Imagine printing high-tech glass lenses like a giant newspaper press instead of making them one by one in a tiny lab. This technology uses a rolling process to stamp microscopic patterns onto large panels, making the 'screens' for AR glasses much cheaper to produce. It turns a slow, expensive craft into a fast, industrial assembly line.
AR smart glasses are not yet mass-market because the industry cannot produce high-quality optical waveguides at a low cost. Current wafer-based methods are too slow and expensive for consumer-scale volumes.
A scalable Roll-to-Plate (R2P) nanoimprinting process and equipment capable of producing large-area waveguide panels.
If you are a device maker dealing with the high cost of optical components — this project developed Roll-to-Plate nanoimprinting that produces hundreds of waveguides per machine cycle. This allows for the mass production of consumer-grade AR glasses at a significantly lower price point.
If you are a medical tech firm dealing with expensive hands-free surgical displays — this project developed a scalable manufacturing process for waveguides. This reduces the cost of integrating real-time data overlays into surgical headsets.
If you are an industrial tool maker dealing with complex assembly instructions for workers — this project developed a way to mass-produce high-quality AR waveguides. This makes the deployment of AR assistance tools across thousands of factory workers financially viable.
It replaces wafer-scale nanoimprinting with Roll-to-Plate (R2P) technology, which can produce hundreds of waveguides per machine cycle on large panels. This scalability significantly lowers the production cost compared to current industry methods.
Yes, the technology is designed for large areas, such as panels measuring 1300 mm x 1100 mm. This allows for mass manufacturing far beyond the current wafer-based limits.
The technology is heavily protected with 90 patents, 26 of which have already been granted.
The project mentions sampling customers including Microsoft, Meta, Apple, and Vuzix.
The goal is to establish a European foundry for AR waveguides to ensure the EU regains sovereignty over AR hardware production.
The project is highly concentrated, consisting of 2 partners both based in the Netherlands. It is 100% industry-driven, with both participants being SMEs, indicating a lean, commercially focused execution without academic overhead.
Contact Morphotonics BV regarding R2P nanoimprinting licensing or foundry partnerships.
Contact us to find partners for the upcoming European AR foundry deployment.
