Microsoft has been working with the U.S. Department of Defense on a military augmented reality system based on HoloLens 2, and has rebuilt the development of the Visual Augmentation System (IVAS). The program has not been without controversy, as a previous report by Business Insider revealed that the contract, worth more than $22 billion, was put on hold due to performance issues.
However, last week the Army held a 2-day demonstration at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in western Washington to showcase “communications and visual augmentation technology integrated into the U.S. Army Strykers combat vehicle” as well as the individual combat equipment vehicle assigned to soldiers in 8-wheel armored combat.
In a blog post updated by the U.S. Department of Defense, it was stated that IVAS capabilities had been significantly improved in the last release iteration. Quoting David Morris, principal network engineer for the Army’s Platform Division at MITRE.
"The main new technology we are experimenting with today is the Tactical Scalable MANET Waveform, which takes data to the forward tactical edge, provides it to infantry and vehicles, and connects those systems together so everyone knows where the others are. You can send messages, place graphic overlays, mission data, etc., so you have better capabilities that were previously only available at the command post."
The system includes high-quality cameras integrated into Strykers and connected to IVAS devices.
"...... Now we not only have firearms cameras and relatively small front and rear cameras, but high-end cameras with day and night vision capabilities around the vehicle. Soldiers wearing the new IVAS technology are able to use these cameras and access them while en route to their missions. Instead of staring at a blank steel wall, they can keep up with what's going on around the vehicle. They can also switch to tactical map mode so they can see what's happening around their broader mission area."
