‘Would Have Gotten Us Killed:’ Soldiers Slam Microsoft Headsets After Disastrous Test

Microsoft’s high-tech HoloLens headsets were recently tested by the U.S. Army, which found that they have significant flaws that soldiers say “would have gotten us killed,” according to reports.

More than 80 percent of the soldiers testing Microsoft’s headset — designed to give them a “heads-up display” similar to those used by fighter pilots — have reported feeling nauseous, getting headaches, or suffering eyestrain according to a U.S. Army report obtained by Bloomberg and Business Insider.

Microsoft’s Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS), is supposed to let commanders project information onto a visor in front of a soldier’s face, and include features such as night vision.

“The devices would have gotten us killed,” one soldier said of Microsoft’s headset, referring to the light generated by the goggles when they’re active, which could alert the enemy to the soldier’s location on the battlefield.

Nickolas Guertin, director of Operation Test and Evaluation, concurred, saying the system is still experiencing too many failures of essential functions.

This comes after the Defense Department gave Microsoft a contract worth nearly $22 billion to build the devices for the U.S. military.

In a statement, Microsoft said “our close collaboration with the Army has enabled us to quickly build” and modify the device “to develop a transformational platform that will deliver enhanced soldier safety and effectiveness. We are moving forward with the production and delivery of the initial set” of devices.

Bloomberg reports that the test results will be assessed by lawmakers as they decide whether to $424.2 million the Army proposed to spend on the program this fiscal year.

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