In the latest example of consumer technology adapted for military applications, Microsoft’s Hololens is being put to work to allow tank crews to “see” through the walls of their vehicles. The result will be greater situational awareness for tank crews, allowing them to fight more effectively.

Tanks and armored vehicles traditionally have poor situational awareness, for obvious reasons. Crews are trapped inside a moving fortress of steel, aluminum, and ceramic composite often several inches thick, with a limited view of the outside world. Vision slits and periscopes allow some view of the outside, but to really get a good look around, crews need to a hatch and expose themselves to enemy tank fire, snipers, and artillery.

Now a Ukrainian Company Limpid Armor is using the Hololens to give armor vehicle crews a better idea of their surroundings in combat. Taking a cue from the Joint Strike Fighter’s Distributed Aperture System (DAS), the technology will give crews a 360-degree view of their environment without compromising their safety.

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