New research headed by Meta Reality Labs and Stanford University have made notable progress in the development of a new holographic display that essentially offers the functionality of the an XR headset into a smaller lens to fit standard eyeglasses. This is an exciting step in the goal of accomplishing effective étendue in a smaller scope using a unique combination of waveguide holography and artificial intelligence (AI) – driven holography algorithms as cited in a recent Nature Phonics paper published by Meta engineers and Stanford researchers led by Gordon Wetzstein.  

While based on waveguides, this optical system is not transparent like Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 or Magic Leap. It also strays from the conventional birdbath top-wise projection seen in XReal’s lenses. What this new prototype does accomplish is the simulation of deep stereoscopic images with a far wider field of view than current AR lenses and with much more natural 3d images than current XR headsets.

Gauzy Ltd., an Israeli material-science company succeeded in producing SPD (Suspended Particle Device) smart glass, a window tinting system which uses microscopic light-absorbing nanoparticles dispersed in a liquid/polymer film. When voltage is applied, these nanoparticles align allowing user to see through the particle matrix and glass layer. They develop and commercialize LCG® (Light Control Glass) SPD films, enabling dynamic dimming and light control in various applications—from architecture to automotive. Notably, they’re the supplier behind Ferrari’s panoramic roof dimming technology. Gauzy Ltd.’s financials can be found here, with a notable upward trend in yearly revenue from 2022.

By combining patterned-opacity via nano SPD layer backdrop and a WO3:Ti-PEDOT hybrid layer sandwiched to a microLED emission with a thin polarization waveguide layer (HOE), a lens substrate of MoS2 doping in Fresnel-pattern on a graphene–IGZO thin-film transistor backplane can potentially allow a transparent AR display that delivers contrast, efficiency, and natural vision without bulky lasers or visor projectors. This methodology would use agentic embedded firmware (Fast Fourier by PAM4) to choose the location of a digital image and CMOS pupil tracking to define where the SPD portion would receive variable voltage, thereby creating only a portion of the display that could act as XR using stacked CMOS to accurately capture surroundings of selection from an external nano layer amidst a completely transparent display, allowing for both maximum étendue efficiency and immersive depth of 3D digital objects.