Microsoft will ship a new version of its military-grade headset with HoloLens to the US military later this month. This is an improvement over last year’s AR headsets.

Later this month, Microsoft will ship a new version of its HoloLens headsets to the US military. This is an improved version of the AR headset for military use after the first model fell far short of expectations.

fiasco

Two years ago, Microsoft signed a billion-dollar contract with the US military for 120,000 AR headsets with HoloLens technology. However, the delivery of this order proved to be unsuccessful: soldiers reported headaches, eyestrain and nausea after only a few hours of action. On the practical side, there was criticism of the field of view and the glowing display, which can reveal a soldier’s position in the dark.

America and its army, that remains great love. Earlier this year, the US Congress simply decided to convert the planned purchase budget for the headsets into a grant for more research. However, this was not the same amount, but barely a tenth of what the US would normally spend. Microsoft still hadn’t lost its partnership, but that wasn’t good news.

Attempt 1.2

So now there is a new version of the headsets, also known as IVAS or Het Integrated visual augmentation system. According to Microsoft, these new versions are slimmer, lighter and more balanced. The revised design of this 1.2 version aims to be more comfortable and effectively improve the wearer’s performance.

The Army will be testing 20 prototypes next month for their low-light functionality, reliability and, of course, whether soldiers will experience physical discomfort again. A lot depends on Microsoft: If that works, there will be a new contract for further practical tests. In the next ten years, the US military would even expect an investment of more than 21 billion US dollars.

Practical

The purpose of the headsets is to increase awareness of teammates on the battlefield and the surrounding environment. The headsets have a number of important functions and features for this:

• Infantrymen can see their teammates’ positions
• Important health statistics
• Less noticeable night vision
• Improved coordination between teammates
• Teammates can more easily warn each other of fatigue or injury

If all goes well, the technology will be tested in real combat situations in April 2025.