In a bid to enhance both soldier training and battlefield performance, Microsoft is developing a set of visual augmentation glasses that provide the wearer with real-time information about comrades' locations, battlefield markers, thermal and night vision, and even show the wearer simulated enemies.
The Army gave Microsoft a $480 million contract in November 2018 to develop the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS), which was tested for the first time in April 2019. The Army is presently testing the system out at Fort Pickett, Virginia, as a way to enhance training drills, but the service hopes to eventually hand the glasses out to soldiers on the battlefield, where they'll provide an integrated web of information feeds both to and from their wearers, giving them a decisive edge on the battlefield.
The IVAS prototypes look like just another kind of virtual reality glasses, but it's actually augmented reality – the glasses function like a heads-up display for dismounted infantry. However, they don't just provide readouts: they can project objects for the wearer to “see,” including everything from location beacons to simulated enemy fighters.
All that feedback helps with training, too: soldiers can review their actions in a playback, helping them to hone their battlefield skills in what effectively turns IVAS into a sort of “flight simulator” for infantry.
All that's missing is a health bar.
Military Times reported a description of an IVAS test…
