Vuzix Ultralite
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| Vuzix Ultralite[1] | |
|---|---|
| |
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Augmented Reality |
| Type | Smart Glasses |
| Subtype | OEM Platform |
| Platform | Paired iOS or Android smartphone (original design)[2] |
| Creator | Vuzix |
| Developer | Vuzix |
| Manufacturer | Vuzix |
| Announcement Date | 17 November 2022; demonstrated at CES 2023[1][3] |
| Price | OEM reference platform; partner-defined products[4] |
| Website | https://www.vuzix.com/pages/vuzix-ultralite-oem-platform |
| Versions | Original Ultralite; Ultralite S; later HUD, Audio and Pro configurations (see below)[4][5][6] |
| Requires | Paired smartphone (original design)[2] |
| Display | |
| Display | Original design: monocular green microLED waveguide[7] |
| Resolution | 640 x 480 (CES 2023 design, reported by Karl Guttag)[7] |
| Optics | |
| Optics | Optical see-through waveguide[3] |
| Ocularity | Monocular (original design)[3] |
| Passthrough | Optical see-through[3] |
| Audio | |
| Camera | OEM configuration dependent; optional integration described in 2023[2] |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth to a paired phone (original design)[8] |
| Bluetooth | Yes (original design)[8] |
| Power | Built-in rechargeable battery (original design)[1][8] |
| Battery Life | Up to two days per charge (manufacturer claim for original design)[1] |
| Device | |
| Weight | 38 g (manufacturer figure for original design)[1] |
| Color | OEM-customizable styles and colors[5] |
| Input | Paired phone; controls depend on OEM configuration[4] |
The Vuzix Ultralite is a smart glasses reference platform that Vuzix offers to manufacturers developing their own branded eyewear. The original design combines a monocular, optical see-through display with a wireless link to a smartphone. Vuzix announced it in November 2022 and demonstrated it at CES 2023. Its stated 38 g weight and two-day battery life describe that design; later Ultralite configurations have different displays and electronics.[1][3][6]
History and development
Vuzix developed Ultralite as an OEM platform for other companies, alongside its own branded smart glasses. The company's 2022 annual report describes supplying the platform, waveguides and miniature display engines to selected manufacturers for incorporation into products sold through those partners' distribution channels. This is a different commercial arrangement from selling one fixed consumer model.[9]
CES 2023 announcement
The 17 November 2022 announcement identified Ultralite as a CES 2023 Innovation Awards winner in Wearable Technology and outlined a prescription-ready design with multiple eyewear sizes and component combinations. At the show in January 2023, Vuzix offered private demonstrations to companies interested in optical components or white labeling the design.[1][3]
Vuzix's 2022 annual report forecast commercial shipments by the end of summer 2023. That statement was a forecast, rather than a report that those shipments had occurred. The platform's later related products have their own announcement and availability dates.[9]
Related products
On 16 November 2023 Vuzix announced Ultralite S, a sports and fitness configuration of the OEM platform. It described waveguide optics, microLED displays and wireless information from a smartphone or smartwatch. The company said S had received CES 2024 Innovation Awards in Wearable Technologies and Sports & Fitness. It also promoted its Incognito optics as reducing forward light leakage, or eye glow.[5]
The Vuzix Z100 is a separately named product built on the Ultralite platform. Vuzix introduced its Developer's Edition on 9 January 2024 and announced general availability on 20 November 2024 at US$499. The launch announcements gave different weights: 35 g in January and 38 g in November. The November release associated its translation, transcription, teleprompter, fitness and Android navigation features with Vuzix Connect 1.7. Those dates, prices and app features belong to the Z100, rather than establishing a retail release or price for every Ultralite design.[10][11]
Design philosophy
The original design uses the phone's capabilities to deliver information to the glasses. In a CES 2023 demonstration, TechRadar's Jeremy Kaplan saw green text in the right lens transcribing a staff member's speech. He described a projector in one temple and a battery and Bluetooth radio in the other, with no cable to an external battery pack.[8]
Customization is central to the OEM approach. Partners can vary the frame and component configuration, rather than being limited to the exact glasses shown at a trade show. Vuzix's February 2023 announcement explicitly discussed adding sensing cameras and microphones to the platform and using phone-based AI or visual-search applications. This described integration possibilities rather than a standard camera, microphone or built-in AI assistant in every pair.[2]
Display technology
The CES 2023 Ultralite used a green-only display. In his contemporary account of the show, display analyst Karl Guttag identified a Jade Bird Display microLED engine with 640 x 480 pixels and Vuzix waveguide optics. He reported an output capability of up to 4,100 nits for the engine-and-waveguide combination, and relayed chief executive Paul Travers's two-day typical-use battery claim. These were reported capabilities and a manufacturer runtime claim, rather than a published independent battery or brightness benchmark.[7]
The see-through image presents text and graphics over the wearer's view of the surroundings. The original manufacturer's use cases centered on notifications and other heads-up information. Its monocular green display differs from the binocular full-color optics announced for Ultralite Pro in 2025.[3][6]
Physical design
