Microsoft has won a $480 million
deal to supply more than 100,000 augmented-reality HoloLens headsets to the US
Army, Bloomberg reports. The Army plans to use the headsets for combat missions
as well as training. The technology will be adapted to incorporate night vision
and thermal sensing, offer hearing protection, monitor for concussion, and
measure vital signs like breathing and readiness.
AR firm MagicLeap also bid for
the contract, according to Bloomberg. HoloLens is used for training by the US
and Israeli military already, but this would be the first time it’s been used
for live combat. It’s another example of how AR is being adopted far more
enthusiastically by organizations than consumers. The deal is more good news
for Microsoft, which overtook Apple as the world’s most valuable company.
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