American Army has offered Microsoft a new contract to supply mixed reality glasses that are specifically adapted for combat conditions. This comes after Microsoft provided the armed forces with 20 updated prototypes back in July 2023. Following successful tests in August, the soldiers expressed their satisfaction with the design, noting that they no longer experienced feelings of nausea and pain while using the devices.
Over the past year, Microsoft has been actively collaborating with the armed forces to develop a system similar to their commercial product Hololens. This technology, known as the “integrated system of visual augmentation” (Integrated Visual Augmentation System, IVAS), aims to enhance soldiers’ visual capabilities. However, during the initial tests conducted in 2022, issues such as headaches, vomiting, and eye irritation were identified. These shortcomings were discovered following a large order of 5,000 units.
According to David Patterson, a representative of the US Army, the updated version 1.2 of the IVAS has addressed these concerns by becoming more reliable and ergonomic. Additionally, the sensors now work more efficiently in low light conditions.
Although the army requested funds from the US Congress to purchase 6,900 units from Microsoft, the request was rejected. The allocated budget for the system’s refinement was reduced from $400 million to $40 million. However, Microsoft still received an additional $125 million from the armed forces to continue the development process.
The military has now planned to invest up to $21.9 billion in the project and aims to conduct full-scale testing by 2025.
While HoloLens technology continues to be used for military glasses, its prospects for household and office usage have become uncertain following employee reductions in January.