Provider of 3D printed prescription lenses, Luxexcel, recently joined forces with WaveOptics, a designer of waveguides and light engines. The two companies are collaborating to create a module that connects three of the critical elements needed for an immersive augmented reality experience through consumer smart glasses. The solution will combine a 3D-printed prescription lens with an innovative projector and waveguide.
The module comes from Luxexcel’s pioneering platform for 3D printing and features a full waveguide solution encapsulated within a 3D printed lens. The two companies say that they can maintain high-quality images with this technology because the waveguide stays completely flat. In the printing process, an air gap is created which assists with accuracy. The structure of the 3D printed lens also provides a fantastic mounting environment for the projector, which ensures absolute alignment in the optical module.
Designing Accurate AR Glasses
The Chief Strategy Officer for Luxexcel, Guido Groet, said that around 70% of the adult population currently needs some form of vision correction to see clearly. Offering consumers, a single device that can integrate with their prescription requirements is a crucial step forward for the company. At the same time, connections with smart technologies from innovators like WaveOptics allows for a more immersive experience, powering the adoption of smart glasses in the consumer market.
The strength of the combined Luxexcel 3D printing platform and WaveOptics waveguides support a comprehensive augmented reality system for prescription eyewear that could set a new standard in the industry. CTO of WaveOptics, Phil Greenhalgh went on to say that the combination of the Katana waveguide from WaveOptics as the thinned and lightest solution on the market, with Luxexcel’s printed lenses has amazing potential for real-world use. The partnership provides a solution for two of the other major product planning challenges that customers face: how to address prescription needs and deliver a robust waveguide in a consumer system.
A New Age for Prescription Wearables?
While many intelligent glasses and headsets are beginning to take the needs of people with prescription eyeglasses into account, few offer the same kind of customisable experience provided by Luxexcel and WaveOptics. The module, which could pave the way to the future of prescription smart glasses, appears for the first time in March 2021.
The two companies will be presenting the technology at the SPIE conference for AR, VR, and MR, as part of a fireside chat (hosted virtually) to discuss the partnership between the two brands. Prototypes are expected to release within the second quarter of 2021.
