Thanks to a grant from Augusta Health, the Waynesboro Family YMCA has installed new technology in their lower gym that combines virtual and physical play. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.
[children running around, laughing]
On a recent morning, 15 preschoolers scampered around a gymnasium at the YMCA. This gym was the recent beneficiary of a $13,000 grant from Augusta Health, which helped pay for a "Lü Interactive Playground." The Lü system is essentially a projector with colorful, ambient lighting and motion detecting cameras. It has a variety of games built in where kids can throw balls at targets projected on the wall, complete math and geography puzzles, or have a dance party.
[kids laughing, shouting over music]
The Y serves around 150 children each year through their full-day preschool, after-school programs, and summer camps. This morning, the kids jumped and danced along with the animated characters on-screen.
Lü was founded by a father in Quebec in 2017, with the goal of elevating physical activity with immersive technology. Since then, it's been adopted by several school districts and community centers in North America and Europe, including nearby Sandy Hook Elementary School in Strasburg.
