Iraq
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Ex-Marine goes missing supposedly after Call of Duty triggered flashbacks
Eric Hall, a 24-year-old Floridian and retired Marine, has now been missing for a week. His friends say that shortly after playing Call of Duty (4, we assume), Hall "just got up and said that he had to go." He was last seen departing his home on a motorcycle, which was later found on the side of a road. The local sheriff's office claims that the man was suffering from hallucinations and flashbacks to his time spent serving in Iraq, where he was injured during a patrol by an exploding bomb, which did tremendous damage to the left side of his body, and reportedly decapitated Hall's best friend in front of his eyes.It's not exactly confirmed that Call of Duty was behind Hall's disappearance -- after all, we found the story on Fox News, who has a less than objective view of video gaming as a whole. Regardless, we wish Hall's family the best of luck in locating him, though, as Hall's father pointed out, it's tough to find a Marine that doesn't want to be found.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
iPod being used by Army as Arabic translator in Iraq
Macenstein's got the tip on the Army using iPods in Iraq to speak Arabic. Vcommunicator Mobile is a hardware/software setup (the iPod straps to your arm, and gets a small speaker hooked up to it) that allows soldiers in Iraq to "speak" Arabic by choosing and playing certain phrases through an iPod-like interface. Very interesting-- the Arabic text even shows up on the screen as the sound clip is being played, and phonetic translations and simulated graphics of suggested gestures for each phrase are included in the browser.A new Nano version is planned (having the whole thing in a Flash drive will probably make it a little more sturdy), but for now Mac says the 10th Mountain Division will be hauling around 160 iPods to speak phrases like "Please get out of the car," and "may I see your ID?"Here's hoping the whole thing is working as well as Vcom3D is saying that it does-- clear communication is invaluable, especially in an environment as volatile as Iraq. Just another great use for Apple's little mp3 player.
Vcommunicator Mobile translates so troops don't have to
Using a regular iPod loaded up with a bunch of Arabic and Kurdish phrases, a company called Vcom3D has created a makeshift language translator that 160 troops in Iraq are already using. The iPod features different "playlists" for different scenarios, with relevant phrases included on MP3s. The contents of the MP3s include on-screen Arabic and English text forms, with a phonetic version of the Arabic phrases also included. The package comes with a sturdy armband case, with a speaker attached further up the arm for one hand operation. Sounds like a cheap and practical approach to the problem of communication in Baghdad and beyond.
Sensor-laden helmets could measure shock from explosions
While we've seen lots of research revolve around battlefield-ready vests, new sensor-studded helmets could be headed to Iraq in order to "measure the shock from explosive devices." Due to mounting concern and a thirst for knowledge about traumatic brain injury (TBI), the US Army awarded Simbex -- the same company involved with Virginia Tech's data gathering helmets -- a contract to further develop technology for use in combat headgear. Furthermore, the firm hopes to "develop an automatic data-collation system" that could potentially relay information to bases or medics via RFID. It was noted, too, that the Army plans on testing Simbex's design along with "several alternative technologies," and the method that proves most useful could be deployed "as early as December of this year."
Veterans protest America's Army
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, approximately 90 Iraq war veterans in black shirts protested in front of a military recruitment station chanting three times: "War is not a game!" Of course they are referring to, and protesting against, the Department of Defense funded America's Army video game.This is not the first, and certainly won't be the last, bit of protest or controversy surrounding the recruitment tool/video game. The Global Gaming League came under fire for their $2 million sponsorship they received. Then there is the anti-war "performance art" by U. of Nevada Prof. Joe Delappe where when his character died he would broadcast the name of an actual dead soldier from Iraq.A video of the brief protest can be found after the break.[Via GamePolitics]
Iraq awards three long-term carrier licenses
As quickly as wireless devices are obsoleting and replacing landlines in developed nations, needless to say, it's going down even quicker in a country where the landline infrastructure has been largely destroyed by war and a lack of investment. Less than 4 percent of Iraqis rock wired phones, relying almost exclusively on a cellular infrastructure currently being serviced by three short-term contracts awarded by the US in 2003. Those contracts are about to expire, though, making way for three longer-term licenses that'll be good for 15 years. Bidding started at $300 million plus 18 percent revenue sharing with the Iraqi government; when all was said and done, the licenses sold for a princely total of $3.75 billion. The winners were Kuwait's Mobile Telecommunications and Asiacell along with Iraq's own Korek Telecom, all three of which already operate networks in the country. Should be a smooth transition, then -- for the sake of subscribers, let's try to keep billing issues to a minimum, shall we?
