from a television screen could trigger a phenomenon known as television epilepsy. The medical profession has been aware children were susceptible to such seizures even before the dawn of television, but it became more evident with the spread of TV, Fukuyama said. He said the seizures, albeit unpleasant, were not dangerous and that spontaneous recovery was the norm. But parents should be aware of possible side effects of watching programmes featuring bright flashing lights. The networks should definitely think of issuing a health warning beforehand, Fukuyama said. Psychologist Rika Kayama said the phenomenon appeared to be an epileptic effect induced by flashing light, known as photosensitive epilepsy or group hysterics. ''Given that they collapsed with their eyes irritated, there is the possibility of photosensitive epilepsy or group hysterics, Kayama, author of a book on video games, said. She said group hysterics usually occur among people in a single group, but she said people watching a TV programme like ''Pokemon at separate locations could develop group hysterics. ''The children must have been totally immersed in the programme, she said. A spokesman for Nintendo said it was waiting for a full report from TV Tokyo on the animation. ''We don't expect the incident will have any immediate impact on our business in the Christmas season, since the television programme and game are different, the spokesman told Reuters. Nintendo issues a health warning on its video software. Shares in Nintendo were down nearly 2.5 percent in mid-morning trading on the Tokyo Stock exchange. o~~~ O