Microsoft will develop an augmented reality headsets for the US Army

Microsoft will develop and build custom-made augmented reality headsets for the US Army. The order has a total value of up to 21.9 billion dollars, as the IT group announced in a blog post. This would help Microsoft expand its role as a key supplier to the US government. The device will be based on the Hololens headset, which was launched in 2016. More than 120,000 pieces of the tailor-made devices are to be delivered over a period of 10 years and supported by Microsoft's Azure cloud computing service. The headsets will run with Microsoft software and make US soldiers safer and more effective through improved situational awareness and increased training opportunities, according to the company. The US military has long relied on night vision goggles to improve combat effectiveness. The initial advantage has diminished with the increasing spread of such devices, which is why there is now an increasing search for a new technological lead. Augmented Reality (AR) combines digital content with images of the real world. AR headsets have become increasingly popular as a tool for workers in industries such as retail, healthcare, and automotive manufacturing, especially since the beginning of the pandemic. Microsoft competes here with several dozen companies, including Google and Magic Leap. For example, the new headsets will have night vision functions and enable soldiers to measure the distance between their current location and that of their team members in the dark, according to Microsoft.