Microsoft won a nearly $22 billion contract to supply U.S. Army combat troops with its virtual reality headsets. Microsoft and the Army separately announced the deal Wednesday. The technology is based on Microsoft’s HoloLens headsets, which can superimpose virtual imagery over real scenery. Tech companies originally designed such goggles for the video game and entertainment industries but have increasingly pitched other uses for them. Military officials have described the futuristic technology — which the Army calls its Integrated Visual Augmentation System — as a way of boosting soldiers’ awareness of their surroundings and their ability to spot targets and dangers.
