How do video games prepare the future generation for future work

Ok kids, I’m going to give you some arguments to use the next time your parents say “you spend too much time playing video games”. In the near future almost all of the dangerous or precision work will be done by robots. Robots are not really the correct term for these machines because they will not completely think for themselves, but they will be mostly human controlled. A better term would be teleoperated or remote controlled machines but that is inaccurate also because they do require some artificial intelligence. They’re not just radio controlled airplanes. For simplicities sake I will still use the term robots. These robots will be controlled using the same skills needed to play video games. These skills include the accurate hand-eye coordination that has been demonstrated to improve with video gaming practice.  The sensory perception that comes from reacting to a monitor screen also comes into play. Currently, these robots are being used in the medical industry and by the military. In the future, there will be many other professions that will require the talents of today’s video game superstars.

Already Doctors use a machine called the da Vinci Surgical System that allows them to do microsurgery using a robot. The instruments used for the surgery are inserted through incisions no larger than a dime. The surgeon sits at the console and looks through two eye holes at a 3-D image of the procedure while maneuvering the arms with two foot pedals and two hand controllers. The surgeon’s hand movements are scaled and filtered to eliminate hand tremor then translated into micro-movements of the robotic arms. It was used in 48,000 procedures in 2006. The surgeon can be near the patient or hundreds of miles away. Remote surgery is essentially advanced telecommuting for surgeons, where the physical distance between the surgeon and the patient is immaterial. The University of Nebraska Medical Center is developing a radio-controlled robot that can move around inside the stomach or abdomen to give surgeons an inside view of the area being operated on. It is also equipped with a retractable needle, allowing it to perform surgical procedures. The device is made up of two rotating aluminum cylinders connected by a thick axle, which carries the camera. The robot is only 15 millimeters in diameter, allowing it to be inserted through the small incisions in the abdomen. It is controlled from a console equipped with a joystick similar to the joystick of video games. The funny thing is, I found an article where a kid figured out how to use this robot on his own, in a few minutes to the frustration of an experienced surgeon who said it took him hours of training to figure it out.

For years, soldiers have been using drones or UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) to fight a war in Afghanistan and Iraq while the operator sits in Washington DC. The elimination of the need for an onboard human crew in a combat aircraft has obvious advantages. For example there is the personnel safety of the flight crew. In addition, much equipment necessary for a human pilot (such as the cockpit, seat, flight controls, oxygen, ejection seat, etc.) can be omitted from an unmanned vehicle, resulting in a decrease in weight possibly allowing greater payloads, range and maneuverability. Pilots, fly them from trailers halfway around the world using joysticks and computer screens almost exactly like the flight simulator games for the PC. The total number of military drones has soared to 5,500, from 167 in 2001 and the Air Force is having problems finding operators. Many operators don’t even have flight experience.  It looks like the days of the Red Barron are over. It won’t be long before all military flights are pilotless. So go ahead and buy that flight simulator program for your kids or better yet a predator drone simulator.

Many other applications in situations where humans are exposed to hazardous situations are readily recognized as suitable candidates for robots. Mining, bomb disposal, military operations, rescue of victims from fire, toxic atmospheres, or even hostage situations, are some examples. Not just dangerous jobs are candidates for robotic replacements. Jobs in less desirable parts of the world like Siberia or the Mojave desert will be able to be worked by people in more desirable places like Florida or the Bahamas.

The future is forming right before our eyes and the gamers of the world will be in the best position to thrive in that world. Playing video games and even more important, being able to make video games will be a crucial skill and will be in high demand. Please use the tutorial at juniorgamemaker to help get you started on your journey.