Microsoft is working on a modified version of its reality-based HoloLens 2 headset designed to support the U.S. Army’s military training and combat missions, CNBC reported Saturday.
Work on the integrated visual augmentation system is part of a potential two-year, $480M contract the Army awarded to Microsoft in November. The system headset has a glass visor that displays the user’s location through a map, 3D images and data that allow a soldier to locate his colleagues and enemy positions. The device also has thermal night vision capabilities.
“With thermal, you can see through the smoke and engage and destroy a threat. This is a game changer on the battlefield,†said Ryan McCarthy, undersecretary for the Army.
McCarthy said the Army plans to use the system to help troops improve their marksmanship by collecting data during training. He added that he expects the service to start deploying the AR-based system as early as 2022 and 2023.