Palmer Luckey and Anduril take over from Microsoft in the development of military visors

Main » Technology » Palmer Luckey and Anduril take over from Microsoft in the development of military visors

Microsoft has decided to withdraw from the development of mixed reality headsets for the US Army, leaving the responsibility in the hands of Anduril Industries, the company founded by Palmer Luckey. This change marks a inflection point in the controversial IVAS (Integrated Visual Augmentation System) project, which since 2018 has faced numerous technical challenges and criticism from both internal and external sources.

Although the original contract with Microsoft had a potential value of up to $22.000 billion, various problems have led the Army to look for another company to continue with the program. Now, Anduril will be in charge of supervising the production of the devices, the future development of the hardware and software, as well as compliance with the established deadlines.

Microsoft's failure with VAT

The IVAS project was born from Microsoft's HoloLens headset technology, adapted for use in the military. The intention was to equip soldiers with Advanced Augmented Reality Tools that would allow them to obtain key information in real time, such as digital maps, marked routes and night vision.

However, Early tests revealed significant flaws. A high percentage of soldiers who tested the device reported discomforts such as nausea, headaches, eye strain and neck discomfort. In addition, there were problems with software reliability and screen brightness, which could give away the device. user position on the battlefield.

The US Congress has temporarily halted the contract with Microsoft in 2023 due to these shortcomings. Instead of approving the purchase of thousands of IVAS visors, an additional budget was allocated to improve the design and correct the errors detected, but the problems persisted.

Anduril and the new phase of the IVAS program

With Microsoft's withdrawal from the manufacturing of these headsets, Anduril Industries now assumes control of the project. Palmer Luckey's company has gained recognition in the military industry for its developments in drones and advanced defense software.

One of its key assets is the Lattice combat terrain management system, which collects information from sensors and presents it in real timeThis software had already been integrated into IVAS viewers in a previous collaboration between Anduril and Microsoft, which facilitated the transition of the contract.

Although details have not yet been revealed about the improvements Anduril will implement in IVAS, Luckey has promised a innovative approach. According to his statements, the new phase of the project will seek to overcome the limits of current technology and make soldiers adopt a more efficient and connected role on the battlefield.

Microsoft's role in the new stage of IVAS

Despite leaving the manufacture of the visors in the hands of Anduril, Microsoft is not completely disassociating itself from the program. The company will continue to provide solutions for Cloud computing and artificial intelligence services through its Azure platform.

This decision fits with Microsoft's new strategy, which has chosen to focus on more profitable areas such as AI and the cloud instead of continuing to develop mixed reality hardware. Support for HoloLens 2 will continue until 2027, but there are no plans for future versions of the technology.

The collaboration between Microsoft and Anduril could ensure that future IVAS headsets feature advanced infrastructure for data processing and AI integration, key factors in improving the experience of soldiers on the battlefield. The change in leadership in IVAS development represents a new opportunity to correct past mistakes and deliver a product that truly meets the demands of the U.S. Army. Anduril will need to prove that he can solve the technical problems that Microsoft was unable to solve and that his vision of augmented reality for the military is viable in the long term.