2:15 PM - 2:35 PM:
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Etched-Waveguide Displays, and the Road to Mainstream Smart Eyewear
Great display performance is not enough to enable smart glasses as the next big consumer electronics platform. They also must be lightweight, comfortable and have excellent aesthetics to be worn as all-day eyewear. We will share waveguide performance and smart glasses prototype designs made possible by an advanced etched photonics platform, and by co-optimizing fabrication tools, materials, photonics design, light-engine optics, frame mechanics, lens silhouette and eyewear design.
2:35 PM - 2:45 PM:
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Manufacturable performance with Dispelix waveguide technology
Dispelix’s single-plate, full-color diffractive waveguide technology is advancing rapidly every year. Dispelix's Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Juuso Olkkonen, will present the latest progress in Dispelix waveguide technology, mass manufacturing capabilities, and how they align with the key requirements for all-day wearables in consumer AR.
2:45 PM - 2:55 PM:
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Advancements in plastic reflective waveguides for enhanced AI integration in AR smartglasses
Plastic reflective waveguides have significantly contributed to reducing manufacturing costs and minimizing the form factor of augmented reality (AR) smartglasses while delivering high-quality visuals through OLED microdisplays. Mr. Ha, CTO of LetinAR, will present LetinAR’s latest developments in optimizing AR systems for seamless integration with artificial intelligence (AI). The focus is on enhancing visual performance and power efficiency to enable all-day use of intelligent, context-aware AI experiences. Novel design methodologies for plastic reflective waveguides are introduced, which improve optical efficiency and display quality. Strategies for incorporating AI processing capabilities into AR smartglasses without compromising compactness or battery life are also discussed. Experimental results demonstrate substantial improvements in visual clarity and energy consumption, highlighting the potential for practical, AI-driven AR applications in everyday use.
2:55 PM - 3:05 PM:
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DigiLens holographic waveguides: pioneering AR and AI for a productive future
DigiLens leads the world in designing, developing, and manufacturing holographic waveguides for augmented reality (AR) applications. Today, AI is widely recognized as the 'killer app' for AR. This talk will review the holographic waveguide fabrication process, presenting it as the key to mass adoption of smart glasses that deliver visual AI content with high mobility.
Achieving this requires high-performance, high-efficiency holographic waveguides that optimize size, weight, and power (SWaP) while delivering content in bright daylight environments. This must be done with low-cost waveguides, made possible by the inherently low capital and recurring manufacturing costs of the holographic waveguide fabrication process. Additional cost and lead-time reductions come from the high manufacturing flexibility of the holographic exposure process. As the market emerges, rapid scalability from concept to high volume is crucial. DigiLens holographic waveguides provide these technical advantages today, utilizing a deployed licensee network of VBG manufacturing technology.
Moreover, DigiLens has advanced its VBG technology into the next generation of surface relief grating technology: SRG+. This process extension of VBG enables the highest performance diffractive waveguides while maintaining a low-cost, high-volume manufacturing approach.
3:05 PM - 3:15 PM:
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Advanced technologies for super lightweight polymer waveguide and large FOV waveguide
We have successfully developed a super-lightweight polymer waveguide incorporating full lamination technology. This full lamination technology allows eliminating the need for an air layer between the cover or push-pull lens and the waveguide, enabling the development of lightweight, thinner yet high strength waveguides. It can display full color at 3.0g monocular weight, 1.0mm thickness, 30-degree FOV maximum and MTF equivalent to glass waveguides. Our in-house developed simulation tool can manage optimization of various DOE and layouts including resin and coating beyond the capability of commercially available calculators. Lightweight and clear images provide a more immersive experience for users.
3:15 PM - 3:25 PM:
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Nano-optics solutions for AR|VR|MR; cameras and waveguides
We present scalable solutions to the AR and smart glasses market. This includes highly miniaturized camera systems based on meta-optics for eye-tracking (MetaEye), gesture recognition, and 3D/depth mapping. For manufacturing of SRG AR waveguides (by replication or nanoimprint and etching) we offer high accuracy masters and processes allowing for high volume manufacturing solutions with unprecedented design freedom.
3:25 PM - 3:45 PM:
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| Tao Lin Chair North Ocean Photonics |
Xinye Lou R&D Director North Ocean Photonics |
Accelerating the adoption of AR smart glasses with diffractive waveguides
With the explosive growth of AI+AR, diffractive waveguides are also entering a rapid development phase. Based on the extensive experience in R&D and MP in this field, North Ocean Photonics would like to share two key industry developments at the conference:
- Recent advancements and roadmap of diffractive waveguide technology across various technical metrics
- Challenges and considerations for mass production for waveguides. Latest progress on NOP's MP capabilities.
3:45 PM - 3:55 PM:
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Integration of wafer and plate-based NIL for scalable manufacturing of high-quality AR waveguides
Optical waveguides are a critical component of Augmented Reality (AR) glasses, with current manufacturing methods predominantly relying on wafer-based value chains. This presentation introduces an innovative approach that integrates the wafer-based process with large-area Roll-to-Plate (R2P) Nanoimprint Lithography (NIL) for high-volume, low-cost production. We designed a diffractive waveguide featuring multi-depth slanted gratings with a 25° slant angle to address refractive index mismatches between the substrate and nanograting resin. Using ultra-flat high-refractive-index glass wafers (n = 2.0) and specialized resins (n = 1.9), our process demonstrated compatibility with upstream and downstream processes. The method achieved scalable results, imprinting five wafers (200 mm diameter) with four waveguides each in a single cycle on a Gen3 panel (550 mm x 650 mm). This work highlights the potential of large-area NIL to advance AR waveguide manufacturing.
Event Details
FORMAT: General session with live audience Q&A to follow some presentations.MENU: Coffee, decaf, and tea will be available outside the presentation room in the nearby exhibition.
SETUP: Mix of theater and classroom style seating.