Anduril Industries announced Thursday that it is teaming up with Microsoft to breathe new life into the US Army’s troubled Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) program.
Under the partnership, Anduril will integrate its Lattice open software platform into the revolutionary goggles to enable operators to see threats faster across the battlespace.
The software utilizes sensor fusion, computer vision, edge computing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI) to detect, track, and classify every object of interest in the operator’s surroundings.
Once activated, Lattice is expected to augment IVAS’ capabilities, enhancing soldier survivability in complex and contested environments.
“It’s one of the Army’s most critical programs being fielded in the near future,” Anduril founder Palmer Luckey said, referring to the IVAS. He added that the goal of the partnership is to ensure the device “gets the right data to the right people at the right time.”
‘Bringing a Full Picture’
According to Anduril, Lattice works by fusing multiple sensors, data, and assets into a single, AI-enabled software interface to automatically detect and monitor threats.
It employs advanced data processing techniques to filter high-value information, enabling operators to react to the most immediate threats first.
The software can also be used to further investigate threats by coordinating with other available platforms, such as drones and aircraft.
The company noted that its Lattice platform is also suited for monitoring land and maritime borders, as it can alert human operators to objects of interest through their desktop or mobile phones.
“IVAS brings a full picture of the battlefield to every soldier, enabling safer and more effective operations,” Microsoft Vice President Robin Seiler stated.
“Our collaboration with Anduril to integrate their suite of critical sensors … demonstrates the transformative capability of this fighting goggle and will allow us to further expand the impact IVAS will have for every US soldier.”
Struggling Program
Launched in 2018, the IVAS program aims to produce augmented reality goggles that are said to revolutionize how soldiers train and operate on the battlefield.
However, the initiative has faced challenges, with soldiers reporting disorientation, dizziness, eyestrain, and headaches after trying the equipment.
User feedback also revealed that fewer targets were hit when they used the early versions of the device.
The US Congress has already withheld nearly $350 million in funding for the goggles, with a Pentagon official claiming that the US Army might just waste billions of dollars on the program.
US Army Futures Command head Gen. James Rainey also stated that the upcoming operational tests of the IVAS goggles may determine the fate of the troubled initiative.