It was specifically noted that forty-two USO facilities will be getting the systems and these facilities would provide services like phones, PCs, Wi-Fi, TVs and gaming stations to the soldiers. The numbers might look small, but the 42 facilities that are receiving the 380 Kinect bundles support over 5 million troops and their families.
However, without any doubt, the services would be used for gaming, but the software giant explains that the Kinect provides an opportunity for other worthwhile activities – like rehabilitation and diagnosis.
What’s more, U.S. soldiers are starting to see the benefits of the explosion of creativity we’ve seen since releasing the Kinect Software Development Kit. Four Wounded Warrior Facilities in Afghanistan will use Kinect in rehabilitative programs in forward bases where medical equipment is scarce. New Kinect applications will help medical staff determine when troops who have suffered from brain injuries, such as concussions, are able to go back into the field. The USO will work with the local groups to develop an analysis of the results from using Kinect as a tool for cognitive and memory reinforcement.
This cool video shows how Kinect is moving from simply a game interface to a means to improve lives through expanded capabilities in medicine and other disciplines. The two most relevant clips are at :33, where a surgeon reviews different x-rays with the wave of a still-gloved (and sterile) hand, without leaving the operating room; and :48, where a kid plays a game as part of physical therapy.
Where would they keep the consoles now? This query is even resolved as a brand new 8,500 sq. ft. USO center just opened in Fort Campbell, KY. There is one particularly impressive feature about it, that is the giant UH-1 Huey helicopter sitting right in the middle of the space. The location of the XBOX 360s would be here as they have turned this old vehicle into a gaming center – equipped with three flat screens, Xbox 360s, and gaming chairs (pictured here).
A technology shift seems to be timed right. The occasion is even right as Christmas is on its way and accordingly, the Kinects will arrive as part of their annual “Christmas Convoys,” which contain things like beanbag chairs, snacks, phone cards, and other essentials.
Looking at this advancement from a soldier’s eye, the Kinect system’s practical use for military bases too, mainly the hands free x-ray browsing and the rehabilitation games.