US Army Approves Next Phase of Development for Integrated Visual Augmentation System
The US Army has given the green light for the next phase of development for its Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS), a cutting-edge device that combines augmented reality, night vision capabilities, and situational awareness tools. The approval comes after successful evaluations of the 1.2 prototype version by soldiers from the 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division.
Brigadier General Christopher Schneider, the Program Executive Office-Soldier commander, confirmed that the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology has sanctioned phase II development for the IVAS. This next phase will focus on integrating the device with tactical cloud computing, which will provide additional tools and software for soldiers. However, the development team faces the challenges of ensuring quick and affordable production in order to meet the Army’s requirements.
The aim is to begin production by fiscal year 2025, but before that can happen, the previous versions of the IVAS (1.0 and 1.1) will be further evaluated by Army Training and Doctrine Command units. The feedback received from these evaluations will inform the development of the 1.2 and subsequent versions.
During the recent August assessment, soldiers used 20 prototypes of the IVAS to evaluate its weapons compatibility, navigation tools, and mission planning capabilities. Lt. Col. Denny Dresch revealed that the focus now is on making the system producible and affordable.
Over the next 18 months, the technical team will work on finding solutions to these challenges while also determining the level of cloud computing capabilities that can be accessed by IVAS users. For instance, integrating a tactical cloud at the company level would reduce network overload on the battalion or brigade. Alternatively, on-board capabilities within the squad or platoon could be reduced.
The IVAS already offers standard features such as navigation, wayfinding, and targeting. Future versions, however, are expected to provide users with access to an applications store where they can download job-assisting apps specifically tailored to their roles and missions.
Addressing the issue of compatibility, Gen. Schneider explained that the use of analog methods in current advanced night vision technology hinders the integration of augmented reality overlay and other visual features. The IVAS development team faced challenges related to field of view distortion, as well as the device’s previous bulky design, weight, and cabling issues. However, with recent software upgrades from Microsoft, the original creator of the IVAS platform, and the adoption of new low light sensor technology, these challenges have been addressed.
To enhance user convenience, the IVAS boasts new form factor changes. It now features a flip-up helmet mount instead of the previous strap-on design, a counterweighted battery at the back of the helmet, and the option to mount the controller along the user’s rib cage instead of on the chest. Moreover, efforts have been made to streamline the cabling to avoid entanglement.
The successful evaluation by the 10th Mountain Division, combined with the ongoing improvements to the IVAS, has paved the way for phase II development. The US Army remains dedicated to producing an advanced and affordable device that will greatly enhance the situational awareness and capabilities of its soldiers.
