Varjo and VRAI have announced a strategic partnership combining immersive VR and mixed reality simulation with real-time biometric performance analytics for military training. The collaboration, unveiled at ITEC London on April 14, integrates Varjo’s secure XR headsets and high-precision eye tracking with VRAI’s HEAT data analytics platform.
The HEAT platform captures biometric data during simulated training scenarios, including heart rate, eye movement, control inputs, and communications. Varjo’s eye tracking enables the system to calculate cognitive load and physiological stress in real time, giving instructors a physiological read on how trainees experience each scenario. Data is displayed through a near real-time dashboard that allows instructors to intervene earlier and provide more targeted post-scenario feedback.
The partnership builds on existing deployments with two defence organizations. Rheinmetall uses the combined system for armor crew training, and the Irish Defence Forces train weekly using Varjo XR headsets, HEAT software, and integrated heart rate monitors. In those deployments, the instructor-to-trainee ratio improved from approximately 1:3 to 1:12 without increasing instructor workload, a significant efficiency gain for training programs with limited personnel.
“We are empowering instructors with actionable insights into what is driving performance, and Varjo’s technology is a big part of why we can do that,” said Pat O’Connor, CEO of VRAI. Valentin Storz, Varjo’s Chief Revenue Officer, added: “Together, we can deliver training that gets smarter with every session, because each one generates data that makes the next one better.”
Under the partnership, VRAI becomes an authorized reseller of Varjo technology, and all Varjo customers will gain access to a starter version of HEAT’s data capture and visualization capabilities from May 2026. The joint solutions were demonstrated at ITEC London from April 14 to 16 at Varjo’s booth M40.
Military interest in biometric wearables and physiological monitoring for performance optimization has been growing. The U.S. Department of Defense awarded a $96 million contract to Oura for biometric wellness monitoring, and the Defense Health Agency has solicited biometric wellness data solutions for its personnel. The Varjo-VRAI partnership applies a similar philosophy to training environments, using biometric signals to measure and improve human performance under simulated operational conditions.
Sources: Varjo, Halldale Group
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By Ali Nassar-Smith
