Palmer Luckey, the CEO and co-founder of Anduril Industries, a military technology company, has announced that Anduril will take over the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) program from the US Army, replacing the technology originally used from HoloLens by Microsoft.
This news isn’t surprising, as Anduril has been collaborating with Microsoft on this project since September 2024, and Luckey himself is known as the “godfather of virtual reality glasses” since his time founding Oculus before selling it to Facebook/Meta. Microsoft’s disinterest in HoloLens seems to benefit both parties.
Luckey expressed personal significance in this project, as he has a long-standing interest in developing head-worn glasses. He was previously involved in the BRAVEMIND glasses project for the Army before working on Oculus. Additionally, Anduril has quietly been developing military-use VR glasses and has been a loyal fan of Microsoft, having celebrated Windows 7 releases and purchasing devices like the Surface Duo/Duo 2. This project is truly a dream come true for him.
Luckey believes that the IVAS glasses project will enhance military operations significantly, reducing soldier casualties even during training. However, the current IVAS glasses still have untapped potential that can be further developed beyond just visual and tactile senses. He compares it to a superhero not needing to touch buttons but seeing and acting right away.
In his announcement, Luckey also shared a photo of himself wearing the IVAS glasses in a pose similar to when he was featured wearing Oculus glasses on the cover of TIME magazine in 2015, showcasing a decade’s difference.
TLDR:
Anduril Industries, led by Palmer Luckey, has taken over the US Army’s IVAS program from Microsoft, with plans to enhance warfighter capabilities through technological advancements. Luckey’s personal involvement and vision for the project highlight the potential for groundbreaking developments in military technology.
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