Israel’s Lumus, the developer of reflective waveguide technology for augmented reality (AR) eyewear, has introduced its second-generation technology to enable the development of smaller and lighter AR glasses.
The Lumus Z-Lens 2D waveguide architecture builds upon 2D Maximus to enable the development of smaller, lighter AR eyeglasses with high-resolution image quality, outdoor-compatible brightness and seamless prescription eye integration. The AR modules can be as much as 50% smaller.
The new technology will be demoed publicly for the first time at CES 2023, the big tech trade show in Las Vegas this week. Lumus hopes the tech will be the AR bridge to the exciting possibilities of the metaverse.
“In order for AR glasses to penetrate the consumer market in a meaningful way, they need to be impressive both functionally and aesthetically,” Lumus CEO Ari Grobman said in a statement. “With Z-Lens, we’re aligning form and function, eliminating barriers-of-entry for the industry and paving the way for widespread consumer adoption. Our introduction of Maximus 2D reflective waveguide technology two years ago was just the beginning. Z-Lens, with all of its improvements unlocks the future of augmented reality that consumers are eagerly waiting for.”
Big functionality, small size
Lumus’ new Z-Lens waveguide architecture maintains the superb image quality and high luminance efficiency advantages of its predecessor, Maximus, but features an optical engine that is 50% smaller. The new architecture also allows for more flexibility for glasses manufacturers to place the entrance aperture in various positions.
This allows for significantly more compact AR optics for natural looking glasses that reduce the weight and bulk associated with many of today’s solutions.
Z-Lens’ new, lightweight optical engine features 2K x 2K resolution and full, vibrant color to offer superb image quality. With a brightness of 3,000 nits/watt, consumers will be able to enjoy augmented reality in daylight through a pair of glasses that — from the outside — are virtually indistinguishable from a non-AR pair.