Inside Video Games: Powergrid Technology Powering Military Training

Powergrid Technology Powering Military Training

Posted by jgaudiosi :: Industry Trends

The U.S. military has been using videogame technology for years. In fact, the U.S. Army has its own videogame, "America's Army." Now, the military is combining the Kilowatt technology, a device from Powergrid that requires physical activity to move an in-game character, with new virtual reality videogame technology. As a result, soldiers, decked out in full gear and with special guns, will be able to exert energy while training virtually in detailed environments derived from videogame technology.

At a time when the nation, and the military, are being impacted by generations of Americans who are overweight or obese, videogames are usually one of the major blames. The Kilowatt system, which costs $500, has been placed in gyms across the country over the past few years. It's one of a growing number of game devices are entering the market that combine exercise and gaming.

One of the games that has fueled this entire exergaming craze is Konami's "Dance Dance Revolution," which entered the U.S. in 2001. The games have sold over 4 million copies to date and a lot of gamers play this game with dance pads, which require physical exersion to win. There's even a built-in calorie counter with these games, which are heading to Xbox 360 this fall, along with new iterations for PlayStation 2 and Xbox. There are even plug-and-play games targeted at a younger demographic with Disney characters, which don't require a game console and come with the dance pads.

The new Wii console is also going to change the way people interact with games. Playing Wii tennis won't give you the workout of a real tennis match, but it will require couch potatoes to stand up and swing their arms. The integration of physical movement into sports games is bound to have a positive effect on kids who play these games.

Current generationg games continue to get more peripherals that require some type of phsycial interactive. Guitar Hero is a great example. Anyone who's played that game knows that you can really get into the whole thing with movement outside of strumming the virtual guitar.

There are also a growing number of sports devices for golf, baseball and snowboard games that combine the swinging of a real bat or golf club with the on-screen action. This is especially good for golf games, because they can let fans practice their swings indoors during the winter or on rainy days. Moving forward, these types of peripherals will only become more popular, although nothing will ever replace a good diet and real physical activity outside.

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