With Nintendo Wiis turning up in nursing homes and rehab facilities around the world, big donors are taking notice.  The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation will give a dozen research teams $200,000 each for studies on the link between video games and health.

Cornell University researchers will see if a mobile phone game promoting healthy eating and exercise will impact children's behavior. At the University of Florida they'll monitor elderly people playing Crazy Taxi to see how it affects their perception. University of South Carolina researchers will study the Wii, Eyetoy and similar games to help stroke victims recover their motor skills.

Does this mean console owners can apply for research grants? That would be awesome.