Microsoft's $22 Billion Smart Goggles Failed US Army Tests

Microsoft received $480 million in 2018 to develop prototypes, but the technology is still 'experiencing issues' and making soldiers testing it nauseas, along with giving them headaches 

Daily Mail: Microsoft's HoloLens makes soldiers SICK: 80% of US military testing the goggles suffered 'mission-affecting physical impairments' - and some fear it will get the KILLED in combat 

* Microsoft was awarded a contract in 2018 to develop a military-grade HoloLense 

* The augmented reality headset displays information on the screen, such as coordinates or orders, while allowing users to interact with the physical world 

* However, testing shows it causes nausea, headaches and eyestrain in less than three hours of use 

* The device is also not popular among soldiers, which leads Congress to question if it should purchase 100,000 devices or end the partnership 

Congress is deciding whether to give $424.2 million to purchase more military-grade HoloLense headsets from Microsoft after more than 80 percent of soldiers testing the device experienced 'mission-affecting physical impairments' in less than three hours of use - and some fear the technology could get them killed in combat 

The US Army has been testing the augmented reality device since 2018, which claims to improve training and missions on the battlefield by projecting digital information on the screen while allowing users to interact with the physical world. 

The HoloLens, however, is causing headaches, eyestrain and nausea, and acceptance of the technology 'remains low' - a finding that could pause the entire project.  

Read more .... 

Microsoft's $22 Billion Smart Goggles Failed US Army Tests  

US Army soldiers felt ill while testing Microsoft’s HoloLens-based headset -- Ars Technica  

Microsoft's $22 billion worth smart goggles reportedly failed in US Army tests -- Interest Engineering  

Microsoft's Army Goggles Fails 4 Out of 6 Field Evaluations, Caused Nausea to US Army Testers -- Tech Times  

Microsoft (MSFT) US Army HoloLens Goggles Gave Soldiers Nausea, Headaches -- Bloomberg 

Microsoft's HoloLens headsets are giving US Army testers nausea -- Endgadget  

Microsoft’s smart goggles ‘would have got us killed’, army reportedly says -- The Independent

U.S. Army Approves The Delivery Of Thousands Of Microsoft Combat Goggles

Image by Courtney Bacon/US Army  

Bloomberg: Microsoft Combat Goggles Win First US Army Approval for Delivery 

(Bloomberg) -- The US Army is taking delivery of a first batch of high-tech combat goggles made by Microsoft Corp., citing encouraging results from testing in the field. 

Assistant Secretary for Acquisition Douglas Bush has “cleared the Army to begin accepting” some of the 5,000 sets of goggles, spokesman Jamal Beck said in a statement. 

Their delivery had been placed on hold over concern about the device’s performance until more rigorous testing took place. Based on the test results so far the service “is adjusting its fielding plan to allow for time to correct deficiencies and also field to units that are focused on training activities,” Beck said.  

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Update #1: U.S. Army approves order for thousands of Microsoft combat goggles (Yahoo News)  

Update #2: Microsoft will start delivering combat-ready HoloLens goggles to the U.S. military (Mashable)  

WNU Editor: This is not a small procurement. The US Army is projecting to spend as much as $21.9 billion over the next decade on Microsoft’s combat goggles, spare parts and support services.

Microsoft's Search Engine Bing Censors Image Search For Tiananmen Square Massacre 'Tank Man' Even In The US

I'd love to hear @BradSmi explanation on this.

I know Microsoft censor for the CCP in China, but this search is from the US. pic.twitter.com/2k6xrwARfn

— Shane Huntley (@ShaneHuntley) June 4, 2021

VICE News: Bing Censors Image Search for 'Tank Man' Even in US 

"There are no results for tank man," the Bing website reads after searching for the term. 

Bing, the search engine owned by Microsoft, is not displaying image results for a search for "Tank man," even when searching from the United States. The apparent censorship comes on the anniversary of China's violent crackdown on protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989. 

"There are no results for tank man," the Bing website reads after searching for the term. "Tank man" relates to the infamous image of a single protester standing in front of a line of Chinese tanks during the crackdown.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: This is Microsoft's explanation .... A Microsoft spokesperson told Motherboard in an email that "This is due to an accidental human error and we are actively working to resolve this."

Microsoft Wins U.S. Army Contract To Supply Augmented Reality Headsets Worth Up To $21.9 Billion Over 10 Years

 

Army Times: Army moves ahead on ‘mixed reality’ goggle with Microsoft in $21.8 billion contract  

The Army announced it has reached an agreement with Microsoft on a $21.88 billion, 10-year contract to produce its futuristic do-it-all goggle. 

The program, the Integrated Visual Augmentation System, or IVAS, has been the centerpiece for future plans to integrate an array of technologies previously only available to fighter pilots or troops in vehicles to individual, dismounted soldiers. 

