Anduril, a mixed reality (MR) firm created by Oculus founder Palmer Luckey, announced on Wednesday it would collaborate with the United States Army and Microsoft for their next-gen combat smart goggles.

Named the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS), the spatial computing device is based on the Microsoft HoloLens 2 platform.

In the most recent update, Anduril stated it would contribute its Lattice platform to boost the device’s capabilities whilst on the battlefield.

Lattice will empower IVAS users with real-time aerial threat warnings, securing personnel and soldiers and boosting survival rates.

The open software platform can assist in security, public safety, and defence by using network, sensor, and system agnostic, according to the company. Leveraging Internet of Things (IoT) sources, data processing, and artificial intelligence (AI), Lattice compiles data into a single “integration layer” using machine learning (ML) and other techniques.

It also provides an agile platform for maritime, renewable power infrastructure, power plants, oil and gas, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and more. Major organisations like the US Customs and Border Patrol, National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium, US Special Operations Command, and the UK Home Office employ the tool.

Comments on Anduril-Microsoft-US Army Partnership

Speaking in a statement, Luckey explained his dedication to the initiative.

He said,

This project is my top priority at Anduril, and it has been for some time now. It’s one of the Army’s most critical programs being fielded in the near future, with the goal of getting the right data to the right people at the right time.”

Robin Seiler, Corporate Vice-President, Mixed Reality, Microsoft, added that the IVAS programme was “more than the sum of its parts.”

IVAS created a “full picture of the battlefield” for soldiers to enable “safer and more effective operations,” he added.

Concluding, Sieler noted,

“Our collaboration with Anduril to integrate their suite of critical sensors, along with their groundbreaking Lattice system into IVAS, demonstrates the transformative capability of this fighting goggle and will allow us to further expand the impact IVAS will have for every U.S. soldier.”

Reports also show that Luckey will offer the US Army commercial virtual and augmented reality expertise along with Anduril’s tools.

Mind the (R&D) Gap

The news comes after it was found that the US Army and Microsoft aimed to roll out the IVAS programme in 2025, further reports showed in 2023.

D×M understands that working with Anduril will help to expedite the rollout and enhance software performance ahead of its scheduled deployment.

To date, the IVAS version 1.2 update offers soldiers access to a lighter, more capable device with greater compute and colour-coded navigation.

Military staff have also worked with Microsoft engineers to launch rigorous field tests in recent years. At the time, it aimed to roll out 5,000 v1.0 devices and a further 5,000 v1.1 headsets in 2024 to troubleshoot ongoing issues with displays, night and thermal vision, MR targeting, and others.

From previous trials, the IVAS headset faced significant issues such as environmental moisture buildup, comfort, motion sickness, and sight targeting, forcing Army officials to label the device “not combat ready.”

To reduce project overspend, Anduril could fill in the gaps where Microsoft cannot proceed due to financial constraints, allowing the project to succeed in 2025 and, additionally, please shareholders.

This comes as the US government faces significant cuts to its military funding as outlined in successive US Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee budgets.

Finally, Microsoft laid off thousands of its mixed reality staff despite continuing to sell the HoloLens 2, CNBC reported in June, citing sources.

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