Citing sources familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reports that both Magic Leap and Microsoft are among the companies bidding for a $1 million contract to build augmented reality heads-up displays for the US Army to use in training exercises.
The publication wrote, “The US Army is seeking technology companies to supply 100,000 headsets at a total price tag of about $500 million, with an initial order consisting of 2,500 units within the first two years of the contract”.
Lending credence to the report, Microsoft apparently confirmed it had attended a pre-bid conference for the army’s HUD 3.0 project, alongside companies such as Booz Allen Hamilton, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon. The sources revealed that a company known only as “MLH” but with the same business address as Magic Leap was also in attendance.
A website address of “mlhorizons.com” was also noted — ML Horizons is believed to be the trading name of Magic Leap subsidiary Chosen Realities, according to Bloomberg.
HUD 3.0 has been designed to provide realistic combat situations for training purposes, with combat data including maps visible in soldiers’ field of view, rather than having to view such information on a separate device.
