US Army deploys new ‘mixed reality’ goggle IVAS

After a fairly rocky roll out, the U.S. Army is finally ready to deploy its new mixed reality goggle. The Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) is the culmination of a nearly $22 billion project. The goal of IVAS is to give the situational awareness of a fighter pilot to the average Army grunt on the ground.

The IVAS system builds on Microsoft’s HoloLens virtual reality goggle. The IVAS merges thermal and night vision with tools like location & terrain mapping, target acquisition and facial recognition. Soldiers can also pair the targeting scopes on their weapons to the goggles, allowing them to essentially see around corners.

“This device is putting Joint Strike Fighter technology on the individual, dismounted soldier,” Col. Chris Schneider said. Schneider is the IVAS program lead.

When it comes to training, the IVAS has both augmented and virtual reality capabilities. Using artificial intelligence, the IVAS can even simulate enemy avatars that learn and adapt to a user’s behavior, making for a more realistic combat simulation.

The Army’s top enlisted soldier, Sgt. Maj. Michael Grinston, helped test the IVAS. He said the IVAS will allow squad leaders a chance to put new soldiers into a unit and run through battle drills.

“Half the battle is just knowing what the other squad members are going to do,” Grinston told Army Times. “Imagine integrating them in the matter of a week. You used to have to wait until a squad live fire.”

While the IVAS may be the single most advanced piece of equipment ever issued to a standard soldier, its deployment didn’t come without headaches. Literally. Troops testing early versions of the goggles reported nausea, dizziness and headaches after fairly limited use. The Army twice delayed implementation of the IVAS goggles while those and other technical issues were worked out.

The Army plans to deliver around 10,000 IVAS units to troops in undisclosed operational and training units in 2023.