Wii benefits stroke recovery: expert

Australian scientists are planning a nationwide study involving stroke survivors and an emerging "fun" form of rehabilitation therapy using the Nintendo Wii.

Dr Penelope McNulty is hoping to replicate the results of a NSW-based trial last year, which shows how stroke survivors can regain more limb movement by playing the motion-controlled console.

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"Studies at Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) have shown that this form of therapy can significantly improve movement after only two weeks," Dr McNulty, from the Sydney-based institute, said on Monday.

"... These games are fun and if patients are enjoying therapy they are more likely to do it rather than boring old physiotherapy exercises."

Stroke survivors to take part in the national study will be selected from regional centres participating the early roll out of the National Broadband Network (NBN) - including parts of Townsville in Queensland, Armidale (NSW) and Willunga (SA).

Patients will be monitored by a therapist in Sydney using the high-quality internet video conferencing made possible by the NBN.

The research, which will serve as a critical test case for health care delivery over the NBN, is funded as part of a $2 million personal donation to NeuRA from NBN Co chief executive Mike Quigley.

Mr Quigley, who had a bone marrow transplant as treatment for leukaemia in 1991, said he was "only here today because of medical research".

"I'm passionate about two things - medical research and telecom - and this was a great combination of the two," Mr Quigley said.

"And I should say this is just the first of many different applications we see that the NBN could enable for health services."

The NBN's first customers, in Tasmania, will be using the optical fibre-based internet service within weeks.

The research will begin collecting its first results by mid next year when more NBN trial sites are brought online.

"(The NBN) will get going really during next year, and then it will take quite some years to roll out to the 12 million premises in Australia," Mr Quigley said.