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 More News On Microsoft Winning A U.S. Army Contract To Supply Augmented Reality Headsets Worth Up To $21.9 Billion Over 10 Years 

IVAS: Microsoft Award By Army Worth Up To $21.9B -- Breaking Defense 

US Army Ready to Roll Out Futuristic Goggles to Larger Force -- Defense One 

Microsoft wins bid to build augmented-reality headsets for US Army -- The Hill 

Microsoft to supply US army with augmented reality headsets -- DW 

Microsoft wins $22 bn US army contract for augmented reality gear -- AFP 

Microsoft wins U.S. Army contract for augmented reality headsets, worth up to $21.9 billion over 10 years -- CNBC 

Microsoft is supplying 120,000 HoloLens-based headsets to the US Army -- The Verge 

Microsoft lands $21 billion contract to arm US soldiers with futuristic augmented-reality headsets -- RT

Microsoft Beats Amazon For Pentagon's $10 Billion Cloud Computing Contract

CNBC: Microsoft snags hotly contested $10 billion defense contract, beating out Amazon

* The JEDI contract is worth up to $10 billion over 10 years.
* IBM and Oracle are among the companies that also sought the contract but ended up getting ruled out.
* Amazon has been a repeated target for President Trump, who announced in July that

Microsoft has emerged victorious in a dramatic competition for public cloud resources for the U.S. Defense Department, beating out market leader Amazon Web Services, the Pentagon said on Friday. The contract could be worth as much as $10 billion over a decade, according to a statement.

Microsoft stock rose as much as 3% in extended trading after the announcement, and Amazon stock dipped less than 1%.

The achievement highlights the emergence of Microsoft’s Azure cloud as a challenger to AWS and represents the latest victory for Satya Nadella, who took over from Steve Ballmer as Microsoft chief in 2014. Microsoft has also won major cloud-infrastructure deals from companies like Walmart even as AWS has kept growing.

Read more ....

More News On Microsoft Beating Amazon For Pentagon's $10 Billion Cloud Computing Contract

Pentagon awards Microsoft $10B 'war cloud' contract, snubbing Amazon -- FOX News
Amazon Web Services is 'evaluating options' after Microsoft wins $10 billion JEDI contract out from under its nose -- Business Insider
Pentagon awards $10 billion cloud contract to Microsoft over Amazon -- The Hill
Microsoft beats Amazon for Pentagon's $10 billion cloud computing contract -- Reuters

Chinese To Drop Microsoft Windows From Its Military Devices

Tech Radar: China is dropping Windows from its military devices

Chinese military will develop a custom OS for improved security

As tensions between the US and China grow due to an escalating trade war, the Chinese military has decided to stop using Microsoft Windows in favor of its own custom operating system.

The decision was revealed in a recent issue of the Canadian military magazine Kanwa Asian Defence which reported that Chinese military officials will not be using Linux as their new OS but will develop their own custom operating system for improved security.

As a result of Edward Snowden and other big leaks, the Chinese government knows full well what the US is capable of when it comes to hacking devices running Windows, Mac and Linux.

Read more ....

Update: Chinese Military Ditching Microsoft Windows To Avoid CIA's 'Hefty Arsenal Of Hacking Tools' (Zero Hedge)

WNU Editor: I am surprised that it has taken them this long to do so. And here is an easy prediction. This new Chinese OS will just be a semi-copy of Windows.

Microsoft Employees Protest HoloLens Reality Headset Deal With The Pentagon.

Daily Mail: 'We did not sign up to develop weapons': Hundreds of Microsoft workers protest $480m HoloLens reality headset deal with the U.S. military

* Microsoft employees have circulated a letter addressed to company bosses arguing they should not supply HoloLens technology to the US military
* Microsoft has unveiled a next-generation AR headset available for workers
* Company was awarded the contract to supply 'Integrated Visual Augmentation System' prototypes to the US military in November
* They could eventually deliver over 100,000 headsets under the contract
* Microsoft's HoloLens augmented reality technology allows users to see the world around them, but with virtual graphics overlaid
* The Israeli military, which has already taken delivery of some HoloLens headsets
* Technology could be used to help commanders visualize the battlefield and field medics to consult doctors

A group of Microsoft workers are demanding the company cancel a contract supplying the U.S. Army with HoloLens headsets that they say would turn real-world battlefields into a video game.

Microsoft's head-mounted HoloLens displays use augmented reality, which means viewers can see virtual imagery superimposed over the scenery in front of them.

A letter signed by more than 50 Microsoft employees and circulated on an internal messaging board said the technology could help soldiers spot - and kill - adversaries on the battlefield.

Read more ....

Update #1: Microsoft employees slam $480M HoloLens military contract, refuse to create tech for 'warfare and oppression (FOX News)
Update #2: Microsoft workers protest: 'Cancel US Army HoloLens super-soldier contract' (ZDNet)

WNU Editor: Out of a workforce that is over 100,000, only a few hundred have made their opposition known. But the CEO is defending this partnership .... Microsoft CEO Defends Army Contract for Augmented Reality (Wired). More here .... Microsoft CEO defends $479 million contract with Pentagon after employee protest (The Hill). Microsoft also wants the Pentagon's Cloud business .... There's a new snag for Amazon in the winner-take-all $10 billion Pentagon cloud contract, and it could be good news for Microsoft (Business Insider). As to what is my take. This technology is no longer in the developmental phase .... it is now being marketed and sold to interested buyers. Its impact on military operations will be significant and helpful. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella justification and defense of the deal is 100% right.