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Devs mod Soda Drinker Pro to help stroke survivors recoverDevs mod Soda Drinker Pro to help stroke survivors recover

Indie dev Will Brierly's sipping simulator Soda Drinker Pro has been repurposed as a physical therapy aid for stroke survivors after a chance encounter between Brierly and Myomo intern Sean Halloran.

Alex Wawro, Contributor

July 28, 2015

1 Min Read
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Indie developer Will Brierly's sipping simulator Soda Drinker Pro has been repurposed as a physical therapy aid for stroke survivors after a chance encounter between Brierly and Myomo developer Sean Halloran.

This nice bit of news is especially intriguing in light of its serendipity; the Boston Globe reports that the two started talking after Halloran tried to order a case of promotional soda from Brierly and discovered they both worked out of the Cambridge Innovation Center.

See, Myomo is the Cambridge-based maker of the MyoPro powered arm brace, and Halloran's (part-time) work for the company encompasses designing games that wearers can play to help them rehabilitate a weakened arm in the wake of a stroke, spinal cord injury or other neuromuscular trauma.

By working with Brierly to mod in support for the MyoPro as a controller, the pair repurposed the languid sip-and-stand gameplay of Soda Drinker Pro to serve as a rehabilitative tool in a matter of months.

“I remember how nice it was being able to play video games in the hospital. It was at least a nice break from it,” Brierly told the Boston Globe. “I had never thought [Soda Drinker Pro] would be able to do this but it’s an honor, and I hope it helps people."

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