Lumus received a major boost in brand recognition when one of its waveguides was selected for use in the Meta Ray-Ban display glasses. But it already feels like old technology because at CES 2026, the company brought some of its latest components to the show and based on what I saw, they’re ready to seriously step up the optical quality of the next wave of high-end smartglasses.
When the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses came out, they surprised users as they were (and still are) one of a handful of smartglasses to feature a full-color in-lens display with at least a 20-degree field of view. But according to the specifications of Lummus’s latest waveguides, we are in for a major upgrade in terms of future capabilities.
The first model I tried featured Lumus’ optimized Z-30 waveguides, which not only provide a wider 30-degree FOV, but they’re also 30 percent lighter and 40 percent thinner than previous generations. Plus, Lummus says they’re also more power efficient, with waveguides capable of hitting more than 8,000 nits per watt. This is a big deal because smartglasses are currently quite limited by the size of batteries they can use, especially if you want to make them small and light enough to wear all day. When I tried them out, I was amazed by the brightness and sharpness I saw from the Z-30s, despite being limited to 720 x 720 resolution. Not only did the increase in FOV feel more than 10 degrees, but colors were also much richer, including white, which is often one of the hardest colors to reproduce properly.
I had to photograph one of Lumus’s non-functioning smartglasses with the company’s 70-degree FOV waveguide, because two of the three working ones were already broken and the last one I used was being held together by tape. (Sam Rutherford for Engadget)
However, even after seeing how good the first model was, I wasn’t quite prepared for the Lumus’s 70-degree FOV waveguide. I was able to watch some videos and some test images and I was totally amazed at how much area they covered. This was basically the entire middle section of the lens, with only small unused areas around the corners. And when I noticed some pincushion distortion at the edges of the waveguide’s display, a Lumus representative told me it would be possible to fix it in the final retail units. But make no mistake, these waveguides have undoubtedly produced the sharpest, brightest, and best-looking optics I’ve seen from any smartglasses, either from retail models or prototypes. It almost made me question how wide a FOV this type of gadget really needs, although frankly, I don’t think we’ve reached the point of diminishing returns yet.
It is one of Lumus’ thinnest waveguides, measuring only 0.8 mm. (Sam Rutherford for Engadget)
Other advantages of Lumus’ geometric reflective waveguides include better overall efficiency than their refractive counterparts as well as the ability to connect displays to smartglass lenses. This means that unlike many rivals, the Lumus’ Waveguide can be paired with Transitions lenses rather than having to resort to a clip-on sunglass attachment when you go out. Lumus also claims that its designs also simplify the manufacturing process, resulting in thinner waveguides (as small as 0.8 mm) and generally higher yields.
Unfortunately, taking high-quality photos of content from a SmartGlass display is incredibly challenging, especially when you’re using extremely delicate prototypes, so you’ll have to take my word for it right now. But with Lummus in the process of ramping up production of its new waveguides with the help of partners including Quanta and SCHOTT, it looks like a lot of smartglass makers will be clamoring for these components as momentum continues to build around the industry’s choice for the next “big” thing.
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