I recently learned something quite interesting about video games. Many young people have developed incredible hand, eye, and brain coordination in playing these games. The air force believes these kids will be our outstanding pilots should they fly our jets.
RONALD REAGAN, speech, Aug. 8, 1983
He was often a man who seemed a generation behind the times; yet, in a robust defense of the West against the USSR he was a generation ahead, just as he was in his views on video games.
What’s one thing [of many] men are unquestionably better at than women? Video games of course!
Today’s topic comes courtesy of StrategyPage, a well-respected internet clearinghouse for military-related news.
One of the problems troops encounter in Iraq is taking fire from insurgents. In particular, the gunner on any vehicle (manning a turret) is often the primary target. Disable or kill the gunner, and the vehicle’s firepower is radically reduced. As well as being not great for the gunner.
The solution has seemed obvious for many years: have a remote controlled turret and keep the gunner safe inside the vehicle. Yet many problems have bedeviled this solution, not least of which is the difficulty of providing a feasible camera/control interface that a soldier can readily and effectively use.
Not surprisingly it turns out that the videogame generation of young men who came of age in the 1990’s playing semi-realistic first person shooters is very adept at using the newest CROWS (common remotely operated weapons stations).
experienced video gamers are skilled at whipping that screen view around, and picking up any signs of danger. Iraqis are amazed at how observant CROWS is. Iraqis tend to just wrote this off as another example of American “magic.” But the troops know better. Video games can save your life.