Vuzix specified a weight of 38 g for the original platform and described it as prescription ready, with different eyewear sizes and component combinations. Its later S announcement added customization of styles and colors. These are design options for manufacturers; the availability of a particular prescription arrangement or frame depends on the resulting product.[1][9][5]
Battery
Vuzix advertised up to two days of operation on one charge for the original Ultralite. Guttag's account qualifies the company's figure as typical use. Neither cited account establishes 48 hours of continuous illuminated-display use, and the Android SDK documentation warns that keeping the display on indefinitely uses more power.[9][7][12]
Connectivity
The original design connects to a smartphone over Bluetooth. Vuzix described compatibility with Android and iOS phones and proposed displaying information supplied by those devices. Phone pairing and application support are part of the configuration, rather than evidence of a standalone Android computer or a universal link to every phone application.[8][2]
For the related Z100, the manufacturer's manual describes pairing through the Vuzix Connect phone app, temple touch areas and a power button. It illustrates a magnetic charging terminal connected through the supplied cable to a 5 V USB power source. These documented Z100 controls and charging instructions should not be assumed to describe every customized OEM design.[13]
Applications
Vuzix's proposed applications include language translation and closed captions, message notifications, directions, health information and workout status. Kaplan's CES demonstration provides a contemporary example of speech transcription in the display. Application support depends on the connected phone and the software developed for a particular implementation.[2][8]
Product variants
Vuzix announced Ultralite Pro and Ultralite Audio reference designs developed with Quanta Computer at CES 2025. The Pro announcement specified a Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 processor, two full-color Avegant LCoS projectors, binocular waveguides, a camera and microphones. Audio used a monochrome microLED projector and added dual speakers and a noise-canceling microphone. These added components belong to the later configurations.[6]
Vuzix's OEM page lists the following configurations when reviewed on 15 October 2026. Their inclusion in the OEM catalog describes development starting points, rather than a shared retail specification or price.[4]
| Configuration | Display and connection | Camera and audio |
|---|---|---|
| Ultralite HUD | Single monochrome MI-30 waveguide and microLED projector; Bluetooth phone companion | No camera or audio |
| Ultralite Audio | Single monochrome MI-30 waveguide and microLED projector; Bluetooth phone companion | No camera; stereo audio |
| Ultralite Pro | Dual full-color CI-30 waveguides and LCoS displays; Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 | Onboard camera; stereo audio |
AI/GPT integration
The February 2023 announcement discussed ChatGPT, visual search and potential camera or microphone integration. Ultralite S was subsequently promoted as a display for responses from AI applications. These descriptions concern an interface to software and optional hardware integration; a reference platform's name does not define which AI service an OEM product provides.[2][5]
Software development
Vuzix publishes an Ultralite SDK for applications communicating with the Z100 from Android or iOS. Its overview documents sending text, images and simple animations, receiving tap events, and monitoring connection, display, battery and charging state. The Android repository lists Android 12 or later, Vuzix Connect and Z100 glasses as requirements. These are the published Z100 developer requirements, rather than a guarantee for every Ultralite-based OEM product.[14][15]
The Android interface requires an application to obtain control before changing the layout or drawing content. Another application can take control, and a disconnection can end it; the application must restore its display configuration when control returns. The API also distinguishes passive notifications from an application's controlled display session.[12]
Comparison with lightweight smart glasses
Ultralite is an OEM development platform, so comparisons need to identify the actual configuration or finished product. The original monochrome design, the separate Z100 product and the later full-color Pro reference design have different documented roles. The following timeline distinguishes those roles.[3][11][6]
| Design or product | Dated evidence | Commercial meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Original Ultralite | November 2022 announcement; CES 2023 demonstration[1][3] | Reference platform for partner-branded glasses |
| Ultralite S | November 2023 announcement[5] | Sports and fitness OEM configuration |
| Z100 | January 2024 Developer's Edition; November 2024 general availability[10][11] | Vuzix-branded product based on Ultralite; US$499 at general availability |
| Ultralite Audio and Pro | January 2025 announcement[6] | Separate OEM reference designs developed with Quanta Computer |
Strengths and limitations
The original platform combines a 38 g manufacturer weight figure, a monocular see-through display and phone-supplied information. The OEM model also allows different frames and components. Vuzix intended the platform for everyday wear; that positioning does not establish fatigue-free use or a measured comfort advantage.[9][2]
Its documented 2023 demonstration displayed green text and directions. It should not be confused with a full-color immersive headset. Similarly, displaying a navigation arrow does not by itself establish positional tracking, spatial mapping or world-locked graphics. The documented functions here concern a phone-linked heads-up display.[8][3]
Technical specifications summary
The figures below refer to the original 2022-2023 Ultralite design, except where a row explicitly identifies a related product.
