Video games, virtual worlds and smartphones are an excellent way to train U.S. troops, say advocates of the technology within and outside of the military.

Evidence of the growing interest in the technology can be seen from a recent GameTech convention held in Orlando, Fla. GameTech had 775 participants and 29 vendors.

The objectives of the GameTech conference included: Tutorials for military personnel on game technology. Providing updates on changes in gaming, virtual worlds and mobile applications. Public updates on military gaming, virtual worlds, and mobile app projects.

Some of those who took advantage of the conference were: military training officers/NCOs; military simulation center personnel; and industry game/ virtual world program managers, GameTech said.

The U.S. Army will spend somewhere between $10 million and $20 million this year for licenses, modifications and development of Army games, according to a report in The New York Times.

In addition, the Army recently held a competition among soldiers to see which could develop the best smartphone app, The Times said.

“The goal is to provide engaging training tools for soldiers who have grown up using sophisticated consumer electronics and are eager to incorporate them into their routine,” The Times reports. “At a time of shrinking budgets, these tools are viewed as relatively inexpensive supplements to larger, costlier training equipment while also providing a surprisingly realistic training experience.”

There are some drawbacks to using such technology. Using wireless devices in battle raises security worries because the transmissions have to be encrypted, The Times said.

And there are those in the Pentagon who contend that “games, gadgets and avatars simply have no place in the military,” The Times adds.

But proponents point out that video games let soldiers rehearse for military combat. In addition, devices give military personnel cultural knowledge, language instruction, medical training and practice in shooting, The Times said.

One example of a device used by the military is VBS 2, which the Marines started using in 2001. It is described as a game-based simulator. It lets soldiers increase the database of potential situations/hazards based on their experiences.

The newest version of VBS 2 employs “detailed aerial and satellite imagery so Marines can rehearse in virtual 3-D copies of their places of deployment,” The Times said.

Virtual worlds also provide benefits to the military. They can introduce newer soldiers to a terrain and the local officials found in a country like Afghanistan. Or, they can help teach mechanics about how to repair airplanes or tanks.

And in the case of smartphones, an app which explains duties and responsibilities for Army officers, was created in three days for a low price. Printing a hard copy of the Army’s Blue Book cost $750,000 and was not complete until 135 days.

In a related story, TMCnet reports that the U.S. Army Marketplace will provide application software for soldiers. The apps can be downloaded to computers or mobile phones, TMCnet adds.