Army Taps Kopin to Support Novel AR Optics Development Effort

The U.S. Army is developing novel see-through augmented reality display optics for dismounted soldier vision system use.

On Tuesday, Kopin announced that it had received a contract from the Army to support the Integrated Visual Acuity System, the service branch’s AR optics development effort. The contract entails the development of novel AR optics that offer increased optical performance, daylight readability and visual and ergonomic comfort, among other features, Kopin said.

Bill Maffucci, senior vice president of business development and strategy at Kopin, said that the company has the experience and capabilities to help the Army achieve its goal. He added that Kopin has the advantage of creating a specific microdisplay that fully addresses the unique needs of the military branch.

The military branch has been at the forefront of developing technologies to help dismounted soldiers during combat operations. Through the years, the Army has been focused on improving  its situational awareness capabilities, as seen in its investments in the Land Warrior, Nett Warrior and Thermal Weapon Sight programs.
 
In addition to working with the Army, Kopin also entered into a partnership with the U.S. Navy in February to support its advanced microdisplay needs for lensless computational imaging use.