Technology in the Modern Military

So the last few weeks I had mentioned augment reality (AR) technology and its use and I had mentioned technology in the classroom with examples of the game minecraft with Google glasses.  While exploring some articles I came across this really fascinating but disturbing video of future of technology, specifically AR.  In this video the idea of AR taken to a higher level with it being interactive in our everyday life through inserting the ability for the AR in the eye itself.  At first I thought it was contacts but the idea is that it is implanted into your eye (Sorry not for me). 


AR to me is an interesting concept and I can really see it being useful in the classroom. In the article

The Future of Augmented Reality: Limitations, Possibilities and Hopes by Weronika Lass the discussion on how AR can be used is very interesting.  I can see how the technology can be really advanced for functional learning in the medical field and in areas like engineering. 

This made me think about the courses I am in charge of at the Special Missions Training Center located at Camp Lejeune, NC.  Can AR be used for military training and has it been used.  One of the things we teach is close quarter combat (CQB).  CQC is a tactical concept that involves physical confrontation between several combatants. In warfare it usually consists of small units or teams engage the enemy with personal weapons at very short range, up to 30 meters, from proximity hand-to-hand combat to close quarter target negotiation with short range firearms.

"The Army is using the Future Holistic Training Environment Live Synthetic works by taking the four main areas of simulation training and turning them into one system. The US Army refers to the first of these as Live simulation (LS), which is defined as real people operating real systems in the field. The second form of simulation is virtual simulation (VS). This is real people operating simulated systems. Then there’s constructive simulation (CS), which is simulated people and equipment operating in a simulated environment. The newest area and one of the fastest advancing is gaming simulation (GS), which is similar to CS, but where the simulated world looks real to the participant, like in a game of Halo or Call of Duty." The issues that the Army is facing is bringing all of these systems together as they all act independently.  They have a pretty impressive system located at Fort Bragg, home of the 82nd Airborne and Special Forces.  Of course, like anything technology isn't able to to replace everything.  The need for real life training for the military still and will always exist.  Something that this system is not able to add (yet) is the fatigue factor, stress factor from environmental factors like weather.  Either way, it is amazing to watch as the technology advances and we see how it can be used not only in the normal education setting but in advancing and building a modern military force.