Tablets playing a role on the battlefield

Of all the places not to take a multi-hundred-dollar tablet computer, the battlefield might rank near the top. But just as the technology has found a place in the home and the office, so too is it becoming a part of military operations.

Tablets can serve any number of military purposes, from strategic planning and surveillance to more common functions, like geo-mapping and finding information. According to a March 2011 Computerworld report, contractors are developing applications specifically for military use, including one that allows soldiers to control the camera of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle through touchscreen gestures.

An October 2011 Wired report highlights the development of a two-by-three-foot tablet being developed by the AAI Corporation. According to the news provider, the massive touchscreen tablet will be used by battlefield commanders for planning, mapping "hypothetical warzones" and assessing movement of military troops and their enemies.

One of the main advantages of tablets in the military, Computerworld points out, is that many soldiers are already familiar with the technology from their civilian lives. Though training will be required for the mobile apps, a soldier will not have to learn how to use the technology itself.

The potential for tablets in the military is extensive. As the technology continues to evolve, its use in both the war room and the battlefield itself will likely expand.