This is a wrist worn computer, that is intended for military use. Popular Science ran a story about it back in 2009 (check it out here), and the Army Times mentioned it in a recent article. The computer bends around the forearm, and provides GPS and mapping data. The screen is supposedly flexible and tough, and it uses e-ink, the same as used in the Kindle. Pretty high-speed, right?
Well, I hate to be a cranky old vet, but this bugs me. Let’s think about this. I’m in a combat situation, I’m loaded down with 80 pounds of gear, I’ve got knee pads and elbow pads, and a full combat load of ammunition and you’re giving me another thing to lug around? It doesn’t even have Angry Birds.
It’s really easy for the higher-ups to get excited about new pieces of equipment, because the people making the decisions to purchase thousands of them never have to use them. It feels like they are trying to replace good old-fashioned soldiering with tech. A map will do just fine, and they don’t cost as much. We all have radios and some sort of GPS anyhow. It ain’t broke.
I guess I’m just a little bit upset that it’s 2012 and we still don’t have jet packs and laser guns in the military. I guess it’s because we spent all the money developing things that the military doesn’t really need.
Comments
[...] (such as horseback riding!). Looks like your soldiers in Black Ops 2 will be sporting the same wrist-worn computers our own Veteran Geek wrote about recently (and again there’s no Angry Birds on these [...]