AR glasses

AR glasses

AR glasses—also known as smart glasses or augmented reality (AR) glasses—are wearable head-mounted devices that superimpose computer-generated images, data, or 3-D models onto the user’s real-world view. In contrast to virtual reality (VR) headsets, which fully occlude the outside world, AR glasses use transparent optics such as waveguide or prism optics so the wearer simultaneously sees both physical surroundings and virtual overlays.

Modern AR glasses integrate miniature micro-displays (OLED, LCD or LCoS), optical combiners, and an array of sensors (RGB/depth cameras, IMU, eye-trackers) driven by low-power SoCs. Real-time SLAM keeps holograms locked to the environment while voice, hand-tracking, or gaze provide input—all in a hands-free form factor that resembles ordinary eyewear.

History and evolution

• 1968 – Ivan Sutherland’s “head-mounted display.” Widely regarded as the first optical see-through AR system, Sutherland’s ceiling-mounted prototype demonstrated dynamic 3-D wireframe graphics aligned to the real world.
• 1990 – Term “augmented reality.” Thomas Caudell of Boeing coins the phrase while describing a heads-up wiring harness guide for aircraft assembly.
• 2013 – Google Glass. The first large-scale consumer smart-glass trial sold a US$1,500 “Explorer Edition” monocular unit to early adopters and sparked privacy debates.
• 2016 – Microsoft HoloLens. The first fully untethered, binocular AR headset for enterprise shipped to developers, introducing integrated depth-sensing and gesture input.
• 2018 – Magic Leap One. Magic Leap released its first commercial mixed-reality visor with diffractive waveguides and an external “Lightpack” compute puck.
• 2021 – Snap Spectacles (4th gen). Snap’s developer-only AR Spectacles added dual waveguide displays and 6-DoF tracking in a 134 g frame.
• 2023 – Apple Vision Pro. Apple unveiled a premium mixed-reality headset combining 23-million-pixel micro-OLED displays, a custom R1 coprocessor and visionOS.

NASA has even flown AR glasses: Microsoft HoloLens units reached the International Space Station in 2015 as part of Project Sidekick to provide astronauts with remote expert guidance.

Technical components

Optics and displays

Most systems use transparent waveguide displays or reflective prisms that channel light from miniature OLED/LCD microdisplays into the wearer’s eyes. Research prototypes now employ inverse-designed metasurface gratings to deliver full-color holography in eyeglass-scale optics.

Sensors and tracking

Typical AR glasses integrate:

• Multiple RGB/depth cameras for environment capture
• An inertial measurement unit for low-latency head pose
• Eye-tracking cameras for foveated rendering or UI
• Optional LiDAR or time-of-flight sensors for coarse depth

Fused visual-inertial odometry and SLAM keep virtual objects anchored in real space.

Processing and power

Standalone devices employ mobile Snapdragon XR or custom silicon (e.g., Apple’s M2 + R1) with on-board batteries. Tethered designs off-load compute to a smartphone or “compute puck,” reducing head-borne weight.

Form factors

• Monocular (single-eye) vs. binocular (two-eye)
• Tethered (requires external host) vs. stand-alone
• Optical see-through vs. video pass-through (e.g., Vision Pro)

Applications

• Remote assistance & field service – Live video, annotations and step-by-step holograms can cut maintenance time by up to 50 % and raise first-time-fix rates 30 %.
• Industrial & logistics – Pick-by-vision, assembly guidance, quality inspection.
• Medical – Surgical navigation, anatomy overlays, remote proctoring.
• Consumer entertainment & gaming – Hands-free AR games, giant virtual screens.
• Military & aerospace – Heads-up situational awareness; NASA’s Sidekick on ISS.

Leading products and companies

Device	First release	Notes
Microsoft HoloLens 2	2019	Binocular, waveguide optics, hand-tracking
Magic Leap 2	2022	70° FOV, dynamic dimming, enterprise focus
Apple Vision Pro	2024	Dual 4K micro-OLED, eye-tracking, video pass-through
Snap Spectacles (4th gen)	2021	46° FOV waveguides, Creator beta
Vuzix Blade 2	2023	Sunglass form factor, ANSI-rated for industry
Epson Moverio BT-45	2022	Si-OLED binocular smart-glasses

Software platforms

• ARKit for iOS (2017)
• ARCore for Android (2017)
• OpenXR cross-vendor standard
• visionOS (Apple), Windows Mixed Reality, Lumin OS, Snap OS

Privacy, ethics and social acceptance

Always-on cameras and eye-tracking raise surveillance concerns. Google Glass’s 2013 rollout provoked bans in bars and cinemas and the term “Glasshole.” Designers now emphasise LED capture indicators, on-device processing, and fashion-friendly styling to improve social acceptance.

Market trends

According to IDC, global AR/VR headset shipments grew 10 % in 2024 and are forecast to jump 41 % in 2025, driven by cheaper hardware and on-device AI. Counterpoint Research likewise projects “AI smart-glasses” to achieve double-digit million-unit volumes by 2029. Enterprise demand currently outpaces consumer uptake due to clear productivity ROI, but analysts expect mainstream adoption as weight, cost, and app ecosystems improve.

Future outlook

Research directions include:

• Metasurface and holographic waveguides for thin, full-color optics
• Retinal projection and varifocal displays to solve vergence-accommodation conflict
• Edge/cloud off-load over 5G for light glasses with all-day battery
• AI copilots that contextualise the environment and anticipate user intent (e.g., Meta’s Project Orion prototypes)