Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Remote control guns just like video games?

The US Army is reported to be using a new remote control gun on their Humvees in Iraq. Now anyone who has seen the movie Black Hawk Down will know that you REALLY don't want to be the man in the turret of one of those things. Called the XM101 Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS) the new remote control gun packs an impressive amount of firepower and is operated via a 15 inch color monitor in the safety of the humvee. They want 9000 of the weapons but they can only get 15 a month, cause building a remote control gun that actually works isn't exactly the easiest thing in the world.

Some commentators are pointing out that one of the reasons for the success of this weapon is the fact that it's operators grew up playing computer games. Valid point. However I would actually think the risks in getting experienced gamers to operate real remote control guns would be obvious. In games you can just shoot everything that moves. Think there might be an enemy soldier in that building? Fire a rocket. Think someone on your right shot at you? Just fire back and kill everything. Run out of ammo? Just run down your enemies with your Humvee. Killed too many civilians or been killed yourself? Just reload and start again. Unfortunately you cant reload real life, even if it is displayed on a 15 inch color monitor.

[Via Engadget]

No comments: