14.05.2018
Optics Balzers and WaveOptics: Partnership for Diffractive Waveguide Production
Optics Balzers, global leader in the supply of optical coatings and components, and WaveOptics, world leading designer and manufacturer of diffractive waveguides, announce a collaboration to industrialize diffractive waveguide manufacturing for near-eye display applications. They aim to scale up the production of high quality waveguides for Augmented Reality (AR) glasses.
The collaboration between Optics Balzers and WaveOptics will scale up the production of high quality waveguides for consumer AR glasses. AR glasses enable users to see computer generated imagery overlaid onto the real world. This partnership will enable the mass-market adoption of AR. To date, no company has managed to produce AR devices in large quantities and bring a high quality product to the market at an affordable price point.
High performance, low cost
WaveOptics has developed an optical solution for AR devices, which promises full color, high field of view and lower cost along with scalable manufacturing processes. Optics Balzers as leading partner for industrialization of optical key components supports WaveOptics in further developing the technology and has the expertise to establish mass production. Alex Vogt, CEO of Optics Balzers, states that the partnership is a big step in enhancing Augmented Reality: „Our collaboration makes it possible to implement high performance AR consumer applications at the lowest cost available today.“
David Hayes, CEO WaveOptics, adds: “This partnership will allow us to leverage Optics Balzers expertise in optical coatings and solutions, which will allow us to mass-manufacture our waveguides at scale, at the lowest cost in the industry today.”
Partnership strengthens market position
WaveOptics aims to be production ready by the end of 2018, and therefore in a position to support its customers for their launch timeframes.
Through a partnership with WaveOptics, Optics Balzers further increases its R&D and manufacturing competences for waveguides and strengthens its position as an optical key-component supplier in the near-eye display market.
Computer generated imagery is projected through the waveguide into your eye and appears as virtual image in the real world
