Xbox 360 controller in Army adverts?

[Buckster]

are we sure those pics aren't them on training ?

surely as good as a 360 controller is ....

its no-way ruggedised .. so if it breaks in the field ... what they carry around 5 spares with them.. I can't see it somehow. They wouldn't leave it white either !

<EDIT> - yes in fact they are training or using a demonstrator product ... look at the yellow training thingies (whatever they are called) on the end of their rifles

 

[BlairH]

its no-way ruggedised

It doesn't need to be. It's not exactly a flimsy sixaxis abortion (dons flame-suit)

look at the yellow training thingies (whatever they are called) on the end of their rifles

Blank firing adaptors. They allow the bolt to cycle properly when firing blank ammunition.

 

[BlairH]

more sinister side is that they are trying to use it to tempt games players into the army
come to afghanistan play with a 360 pad aye right no chance

Either that or they're using the pads to control robots. The very same robots that do dangerous jobs (bomb disposal, etc) so that humans aren't put at risk. Nothing sinister about it.

 

[RobertN]

you think it is a coincedence that there target audience young people like video games and they show someone using a 360 controller i dont i could accept them using it but when it is in the advert it is there for a reason

 

[Werewolf]

I asked my mate about it and he said they use it on almost all robotics because they use windows to program them or something! I dont really know what he meant but he's in the army (reame)!

That would make sense, iirc a lot of stuff is done using varients of Windows (windows mobile,ce etc), and using a standard, easy to obtain, cheap, almost disposable part makes great sense if that part is likely to be damaged/abused.
You can pad/protect most of the rest of the gear in it's own housing but if the controller has to be "loose" it's going to get damaged, which means you either make it very rugged and possibly larger/heavier to take the abuse (risking making it uncomfortable to use in the field), or make it so that you can replace it on a regular basis.

There is also as previously commented on, why spend millions reinventing something, when there is a commercially available unit that does the job cheaply (even if you end up replacing it on a regular basis, rather than servicing the specialist part).

 

[Oxford]

Yep, indeed they are training images. Multi-Cam (as seen in the pics and GRAW) is not a current issue camo pattern (some Navy seals and contractors have been sseen using it mind). The fact they are training with it is enough of an idication they do intend to use something similar for the reasons already stated above. Some will be fooled by the ranger tab indicating they are a squad of rangers, but that just means they have passed/served as a ranger as you can also see inf patches etc.