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Smart glasses OEM reference platform[3] |
| Display | Monocular green microLED with see-through waveguide optics[7] |
| Weight | 38 g, manufacturer figure[1] |
| Battery life | Up to two days per charge, manufacturer claim[1] |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth; phone-based Android or iOS integration[8][2] |
| Prescription | Prescription-ready design; multiple sizes and component combinations described[1] |
| Camera | Optional OEM integration discussed; later Pro has an onboard camera[2][6] |
| Variants | Ultralite S; later HUD, Audio and Pro configurations; Z100 is a separate product based on the platform[5][4][10] |
| Z100 price | US$499 at November 2024 general availability; not an Ultralite OEM platform price[11] |
| Awards | Original: CES 2023 Wearable Technology; S: CES 2024 Wearable Technologies and Sports & Fitness, as announced by Vuzix[1][5] |
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 "Vuzix to Introduce its New Award Winning Ultralite™ Smart Glasses Platform at CES 2023". Vuzix Corporation / PR Newswire. 2022-11-17. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vuzix-to-introduce-its-new-award-winning-ultralite-smart-glasses-platform-at-ces-2023-301681139.html. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 "Vuzix Advances the Vuzix Ultralite™ OEM Platform to Better Facilitate Visual GPT and Other AI Functions". Vuzix Corporation. 2023-02-16. https://ir.vuzix.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/2015/vuzix-advances-the-vuzix-ultralite-oem-platform-to. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 "Vuzix CES 2023 Day 1: A Booth Experience Like Never Before". Vuzix Corporation. 2023-01-06. https://www.vuzix.com/blogs/vuzix-blog/vuzix-ces-2023-day-1-a-booth-experience-like-never-before. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 "Vuzix Ultralite OEM Platform". Vuzix Corporation. https://www.vuzix.com/pages/vuzix-ultralite-oem-platform. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 "Vuzix Unveils Sports & Fitness Configuration of Ultralite Smart Glasses Platform with New Award Winning Ultralite S". Vuzix Corporation. 2023-11-16. https://ir.vuzix.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/2057/vuzix-unveils-sports-fitness-configuration-of-ultralite. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 "Vuzix to Unveil Cutting-Edge Ultralite ODM/OEM Reference Designs and Advanced Waveguide Solutions at CES 2025". Vuzix Corporation. 2025-01-07. https://ir.vuzix.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/2109/vuzix-to-unveil-cutting-edge-ultralite-odmoem-reference. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 "MicroLEDs with Waveguides (CES & AR/VR/MR 2023 Pt. 7)". KGOnTech. 2023-03-12. https://kguttag.com/2023/03/12/microleds-with-waveguides-ces-ar-vr-mr-2023-pt-7/. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 "Eyes on with Vuzix Ultralite: affordable (and amazing!) AR glasses for everyone". TechRadar. 2023-01-08. https://www.techradar.com/news/eyes-on-with-vuzix-ultralite-affordable-and-amazing-ar-glasses-for-everyone. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 "Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022". Vuzix Corporation. 2023-03-01. https://ir.vuzix.com/reports-filings/all-sec-filings/content/0001558370-23-002560/vuzi-20221231x10k.htm. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "Vuzix Introduces Z100 Smart Glasses to Seamlessly Connect Workers with AI Optimization Tools". Vuzix Corporation. 2024-01-09. https://ir.vuzix.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/2060/vuzix-introduces-z100-smart-glasses-to-seamlessly-connect. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 "Vuzix Announces General Availability of Z100 Smart Glasses". Vuzix Corporation. 2024-11-20. https://ir.vuzix.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/2104/vuzix-announces-general-availability-of-z100-smart-glasses. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 "UltraliteSDK (sdk-external API)". Vuzix Corporation. https://vuzix.github.io/ultralite-sdk-android/javadoc/com/vuzix/ultralite/UltraliteSDK.html. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ "Vuzix Z100 Smart Glasses User Manual". Vuzix Corporation. https://vuzix-website.s3.amazonaws.com/files/Content/developer-resources/User+Manuals/UltraliteUserManual--Z100.pdf. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ "Overview". Vuzix Corporation. 2024-01-09. https://support.vuzix.com/docs/overview-28. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ "Ultralite SDK for Android". Vuzix Corporation. https://github.com/Vuzix/ultralite-sdk-android. Retrieved 2026-10-15.