VR / AR

In early 2022, Vuzix launched the Shield Smart Safety Glasses based on microLED microdisplays (JBD's VGA 0.13"). The Shield, powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon XR1 and Vuzix' propriety waveguide optics, was targeting enterprise use.

A few days ago, Vuzix announced that the Vuzix Shield smart glasses are now available to the general public, available to buy online at Vuzix's site. The company says that the Vuzix Shield is its most revolutionary pair of prescription-ready AR smart safety glasses, boasting enhanced 3D optics made possible by the stereoscopic microLED waveguide-based displays. At $2,499.99, this is still an expensive device and it is not really intended for general consumer use.

Today we published a new edition of our MicroLED and OLED Microdisplays Market Report, with all the latest information. The new edition offers more that a dozen new updates, new companies, new brochures and catalogs, and more. It is a major release with over 30 updates. Global multinational companies are working hard to develop and deploy next-generation AR and VR devices, and these devices will all be based on OLED and microLED microdisplay engines.

Reading this report, you'll learn all about:

• The advantages of OLED and MicroLED microdisplays
• The microdisplays that are available on the market today
• Information on all companies involved in this market
• Future technologies and roadmaps

The report package also provides:

• A list of all OLED microdisplays on the market
• A list of all OLED and MicroLED microdisplays makers
• Microdisplays spreadsheet
• Over 25 datasheets, presentations
• Free updates for a year

This microdisplays market report provides a great introduction to MicroLED and OLED microdisplays, and covers everything you need to know about the current status of the market and industry. This is a great guide if you're considering to adopt OLED microdisplays in your product, if you're looking to learn more about next-generation micro-LEDs and if you want to understand this industry better.

We're happy to interview Reza Chaji, CEO and founder at VueReal, as part of our series of interviews with MicroLED Industry Association members. Canada-based VueReal developed a unique microLED display production process (which it refers to as a MicroSolid Printing Platform) and the company now offers a turnkey platform that enables its partners and customers to develop a custom display and fabricate it at VueReal's own pilot production line. 

Hello Reza, can you introduce your company and technology?

From the outset, we recognized that microLED solutions should address the formidable challenges of developing smartphone microLED displays to pave the way beyond niche markets. Consequently, our focus has been on developing scalable and cost-competitive technologies tailored for high-volume applications. This strategic approach positions us effectively to address the smartphone sector soon and opens doors to other markets.

VueReal's fundamental technological innovation lies in our transfer solution with unique printing attributes, microSolid Printing. This groundbreaking solution boasts distinct advantages over lasers and pick-and-place methods.

UK-based Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology announced that it has installed one of its 200 mm atomic layer deposition (ALD) passivation systems at a UK microLED provider, in order to support the customer's latest AR microdisplay development and production. The OIPT system is used to deposit high-K dielectric ultra-thin films for high-density, very high-brightness, low-power and high frame-rate RGB pixel arrays.

OIPT says that its low-damage plasma ALD technology is optimized for smaller dies with smaller active areas, and was shown in some cases by its customers at ICNS to double external quantum efficiency. 

MicroLED display developer VueReal demonstrated its latest microLED display prototypes at CES 2024.

In the video, you can see VueReal's 2um microLED microdisplays. These are monochrome displays, but VueReal says it will showcase its first full-color microdisplays in Displayweek 2024. VueReal's CEO Reza Chazi explains the company's approach and solutions.

Kopin announced a strategic agreement with MICLEDI to design, develop and produced advanced full-color microLED displays for AR applications.

A 2k OLED microdisplay by Kopin

The project will adopt MICLEDI's CMOS microLED production process, and Kopin's backplane and driving technologies. Kopin will also contribute its deep experience in manufacturing complete display systems.

Rayleigh Vision was established in 2023 in Hong Kong, to developed stacked microLED microdisplay technologies. The company's technology enables the stacking of LEDs on top of each other, to create high-density displays. The company's founder and CEO, Prof. Jr-Hau HE, will give a talk at the upcoming MicroLED-Connect startup showcase event on February 2024, and was kind enough to answer a few questions we had regarding the company's status, technology, and his views on the microLED industry and market.

Hello Prof. Jr-Hau, Can you tell us a bit your company, and technology, and your next steps?

Rayleigh Vision is a company that specializes in disruptive MicroLED technology, with a focus on solutions for full-color microdisplays. Our team includes pioneers in MicroLED technology, who have over a decade of experience in this field.

Although we've seen significant advancements in MicroLED technology, challenges remain. These include developing a full-color solution for microdisplays, improving mass transfer efficiency, and enhancing process yields. From the perspective of microdisplays, achieving a full-color display with a high Field of View (FOV) and Pixels per Degree (PPD) is crucial for an immersive Extended Reality (XR) experience. However, no product currently on the market meets these specifications. 

According to new reports from Korea, Samsung Electronics decided that from now on, Samsung Display will handle all OLED microdisplay projects, while Samsung Semiconductor (SSI, or specifically, the Compound Semiconductor Solutions team) will handle all microLED microdisplay development.

Samsung sees OLED microdisplays as the solution of choice for next-generation VR headsets, such as Apple's Vision Pro (that uses 1.4" 4K OLED microdisplays made by Sony), while microLEDs will power the more demanding AR applications.

MicroLED-Connect is a hybrid event series, a year-long program of virtual and onsite events, all focused on the microLED industry. The first online 2-day webinar was hosted successfully last month, with over 25 lectures (all recordings accessible for pass holders). The next event is a startup showcase, that will be hosted on February 22, 2024.

The startup showcase includes lectures from 8 leading microLED startup companies, covering topics such as microdisplays, AR headset development, microLED production, transfer processes and microLED inspection.

Now is a great time to reserve your ticket and make sure you stay updated with the latest innovation from the following startup companies: Rayleigh Vision, Inziv, Comptek Solutions, QustomDot, Terecircuits, iBeam Materials, Kura Vision and NS Nanotech. You can read the complete agenda here.

Meizu announced the MYVU Discovery AR glasses, said to be the world’s lightest mass-produced full-color AR glasses.

The MYVU Discovery AR use a 0.4 sqcm light-engine based on three monochrome microLED microdisplays - these are JBD's 0.13" VGA displays - and the engine is likely similar to Vuzix's display engine based also on JBD's displays. The MYVU also uses the world's first mass-produced resin optical waveguide lens.