U.S. military turns to competition for robot "surge"
The US military has already upped the arsenal of its robots deployed in Iraq, and it now looks to be planning to expand its non-human forces even further, with it recently putting out word of a competition to find a company that can quickly deliver a slew of new bots. According to Wired's Danger Room, these new robots won't be armed, but will instead mainly be used for reconnaissance duty, and must include the ability to look inside car windows and peer underneath vehicles. Due to the urgent need for the bots, the Army's done away with the usual formal bid process and will effectively be awarding a contract on the spot to the winner of the competition, who will be required to deliver its first bots within ten days. The Army then hopes to have 1,000 new reconnaissance bots by the end of the year, with another 2,000 planned for the next five years. As Danger Room reports, iRobot seems to be the favorite to win the competition, especially considering the requirement get the bots off the assembly line as quickly as possible.
Religious group sending Left Behind game to troops in Iraq
The Nation has a report this week on Operation Stand Up, an evangelical military entertainment group that is planning to send care packages including Left Behind: Eternal Forces to American troops fighting in Iraq.The game, which raised the ire of many activist groups for its promotion of killing and converting non-Christians, will come packaged in "freedom packets" that also include a pocket-size Gideon bible, a Christian extreme sports DVD and the proselytizing book More Than a Carpenter. The OSU web site describes the game's inclusion as "just one more way OSU Tour can be a conduit in changing a soul forever."While the group is affiliated with the Pentagon's America Supports You program, it's unclear just how much official support they have has from the military. The group does have the backing of "celebrities" including Stephen Baldwin, Evander Holyfield and, according to sources close to the group, God.
Remotely controlled armed robots deployed in Iraq
While the Army is already taking good care of our wounded robots patrolling through Iraq, a recent deployment of three special weapons observation remote reconnaissance direct action systems (SWORDS) has placed rifle-equipped bots in the line of fire. The trio, which all handle M249s, are "are remotely controlled by a soldier through a terminal," and while their exact whereabouts and missions remain classified, the armed machines were reportedly designed to handle "high risk" combat scenarios if necessary. Currently, there's no record of a SWORD actually firing its weapon, but considering that each of these devices can potentially remove a human from harm, don't be surprised to see full blown platoons being unleashed when finances allow. [Via Wired]
US Army's Joint Repair Facility acts as ER for injured robots
While we're still a bit wary about letting a robotic M.D. get to work on our operating table, we certainly wouldn't trust those two-timing humanoids to sufficiently repair one of their own. Thankfully, the US Army seemingly agrees, as the volunteer-staffed Joint Repair Facility at Camp Victory provides human TLC for robots that receive injuries in the heat of battle. The facility is mostly responsible for mending and rebuilding devices that protect live soldiers from encountering improvised explosive devices, and it has reportedly increased exponentially in use and size since its inception just three years back. Notably, the gurus that work here are famous for repairing even the most obliterated of robots, and while they did admit that some bots are too damaged to repair, those are "few and far between."[Via CNET]
Shed a tear for Jaffe's Heartland
Newsweek's latest exchange with designer David Jaffe dredges up memory of Heartland, one of the industry's recent missed opportunities. In October 2005, when Heartland was known as 'Project HL', Jaffe went public with his goal to make gamers cry, describing his PSP epic as an examination of "what's happening with America and the military". A year later, Heartland was shelved and forgotten, until Jaffe squeaked out a few details in an interview with Entertainment Weekly last month. "Hearing myself talk about it now makes me a bit sad," lamented Jaffe, who was re-realizing that the would-be allegory that depicted a fictional Chinese invasion of the US would have been an important effort for the games industry -- and perhaps Western culture at-large.Our perception of what Heartland could have been has been damaged by Jaffe's often-manic outbursts. The designer essentially snuffed out all curiosity in the title when he spastically proclaimed last September that the future of the industry was in (in all caps) "SHORTER, LESS EXPENSIVE" games, beginning with his PSN launch pad Calling All Cars. Though the Calling All Cars delays will apparently cease by mid-May, the untimely delivery has led many of us to tune out Jaffe's banter. So, just as we've yet to join Jaffe's "pop songs" crusade (a belief that small-time games will pwn the market), we have little faith in the notion of his PSP tearjerker. Shame on us then for feeling a pang of sorrow -- that sudden urge to pour one out -- over Heartland, as Jaffe confesses to Newsweek's N'Gai Croal his reasons for abandoning the project:
Tabletop gaming con comes to Iraq
We know that those serving in Iraq tend to be big on first-person shooters like Halo and Star Wars: Dark Forces, but what about Army gamers whose tastes run a little more cerebral? For them, Ziggurat Con will provide the opportunity to blow off some steam with a day of good, old-fashioned tabletop role-playing.Described as "the very first D&D convention/game day ever held in a war zone," Ziggurat Con will give soldiers "a place where we can go somewhere far away from the IED's, mortar attacks, and gunfire, without ever leaving the safety of our camp," said Con organizer David Amberson. The Camp Adder/Tallil Airbase Community Activity Center will become a role-playing and anime-watching paradise for nine hours on June 9, with the blessing of the Army's Morale, Welfare and Recreation Department.Many game manufacturers have agreed to donate materials for the gamers, but the scarcity of gaming stores in the greater Iraqi area may force attendees to share dice. It's true what they say ... war is hell.
