Our teams bring extensive, practical knowledge to waveguide design, prototyping, and production, giving us a clear view of what it takes to move from concept to reality.
We understand how efficiency, mass, aesthetics, and comfort influence each other, and how decisions made early in the design process carry through to manufacturing and end use.
This perspective, combined with years of hands-on technical expertise, allows us to pursue solutions that require a high level of confidence in both design and execution.
Constraints
Designing waveguides for lightweight augmented reality (AR) glasses means working within tightly defined physical and optical parameters. These include size, thickness, field-of-view, and allowable mass within the overall device.
Rather than slowing creativity or workflows, these constraints create focus. They narrow the range of viable design paths early, allowing our teams to concentrate on solutions that can realistically be built, worn comfortably, and integrated into a complete AR glasses system.
Constraints also help align teams across disciplines. For example, optical design, mechanical engineering, and manufacturing teams can evaluate against the same boundaries, reducing rework and keeping development moving forward in a clear direction.
We have honed this disciplined approach, leading to more predictable outcomes. Our designs are not only optimized for performance, but are also grounded in the realities of materials, processes, and assembly.
Tradeoffs
Every waveguide design requires a balance of competing requirements across the entire form factor. Everything is connected: optical efficiency, image quality, weight, thermal behavior, durability, and manufacturability.
Over a decade of experience has equipped our teams with the ability to identify which variables will have the greatest effect on the overall system and which ones can be adjusted with minimal impact. This nuanced and specialized knowledge of waveguides and their systems helps us prioritize decisions that improve clarity, consistency, and comfort without introducing unnecessary complexity.
For example, expanding a waveguide’s field-of-view can make for a more immersive AR experience, but it often reduces optical efficiency and uniformity because more power is needed.
We assess decisions like these in context and across teams to see the full picture. By working in this way, tradeoffs are made with a clear understanding of how they affect the full device, from optical stack performance to wearability and long-term reliability.
Risks
Risks often emerge at the innovative edge of new designs, material applications, or manufacturing approaches. In waveguide development, even small deviations can affect brightness, color uniformity, or overall image quality across the display.
Experience with AR-specific optics helps our team spot potential risks early in the process. Simulation tools and modeling are two processes that help us predict and identify where issues may arise before physical prototypes are built.
Rapid prototyping and testing then provide real-world validation. Engineers can measure performance, evaluate tolerances, and refine designs based on data rather than assumptions.
This approach allows our teams to reduce uncertainty without limiting innovation. They are able to explore new ideas with confidence, knowing that potential issues will be surfaced and addressed early on, before they impact production lines or product performance.
From concept discussions through production, our engineers connect waveguide design decisions to measurable outcomes. Our deep optical experience, advanced simulation tools, and tightly integrated manufacturing processes help ensure designs translate into consistent and high-performing components for our partners.
Learn more about our approach to Waveguide Engineering.