The U.S. government has reportedly refrained from purchasing more HoloLens-based combat AR goggles from Microsoft after realizing the current version had some vulnerabilities, according to Bloomberg. Instead of ordering more of the current model, the government approved Microsoft $40 million to develop a new version.
The updated combat goggles will incorporate test results from last year when 70 soldiers wore the current version in three 72-hour scenarios simulating combat conditions. The results showed that the soldiers suffered from “headaches, eyestrain and nausea” and that the system had too many “failures of essential functions”. Additionally, more than 80 percent of Soldiers who reported discomfort began feeling it less than three hours after the start of the 72-hour test.
The Army originally requested $400 million to purchase up to 6,900 pairs of the goggles as part of the $1.75 trillion federal financing bill. Instead, Congress approved $40 million of that sum to develop the new version. The Army has already given Microsoft $125 million to develop a revised model and still plans to spend up to $21.9 billion on up to 121,000 devices over the next decade.
The Department of Defense contract has significantly improved Microsoft’s ability to benefit from its AR device. Prior to working with the Department of Defense, the company had marketed the headset for corporate manufacturing, training and other industrial uses. Though Microsoft has hinted at an eventual consumer version of HoloLens, the company hasn’t announced any specifics yet – and its plans are hazy after the company reportedly struggled to come up with a coherent strategy for its headset.
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