Finnish startup Distance Technologies emerged from stealth last year with a technology it claims can turn any transparent surface into a mixed reality (MR) display. Now, it has teamed up with Patria to trial the tech on the defence firms armoured vehicles.The partners will jointly develop a heads-up display for Patrias six-wheel drive armoured personnel carrier. The system will display 3D tactical data, terrain mapping, and AI-driven military insights directly onto the windshield, allowing military personnel to see in low-visibility environments like darkness and smoke.The MR technology promises to eliminate the need for additional screens or clunky headsets. The display also remains covert, preventing light leakage that could reveal vehicle positions, Distance said.Urho Konttori, the startups CEO and co-founder, claims it will give drivers super sensing abilities.Check It OutCreating XR heads-up displays that visualise mission-critical information on the windshield offers unprecedented speed, confidence, and decision-making ability on the battlefields of the future, said Konttori, the former CTO of Varjo, another Helsinki-based XR startup.Unlike standard heads-up displays in cars, which project static or pre-determined information onto the windshield, Distances technology tracks the users eye movements and then displays the correct light field to match where they are looking.The brain behind the system is so-called contextual AI, a type of artificial intelligence that understands and reacts based on its situation.Distance can add its light field optics on top of most LCDs. When users look through the screen, they see a computer-generated 3D light field mixed in with the real world. This means virtually any transparent surface can transform into an MR window whether thats the windshield of a car, an F-18 fighter jet, or a 66 armoured vehicle.An early prototype of the MR windshield. Distance said the final version delivered Patria will be of significantly higher quality. Credit: Distance Technology Oy and PatriaDistance claims the system is capable of infinite pixel depth, which means it should be indistinguishable from natural sight. Konttori no doubt drew inspiration from his work at Varjo, which in 2023 unveiled the worlds first retina-resolution XR headset.The MR model for DistanceKonttori left Varjo early last year. Ive started increasingly feeling that its time for me to move on, he said in a LinkedIn post at the time. Im leaving Varjo and starting something new. Not anything Varjo does but pretty mind-blowing.Distance is that new venture. The company indeed takes a very different approach from his former employer While Varjo develops headsets with lenses, Distance offers glasses-free XR tech to the automotive, aerospace, and defence markets.In July last year, the startup emerged from stealth with a $2.7mn pre-seed investment. Three months later, it raised $11.1mn in a round led by Google Ventures. Now the company is looking to test its tech in the real world.Distances collaboration with Patria is part of the defence firms government-funded eALLIANCE program, which seeks to support Finnish civil and defence tech companies.The partnership comes as Europe rushes to increase defence spending amid cooling relations with the US. Just yesterday, Germany voted to create a massive 500bn ($545bn) fund for defence and infrastructure. Story by Sin Geschwindt Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecos (show all) Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecosystem. He's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. Sin has five years journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Get the TNW newsletterGet the most important tech news in your inbox each week.Also tagged with