The Army now has its own game, America's Army, which can be downloaded without charge from its recruiting Web site, www.americasarmy.com, in a series of playing levels.
In addition to developing new technologies, an Army spokesman, Major Amy Hannah, said that "the gaming and entertainment industries have assisted in battle scenarios and story lines that have helped the Army understand what it might be facing in battle arenas or with terrorism."
In other words, game designers' demonic "blue sky" thinking on what could happen in a war, especially urban combat, outpaces the military's experience with new enemies.
At the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, a 38.1cm remote-controlled truck, the Dragon Runner, now close to deployment, is guided by a six-button keypad modeled after Sony's PlayStation 2 video game control, explained Major Greg Heines, because military designers felt confident that soldiers would be familiar with it, and by default, partially trained to use it.
Its flying partner, the Dragon Eye, a 2.26kg unmanned remote-controlled reconnaissance air vehicle -- which was introduced in Afghanistan and is in the field with the 1st Marine Division in Iraq -- can be launched with a bungee cord or a running throw, much like the model airplanes that inspired it. If eventually a toy is based on it, the Dragon Eye will have come full circle.
Whitaker said that in several cases, the center has provided manufacturers with images of their future efforts.
The Objective Force Warrior, the next generation of uniform and equipment for soldiers, with a helmet that integrates scopes and communication devices, has been shown to Hasbro.
The Army might not have it until 2010.
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