For many years, microLEDS have tantalizingly offered the technological potential for smart glasses and other advanced wearables. The single-micron GaN structure of microLEDs provides high resolution, extended lifetime, and true black color, among other benefits. Recent developments indicate that this potential may soon be realized. As the world-leaders in consumer electronics and display manufacturing begin to work together, what was once mere science fiction is fast approaching reality.
MicroLED Innovation Acceleration Center (MIAC)
The time-to-market for AR and MR smart glasses has just been accelerated, thanks to the recent opening of the MicroLED Innovation Acceleration Center in Chandler, Arizona by Compound Photonics. According to microdisplay manufacturer Compound Photonics, the center will be the first known fab in the world focused on producing sub 5μm pixel displays. These microdisplays are particularly crucial in enabling smart glasses and other AR/MR microLED wearables. The center will be approx. 15,000 sq feet and will hold manufacturing and metrology equipment, as well as optical and electro-mechanical labs. According to the company, the goal is “to monolithically integrate GaN-based microLED array epi wafers with advanced CMOS backplane array wafers.” The advent of this fab could play an important role in bringing smart glasses from a concept to a reality.
Apple to Partner with Sony
Meanwhile, tech giants Apple and Sony are reportedly planning on partnering in order to bring AR gaming headsets and AR glasses to market. If the products are successful in attracting a large consumer market, the arrangement promises to be a huge windfall for both Apple, as the device manufacturer, and Sony, as the provider of the required high-resolution microdisplays. Some rumors circulating contend that the gaming headset, which will include AR and VR technologies, is scheduled for release as soon as 2021-2022. The AR glasses, on the other hand, would not hit the market before 2023. The glasses will enable the user to view real-life experiences with overlayed data, such as map navigations.
Foxconn to Use microLEDs in AR Glasses
Finally, one of the world-leading smartphone manufacturers, Foxconn, will be entering the microLED/AR glasses space as well. As early as 2017, Foxconn had invested in eLux Displays, a leading microLED developer. Now, according to reports, Foxconn has secured a 3-year license from Electronics and Optoelectronic System Research Laboratories (EOSRL) for its microLED displays. EOSRL’s microLEDS are as small as 5 μm in size, and their GaN composition is more durable and offers a variety of viewing advantages over its OLED counterpart. These reports note that Foxconn’s plan is to release the AR glasses by 2022 in areas like “smart retail, smart factories, and smart medical care sectors.”
