A new virtual reality (VR) training system is set to give military instructors a deeper level of insight into soldier performance, showing not only what happens during training, but what drives it.
Developed by Ireland-based VRAI in partnership with Finnish tech firm Varjo, the HEAT platform is designed to reflect real-time human performance data inside an immersive simulator.
It integrates Varjo’s eye tracking tech and biometric sensors with VRAI’s software to capture data such as heart rate, eye movement, control inputs, communications, cognitive load, and physiological stress.
That information is processed and displayed in near real time through an instructor dashboard, allowing trainers to see how individuals and crews are responding under pressure.
With the new VR platform, instructors can move beyond observing outcomes and begin understanding the underlying drivers of performance, enabling earlier intervention, more precise feedback, and improved assessments of readiness.
“We built immersive simulation technology to put people inside scenarios that matter, and VRAI tells you exactly what happened to them when they got there,” said Valentin Storz, Chief Revenue Officer of Varjo.
“Together, we can deliver training that gets smarter with every session, because each one generates data that makes the next one better.”
Streamlining Military Training
The companies said access to live biometrics and cognitive data could allow instructors to adjust training in real time and make more informed decisions about soldier readiness.
The approach also addresses a modern challenge for military forces: training more personnel under constrained budgets and limited equipment availability.
HEAT is designed to allow a single instructor to train more than 12 cadets simultaneously, compared to around three under traditional setups.
On the Path to Scale
The system builds on existing deployments with defense users such as Rheinmetall and the Irish Defence Forces, where armor crews already use Varjo hardware and VRAI software in training environments.
Under the partnership, VRAI will resell Varjo technology to its customers, while Varjo will offer VRAI’s software to its own user base.
A starter version of HEAT will be available for integration with existing simulation setups from May 2026.
The companies will also showcase the system at the International Training Technology Exhibition and Conference 2026 in London.
“The world has changed, and how we train our personnel has to change with it,” VRAI Chief Executive Officer Pat O’Connor stated.
