Media reports cases of soldiers’ ill health linked to the HoloLens headset

Microsoft HoloLens mixed-reality headsets are causing health problems for soldiers testing the integrated visual augmentation system (IVAS). Bloomberg reports this.

According to the report, some users complained of nausea, headaches, and eye fatigue during trials. Other soldiers were troubled by the helmet size, restricted field of view, and the glow of the display that reveals their position at long range.

A Microsoft employee told Insider that IVAS did not pass four of the six elements in a single test.

The Director of Operational Test and Evaluation at the U.S. Department of Defense, Nicholas Gertin, said that for the core functions there are still too many glitches. According to the report, adoption of the technology among soldiers remains low.

IVAS tests are part of the Soldier Touch Point program, which enables the Army to gather real-world feedback and helps Microsoft refine the HoloLens-based gear.

Under the original concept, the headsets were to provide infantry with crucial battlefield information and night vision.

“Going forward, the Army plans to use the flexible capabilities for rapid prototyping and deployment, provided by Congress, to address the problems we have identified and to advance IVAS in an innovative way,” he added.

Earlier the U.S. armed forces received the first batch of augmented reality glasses based on HoloLens 2, in a quantity of 5,000 units.

In March 2021, the Pentagon and Microsoft signed a deal to supply the Army with headsets for $21.9 billion. Over 10 years the company plans to produce 120,000 devices for the military.

In May 2022, the U.S. Department of Defense said it planned to cut spending on the IVAS project. Military officials said the initial plan reflected a “pessimistic scenario,” and the funding adjustment would not affect the contract.

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