MAD Gaze Wave
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| MAD Gaze Wave | |
|---|---|
| |
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Augmented Reality |
| Type | Head-mounted display |
| Subtype | AR Glasses |
| Developer | MAD Gaze |
| Manufacturer | MAD Gaze |
| Announcement Date | September 2021 (AWE Asia 2021) |
| Release Date | 2022 |
| Price | $399 |
| Predecessor | MAD Gaze Glow Plus |
| Display | |
| Display | 2 x Micro-OLED binocular |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 per eye |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| Image | |
| Field of View | 40° diagonal |
| Optics | |
| Optics | Hybrid waveguide |
| Ocularity | Binocular |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | 6DoF |
| Audio | |
| Audio | Two built-in stereo speakers |
| Camera | 8-megapixel RGB |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | USB-C DisplayPort (Android phones); MAD Gaze 3-in-1 adapter for other devices |
| Device | |
| Weight | 80 g |
| Color | White, silver, black, violet, blue, rose gold (frames) |
| Sensors | 9-axis (accelerometer, magnetometer, gyroscope) |
| Input | Smartphone, MAD Gaze watch, joystick, mobile trackpad, laser pointer, keyboard, voice |
MAD Gaze Wave is an augmented reality head-mounted display announced in 2021, with shipments scheduled to begin in March 2022. It is a pair of smart glasses made by the Hong Kong company MAD Gaze, which marketed it as mixed reality smart glasses.[1][2] The glasses have two Micro-OLED displays behind a hybrid waveguide optical system, a 40 degree diagonal field of view and a weight of 80 grams. They connect by cable to a smartphone or another video source.[1]
MAD Gaze showed the Wave for the first time at AWE Asia 2021 in Chengdu, China, in September 2021, and crowdfunded it on Kickstarter in November and December 2021.[3][4] The company described it as the next generation of its earlier MAD Gaze Glow Plus.[1]
History
MAD Gaze was founded in May 2013 and is headquartered in Hong Kong. Its first product, the Ares, launched at the end of 2016, and Display Daily wrote in December 2021 that six augmented and mixed reality smart glasses products had followed it.[1]
The Wave had its public debut at a product launch during AWE Asia 2021, a regional edition of the Augmented World Expo held on 27 and 28 September 2021 at the Chengdu Marriott Hotel Financial Centre.[5] The Chinese VR industry outlet VR陀螺 described it as fifth-generation hybrid waveguide AR smart glasses and reported that its launch at the show was the product's global debut.[3] MAD Gaze chief executive Jordan Cheng was listed as a speaker at the event, and the company received the Auggie Award for Best Innovation there.[5]
Kickstarter campaign
The Kickstarter campaign, titled "Wave: Next-Gen MR Smart Glasses for Gaming & Entertainment", ran from 18 November to 18 December 2021 and was based in Hong Kong. It set a goal of HK$77,900 and ended with HK$516,805 pledged by 174 backers.[4] Geeky Gadgets reported on 19 November 2021 that the campaign had already passed its funding goal with 29 days left. Early bird pledges started at about US$299 (£222), which the report described as roughly 40 percent below the planned retail price.[2]
MAD Gaze planned to start production in January 2022 and to begin shipping in March 2022, and Display Daily reported that the Wave would be priced from $299.[1] Geeky Gadgets also gave March 2022 as the expected shipping date for backers, on the condition that the campaign succeeded and production went smoothly.[2]
Design
MAD Gaze promoted the Wave as AR glasses that people would actually want to wear, in contrast to bulky AR smart glasses and heavy headsets. The company said its ergonomic design and customizable nose pieces reduce tension and pressure on the head, and it marketed the 80 gram glasses for all-day wear.[2] The frames came in six colors: white, silver, black, violet, blue and rose gold. A protective pouch was included in the box.[1]
Display and optics
The earlier Glow Plus used birdbath optics. The Wave switched to what MAD Gaze calls a Hybrid Waveguide Optical Display. Display Daily reported that this see-through optical system is lighter and thinner than the Glow Plus optics and consumes less power.[1] The displays are micro-OLED panels.[2]
The published specifications give a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels for each eye, labeled "4K HD". Other listed figures are 1800 nits of brightness, a 60 Hz refresh rate and a 40 degree diagonal field of view.[1] In its Kickstarter materials the company said the glasses produce a 163-inch virtual screen and switch between 2D and 3D viewing with one key.[4]
Tracking and sensors
The Wave has an 8-megapixel RGB camera and a 9-axis sensor set made up of an accelerometer, a magnetometer and a gyroscope.[1] Display Daily reported that the Wave uses simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) as part of how it provides extended reality experiences.[1] The company advertised 6DoF tracking and 360 degree head control.[4][3]
Audio
The Wave has two built-in stereo speakers. Display Daily reported that a new circuit chip is included to give the audio system a higher dynamic range.[1]
Connectivity and control
The Wave connects directly to Android smartphones that output video through a USB-C DisplayPort connection. Other phones, as well as tablets, PCs and game consoles can be connected through the MAD Gaze 3-in-1 adapter.[1]
The glasses can be controlled with a smartphone, a MAD Gaze watch, a joystick, a mobile trackpad, a laser pointer, a keyboard or by voice.[1] VR陀螺 reported that the Wave supports up to seven interaction methods, including gestures, voice and buttons.[3]
Specifications
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| Display | 2 x Micro-OLED binocular[2] |
| Optics | Hybrid waveguide[1] |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 per eye (marketed as 4K HD)[1] |
| Brightness | 1800 nits[1] |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz[1] |
| Field of view | 40° diagonal[1] |
| Virtual screen | 163 inches (manufacturer claim)[4] |
| Camera | 8-megapixel RGB[1] |
| Sensors | 9-axis: accelerometer, magnetometer, gyroscope[1] |
| Audio | Two built-in stereo speakers[1] |
| Connection | USB-C DisplayPort; MAD Gaze 3-in-1 adapter for other devices[1] |
| Weight | 80 g[1] |
| Kickstarter pledge price | Early bird pledges from about US$299[2] |
See also
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 Arthur Berman (2021-12-17). "Next-Gen Smart Glasses from Mad Gaze are on the Way". Display Daily. https://displaydaily.com/next-gen-smart-glasses-from-mad-gaze-are-on-the-way/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Julian Horsey (2021-11-19). "Wave mixed reality smart glasses combine reality and the digital world". Geeky Gadgets. https://www.geeky-gadgets.com/wave-mixed-reality-smart-glasses-19-11-2021/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 VR陀螺 (2021-10-08). "MAD Gaze AR智能眼镜WAVE于AWE Asia 2021全球首发". Sohu. https://www.sohu.com/a/493958037_549351. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "Wave: Next-Gen MR Smart Glasses for Gaming & Entertainment by MAD Gaze". Kicktraq. https://www.kicktraq.com/projects/madgaze/wave-next-gen-mr-smart-glasses-for-gaming-and-entertainment/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "AWE Asia 2021". AWE Asia. https://www.aweasia.com/awe-asia-2021. Retrieved 2026-09-27.