Lumus introduced a massively wider FOV to smartglasses at CES 2026

Lumus obtained a significant increase in model recognition when considered one of its waveguides was chosen to be used within the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses. However that already appears like previous tech now as a result of at CES 2026, the corporate introduced a few of its newest parts to the present and primarily based on what I noticed, they appear poised to significantly elevate the optical high quality of the subsequent wave of high-end smartglasses.

When the Meta Ray-Ban Shows glasses got here out, they wowed customers as they have been (and nonetheless are) considered one of a handful of smartglassess to function a full-color in-lens show with a minimum of a 20-degree area of view. However going by the specs on Lumus’ latest waveguides, we’re set for a significant improve when it comes to future capabilities.

The primary mannequin I attempted featured Lumus’ optimized Z-30 waveguides, which not solely supply a a lot wider 30-degree FOV, they’re additionally 30 % lighter and 40 % thinner than earlier generations. On high of that, Lumus says they’re additionally extra energy environment friendly with the waveguides able to hitting greater than 8,000 nits per watt. It is a huge deal as a result of smartglasses are at present fairly restricted by the scale of batteries they’ll use, particularly if you wish to make them small and lightweight sufficient to put on all day. After I tried them on, I used to be dazzled by each the brightness and sharpness I noticed from the Z-30s regardless of them being restricted to 720 x 720 decision. Not solely did the rise in FOV really feel a lot bigger than 10 levels, colours have been very wealthy, together with white, which is commonly some of the tough shades to correctly reproduce.

Nevertheless, even after seeing how good that first mannequin was, I used to be completely not ready for Lumus’ 70-degree FOV waveguides. I used to be capable of view some movies and a handful of check pictures and I used to be fully blown away with how a lot space they coated. It was principally your entire heart portion of the lens, with solely small unused areas across the corners. And whereas I did discover some pincushion distortion alongside the perimeters of the waveguide’s show, a Lumus consultant advised me that will probably be attainable to right for that in remaining retail items. However make no mistake, these waveguides undoubtedly produced a few of the sharpest, brightest and best-looking optics I’ve seen from any smartglasses, from both retail fashions or prototypes or. It virtually made me query how a lot wider FOV some of these devices actually need, although to be clear, I don’t assume we’ve hit the purpose of diminishing returns but.

Different benefits of Lumus’ geometric reflective waveguides embody higher total effectivity than their refractive counterparts together with the power to optically bond the shows to smartglasses lenses. Meaning not like numerous rivals, Lumus’ waveguides may be paired with transitions lenses as an alternative of needing to resort to clip-on sunglass attachments once you go outdoors. Lumus additionally claims its designs additionally simplifies the manufacturing course of, leading to thinner waveguides (as small as 0.8mm) and customarily larger yields.

Sadly, taking high-quality pictures of content material from smartglasses shows is extremely difficult, particularly once you’re utilizing extraordinarily delicate prototypes, so that you’ll simply need to take my phrase for now. However with Lumus within the strategy of ramping up manufacturing of its new waveguides with assist from companions together with Quanta and SCHOTT, it appears like there can be a ton of smartglasses makers clamoring for these parts as momentum continues to construct round the industry’s pick for the next “big” thing.