Meet PDI Check, a $99 eye-exam 3DS app

This is not what anyone would imagine a $99 3DS game would look like, or even that such a thing would ever exist at all.

But here it is in broad daylight, a hundred dollar game that's intended to be a clinically viable vision screening tester (released yesterday, May 23rd).

This product appears to be a collaboration between licensed ophthalmologists and a PhD candidate in technology and humanities, so there is some legitimacy behind the endeavor. Whether that translates to a single sale at this price is yet to be seen.

Note: This game is only available in the US / North American eShop. Additionally, the "Stereo" test requires the 3D feature. Despite there being no warning on the download page, you can purchase this expensive game on a 2ds(XL) and not realize this.



:arrow: Source
:arrow: Source
:arrow: Source
 

Attachments

  • 3DS_PDICheck_01.jpg
    3DS_PDICheck_01.jpg
    60.5 KB · Views: 374
  • 6463C1B1-301B-46C2-90C4-31885C1A9CD0.jpeg
    6463C1B1-301B-46C2-90C4-31885C1A9CD0.jpeg
    132.3 KB · Views: 392
Last edited by Quantumcat,

PixelSergey

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Apr 21, 2018
Messages
3
Trophies
0
Location
Helsinki
XP
104
Country
Finland
Dear Dr. Robert W. Arnold,

I highly appreciate your use of technology to create an innovative, new way to test one's eyes and their function from a simple gaming system. However, despite the fact that it works, it is horribly designed.
Don't get me wrong - I do not hate your work - however, visually, your game is very ugly. The icons look like they have been drawn in Microsoft Paint, and the "success" text and icon are clipped. The text you get for your results is no more than that: simple black-on-white, default font text in the corner.
Point is, none of these features are visually appealing. Considering your test costs $99.00 per system, I feel like you could have put way more effort into the visual aspect of your visual test. Get a designer, or ask for help and/or templates from Nintendo's developer forums - they will be glad to help!

Thank you for your consideration. I hope to take my advice to heart and improve your wonderful product so that it looks visually nice as well.

Thank You for your quick review.

You had the opportunity to use our Quick screening version modified so as to comply with Nintendo’s rules regarding visual rivalry.

Be encourage with have a much more robust version in the works.

We intend for this game to be utilized quickly by technicians in eye doctor offices.

We very much appreciate your observation about our appearance; our main focus so far is accurate assessment of vision quickly. We will take your suggestions as we develop updates.

Please keep in touch,

Bob

Infer what you will
 

Clydefrosch

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2009
Messages
6,018
Trophies
2
XP
4,589
Country
Germany
While I am always curious to see common devices twisted to such ends (whether it be the glucoboy or even something basic like a talking dictionary) I have to wonder how useful this will be in an era of ubiquitous tablets.

i guess it has something to do with the stereoscopy settings that they went and did this for a 3ds.

and I'd guess it might be a niche for testing children and perhaps for stuff like quick and mobile tests and such.
when i was unemployed for a while, i was stuck in a course that was supposed to make me more employable by aquiring a drivers license and the required knowledge for a delivery driver.
and instead of having everyone go to get an eye exam privately, some dude came to the course with a bunch of charts and a microscope-like device to test who'd have to get glasses to proceed with driving lessons.
this could be helpful for that.
 

medoli900

Open the Benzenes;Gate
Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2013
Messages
1,116
Trophies
0
Location
Lavender Town
XP
1,316
Country
Antarctica
I... I don't really see the use of it. I mean, eye examinations are free in Canada if you are under 18, so useless for children, and if you're an adult, you probably won't trust an app over an actual ophthalmologist (which I'm pretty sure would cost you less than the app anyways). I don't know the prices in USA, but I would be very surprised if they get any profit out of it.
 

fst312

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2008
Messages
1,173
Trophies
1
Age
35
Location
New York
XP
2,945
Country
United States
Game doesn’t look that bad, not worth $99 though, that video reminded me of the ds and I guess 3ds when you go to settings to test if your touch screen is working.
 

Edgarska

Conjurer of cheap tricks
Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2011
Messages
797
Trophies
0
Age
34
XP
2,084
Country
United States
While this could be useful to diagnose those eye problems, the price is unwarranted, since it doesn't seem to do anything special, regarding code/assets.
As with everything American regarding medical care, divide the price by around 20 and that's about what it's worth, at 5$ I think this could see some use.
 

kuwanger

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2006
Messages
1,510
Trophies
0
XP
1,783
Country
United States
i guess it has something to do with the stereoscopy settings that they went and did this for a 3ds.

That's precisely the point. There's lots of us who have very different visual acuity with each eye or have things like astigmatism in one eye. It's also an interesting point because of the fear that the 3D effect might adversely effect the vision of children, but I wonder if conversely the issue is just how few children are given good, comprehensive vision tests as early as possible--like 3yo--because a lot of the long-term visual system wiring of the brain is apparently mostly laid at a very young age. I mean, I got glasses when I was 6yo and still my vision is still incredibly monoptic--I perceive most everything through the world mostly through my left eye and virtually no 3D effect anything works for me.
 

Willgheminass

The Ultimate Pink Lurker
Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2016
Messages
121
Trophies
0
Age
22
Website
rhylnzux.carrd.co
XP
1,741
Country
United States
I heard about the medical field using the 3ds's no-glasses 3D tech. for testing peoples eyes so this is nice to see that it became a reality.


Also that price is outrageous, thanks for the last poll option lol
 

zeveroth

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2009
Messages
206
Trophies
1
XP
849
Country
United States
One, it's not a game ppl. Two, while I wouldn't buy it, it is actually cheaper than an optometrist visit here in the states, especially if you don't have insurance for whatever reason. Just odd this wasn't a thing during the 3ds' hayday. More ppl may have jumped on it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CoolStarDood

Kwyjor

Well-Known Member
Member
Joined
May 23, 2018
Messages
4,197
Trophies
1
XP
4,359
Country
Canada
I’m surprised they’d let anything medical related like this on the platform, sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen.
I'm assuming that this isn't a tool for the everyday user, but something a trained ophthalmologist is supposed to buy and use in a professional setting with numerous patients. And that's why it costs so much – you're not paying for a fancy user interface, you're paying for the years of research that have gone into proving that it's just as good for making professional diagnoses as some of the alternatives, which cost just as much, if not more. Presumably.

Unfortunately I am not an ophthalmologist and couldn't even tell you what the tests are called.
 

Site & Scene News

Popular threads in this forum

General chit-chat
Help Users
    straferz @ straferz: Anybody know why this is happening to my ACWW town...