UK scientists testing air-conditioned vests for military use
Air-conditioned vests have certainly graced the bodies of armed men and women before, but an elusive new breed is being tested in the multi-million dollar Spinnaker Building at the University of Portsmouth to ensure that it'll keep soldiers cool from the brutal conditions in Iraq. Scientists at the school weren't at will to disclose all the nitty gritty details about the classified gear, but we do know that these bad boys utilize "a combination of air, liquid, and new applications of old technologies such as converting paraffin wax into liquid in chambers within the vests to absorb heat from the body." The gist of the testing is to create a suit that actually improves one's ability to make sound judgments while in the field and under extreme conditions, and it was also mentioned that a mysterious US defense contractor is hoping to tweak these and have 'em out "within one to two years." Now, if only these things were available en masse for our poor laps, we'd really be in business.[Via Gizmag]
Reader WoWspace of the Week: January 31 - February 6
Reader Scott chimes in with a very interesting WoWspace this week: He says: :-) this is a nice idea, anyhow this was my wow space from aroudn March of last year, so I reckon it still counts. I played many an hour of Wow from this desk.. I worked for a protection company in Baghdad in the red zone, as their head of IT, so this was my personal space where I spelt and where I played when I could. From Baghdad connecting to the EU servers wasn't really a problem, I often had better pings when there than when I accessed WoW in Germany.My station was a Ferrari 3200 which wasn't that bad, and of course the web cam for skyping the wife each night. against the desk were the rifles we had to lug around with us, and the pistol as a personal side arm. So keep sending in photos and words about your WoWspace. We'll post one a week in the order we get them, and remember to include plenty of description and let us know what you'd like to improve on. Send those in to "readerwowspace at gmail dot com" (replacing the at and dot, of course.)
Alive and gaming in Baghdad
"We can't go outside, so I prefer to keep inside and keep myself alive."The words are from Wisam, a gamer living in Baghdad. Wisam is a rarity, and listening to his story on Iraq blog / vlog Alive In Baghdad explains why. Wisam, a recent graduate of the Baghdad University English Department, explains that he spends upwards of $200 on electricity each month -- partly from a local generator that runs 4 p.m. until midnight and partly from the fuel he buys for his personal generator. That's a hefty sumWisam said he learned his English from games such as Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy. MTV News' Stephen Totilo has a thorough piece on Wisam and the crew of Alive in Baghdad. Among the game-related topics discussed, Wisam talked about the decline in interest for war shooters like Medal of Honor and Call of Duty. "We hate the attacking, the gunfire in games," Wisam told MTV News. "We started to hate it."In a sad note, Wisam described how Grand Theft Auto is much like Baghdad right now. Omar Abdullah, who interviewed Wisam for Alive in Baghdad, concurred, telling MTV News that "it was very, very similar to Baghdad. We were like, 'Oh my God. These are the same actions that happen in Baghdad.' There are some places that are divided. For each place, there is a gang ruling that place. You can go down the street and drive any car. If you want to jump on a motorcycle, you can do it."With all the news that circulates about Baghdad, include tonight's U.S. Presidential address, it's thought-provoking to see a often missed perspective on the region.
