Smart contact lenses developer XPANCEO and microLED microdisplay maker JBD announced that they will co-develop a new micro-display designed specifically for direct integration into a smart contact lens.
This marks the second phase of the two companies' collaboration, building on the partnership they first announced in 2024. During the earlier proof-of-concept stage, the teams built a printed circuit board (PCB) with an integrated micro-display connected to the lens' processing unit, and developed an optical system capable of forming a precise image that a wearer can comfortably focus on despite it sitting extremely close to the surface of the eye. XPANCEO also demonstrated that such a system can be powered entirely by wireless means, removing the need for bulky internal components.
For the new phase, the teams defined the precise technical criteria needed to make a micro-display suitable and comfortable for a contact lens. While smart glasses can accommodate much larger components, the electronics in a smart contact lens must be kept at around the thickness of a human hair, and the resulting display is expected to measure no more than a fraction of a millimeter in diameter.
Because the image is projected directly onto the retina, XPANCEO says an optimal result can be achieved with far lower brightness than conventional AR wearables such as smart glasses - which in turn enables substantially lower power consumption, a critical advantage given the extremely limited space available for energy storage inside a lens.
XPANCEO and JBD are also co-developing a specialized microdisplay backplane architecture aimed at minimizing unnecessary power loss and achieving exceptionally low power consumption.
XPANCEO recently raised $250 million at a $1.35 billion valuation to fund its development.
