US Army’s Combat-Ready HoloLens 2

 In Mixed Reality Industry Insight
hololens-2-army-in-the-field

Microsoft has supplied the US Army with modified HoloLens 2 headsets that are now being used in training exercises.

hololens-2-army-in-the-field

Microsoft has supplied the US Army with modified HoloLens 2 headsets that are now being used in training exercises.

A Soldier does a check with the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) and his compass during a Soldier touchpoint in March at Fort Pickett, Virginia. (Photo courtesy of PEO Soldier Public Affairs)

“In terms of the IVAS [Integrated Visual Augmentation System], the HoloLens 2 works in conjunction with a tactical assault kit, which includes a Samsung smartphone running the Android operating system, a radio, and a battery, which provides eight hours of operation for the entire IVAS system.” 

“The current configuration, including after-market sensors like the Flir thermal sensor, weighs in at 2.5 pounds. The US Army expects the next iteration to weigh in at an even 2 pounds, with the final product scheduled for delivery by September 2021.”

“As Microsoft delivers on its military contract, the feedback its teams receive from soldiers will ultimately pay off in the next version of the headset, from lighter hardware to a more user-friendly UI.”

“When terms like ‘situational awareness’ get thrown around time after time, it’s easy to lose sight of what it really means,” said MAJ Brad Winn, lead action officer for IVAS, in a blog post, referencing the second soldier checkpoint. “In this case, one of the greatest capabilities of IVAS is Aided Target Recognition, a feature that gives users the ability to quickly identify anything or anyone in sight, which means they can tell the difference between a threat and a civilian non-combatant.”

“While the current concentration of the modified HoloLens 2 testing has been in training situations, the US Army’s ultimate aim is to deploy the headsets on the battlefield in real situations.”

A Soldier does a check with the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) and his compass during a Soldier touchpoint in March at Fort Pickett, Virginia. (Photo courtesy of PEO Soldier Public Affairs)

“In terms of the IVAS [Integrated Visual Augmentation System], the HoloLens 2 works in conjunction with a tactical assault kit, which includes a Samsung smartphone running the Android operating system, a radio, and a battery, which provides eight hours of operation for the entire IVAS system.” 

“The current configuration, including after-market sensors like the Flir thermal sensor, weighs in at 2.5 pounds. The US Army expects the next iteration to weigh in at an even 2 pounds, with the final product scheduled for delivery by September 2021.”

“As Microsoft delivers on its military contract, the feedback its teams receive from soldiers will ultimately pay off in the next version of the headset, from lighter hardware to a more user-friendly UI.”

“When terms like ‘situational awareness’ get thrown around time after time, it’s easy to lose sight of what it really means,” said MAJ Brad Winn, lead action officer for IVAS, in a blog post, referencing the second soldier checkpoint. “In this case, one of the greatest capabilities of IVAS is Aided Target Recognition, a feature that gives users the ability to quickly identify anything or anyone in sight, which means they can tell the difference between a threat and a civilian non-combatant.”

“While the current concentration of the modified HoloLens 2 testing has been in training situations, the US Army’s ultimate aim is to deploy the headsets on the battlefield in real situations.”

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