HoloLens-based IVAS 1.2 tactical AR glasses no longer make US Army soldiers queasy - Microsoft keeps chances alive for $21.9bn contract

Microsoft has yet to lose its chances at a contract worth more than $20bn, which includes supplying more than 100,000 augmented reality goggles to the US Army. The headset, based on HoloLens, has been successfully tested.

Here's What We Know

Microsoft delivered the military version of the HoloLens AR headset to the US Army in the summer of 2023. The augmented reality goggles are called IVAS (Integrated Visual Augmentation System). The service received 20 IVAS 1.2 prototypes for intensive testing.

Microsoft had to refine IVAS after it was revealed a year ago that the past version was causing soldiers nausea headaches and eye fatigue. If the problems persisted, the US Department of Defence could have shut down the multi-billion dollar programme.

Microsoft appears to have been able to fix the headset's shortcomings. Two brigades of soldiers tested IVAS 1.2 at the end of the summer, evaluating the reliability, comfort, and performance of the AR glasses in low light.

The feedback from the US Army soldiers was positive. This is reported by Bloomberg with reference to the text of an e-mail received from the representative of the US Department of Defence David Patterson.

On September 5, 2023, the defence department signed a new contract with Microsoft. The deal, the amount of which was not specified, aims to deliver a new batch of IVAS and assess the company's ability to produce large volumes of headsets.

The next pre-production testing of AR glasses is scheduled for the second quarter of 2025. If successful, the US Army will order 121,000 IVAS units worth $21.9bn over 10 years, including additional equipment and services.

Source: Bloomberg