Halo 3 tested in Iraq by our soldiers [update 1]
Over at the Gamespot's forums pictures and a brief video have surfaced of the Halo 3 beta being played by soliders in Iraq. There are a few offscreen pictures posted and a short video showing what looks to be either the Halo 3 loading screen or the title screen. Bungie and Microsoft set up a huge gaming station to showcase Halo 3 multiplayer for the soldiers ... how friggin' cool is that? If any soldier living overseas is reading this, please send us a tip if you know about this sneak peak at Halo 3 and/or your reactions if you got some hands on time. More pictures and video after the break ... salute! Update 1: Another video was found, updated video links after the break. [Thanks, to everyone who sent this in]
Stealthy Insect Sensor Project unleashes bees to sniff out bombs
While homemade nuke detectors patrolling our waterways seems sufficiently plausible, remote-controlled rats searching for explosives is certainly pushing the bounds of acceptability, but to expect a swarm of "highly trained" bees to sniff out destructive material (without getting medieval on somebody) sounds like an awful lot of buzz. Nevertheless, an 18-month research study -- dubbed the Stealthy Insect Sensor Project -- at the US Energy Department's Los Alamos facility has just concluded, and team members have announced resounding success in teaching your average bee to "stick their proboscis (that tube they use to feed on nectar) out in the presence of explosives." The DHS sees potential in using the little buggers to "find dynamite and C-4 plastic explosives" as well as relatively dodgy "Howitzer propellant grains." Scientists have used a reward system to train the animals, by offering up a "sugar treat" each time they correctly signify explosive material, and suggest that teams of detectors (read: incensed bees) could be carried about in "portable containers about the size of a shoebox." While theoretically, this plan may seem sound, what happens when our enemies start covering their tracks in nectar -- or worse, when the insects unleash a painful revolt against our own brethren?
IBM's speech recognition technology headed for trial use in Iraq
Being frequent users of machine translation ourselves, we're fully aware of the difficulties present in its execution, but IBM seems to think they've got it worked out well enough for some real-life use in Iraq. Their "Multilingual Automatic Speech-to-Speech Translator," AKA Mastor combines speech recognition, machine translation, and text-to-speech technologies to create a common translation engine that is apparently independent of languages. The system develops translation patterns off of regular conversational use of the languages, and is purportedly as speedy as a human translator -- and provides a text read-out of the conversation to boot. DARPA has had similar tech in the works for a while, but now IBM's Mastor is apparently ready enough for actual use, since they're shipping 35 Mastor-equipped ruggedized laptops to Iraq as a trial run, and will consider even more depending on how these work out. So far Mastor works for translation between English and Iraqi Arabic, standard Arabic or Mandarin. The system can run on a laptop or PDA, and should be making its way to commercial channels such as medicine before long.
Blow up U.S. tanker in Iranian game
Reuters covers the release of Counter Strike, a game that charges players with the goal of sinking a U.S. oil tanker in a critical channel, blocking the path that two-fifths of all the world's oil travels. Iran's government sponsored the game for distribution within that country.The topical nature of the game isn't new; Kuma Reality Games mirrored real-life U.S. strikes against Iraq. The anti-American sentiment isn't even new, as seen in Night of Bush Capturing.This trend of all sides using games as propaganda interests us. Are games more persuasive than radio broadcasts and dropping leaflets? When will bombers start dropping games over enemy states?
Bush the target in Iraq war game mod
The Global Islamic Media Front, which has been described as a "jihadist mouthpiece," recently released Night of Bush Capturing, which is, ironically, a mod of Petrilla Entertainment's crass budget-FPS, Quest for Saddam.The game, which according to an advertisement is being distributed for "terrorist children," features six stages, with images of Bush, Tony Blair, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, and Hassan Nasrallah (Hezbollah's leader) pasted on the walls of a generic U.S. military camp. War nasheeds can be heard playing in the background as the player progresses to a final showdown with U.S. President George W. Bush.While we don't anticipate the threat level being raised because of this release, or for that matter, Night of Bush Capturing becoming budding terrorist's "Halo," this mod is an interesting example on how a 'weapon' can be turned against its creator -- in this case, off-color Iraq war game becomes "Bush Hunter." All's fair in love and war, right?[Via GameSpot]
