2026 is an exciting time for smart glasses, with several products expected to be launched from big tech players later this year, which will follow Meta's release of the Ray-Ban Display launched in September 2025. The optics required to give AI smart glasses augmented reality (AR) capabilities are called waveguides and are positioned within the eyepiece. There have been several key developments to waveguide technology which are enabling AR smart glasses which are lightweight, have longer battery life, and have a fashionable form factor. IDTechEx forecasts 35 million AR smart glasses to be sold annually by 2036.

IDTechEx analyst Thomas Bithell discusses the AR smart glass market and the optics used.

Producing streamlined devices to measure a number of medical biometrics and creating modern and efficient wearable products are some of the latest achievable possibilities with printed electronics. LOPEC 2026 saw companies showcasing their latest printed electronics technologies emerging into the market.

Join IDTechEx Technology Analyst Thomas Bithell on Thursday 26th February for this expert webinar, "Waveguide Technologies and Substrate Choices Shaping the Next Generation of AR and AI Smart Glasses".

IDTechEx's expansive portfolio of advanced materials and critical minerals research reports provides a range of technologies from graphene and carbon nanotubes to conductive inks and advanced coatings. This article covers some of their main applications and use considerations.

This article evaluates some of the strengths and weaknesses of reflective and diffractive waveguides used in augmented reality (AR) optics for smart glasses.

Missed out on CES this year? Or did you attend but miss the chance to explore the sensor innovations on display? In this article, IDTechEx Principal Technology Analyst Dr Tess Skyrme outlines three important trends for the sensor market evident from our trip to Las Vegas this year.

Enhancing the relationship between people's health and wellbeing and the global movement of digitalization with the use of wearables will allow for a wider understanding of health conditions or the optimization of communication. This article explores different device types and their use cases.

This article describes the variety of optics required for XR (extended reality) devices. For AR glasses, this includes waveguides and other technologies such as birdbath combiners, whilst for VR headsets, solutions include pancake, Fresnel, and aspheric lenses. Across XR devices, different optics solutions are required based on the intended use case, with a variety of factors contributing to the suitability of an optics technology for a specific device. Factors include weight, optical efficiency, image quality, form factor, and cost.

IDTechEx forecasts that the global sensor market will reach $250B in annual revenue by 2036, as global mega-trends in AI, future mobility, wearables, edge computing, and automation drive renewed growth opportunities. Next generation sensor technology innovations in quantum sensors, ADAS sensors, image sensors, MEMS, photonic integrated circuits, and printed sensor markets will be key to realizing the highest growth opportunities over the next decade.

Translating the body's signals into readable measurements or partaking in the enjoyment of gaming are ever-expanding possibilities with streamlined and accessible wearable devices. This article explores a wide range of wearables, including smart watches, glasses, mouthguards, glucose patches, VR headsets, and brain computer interfaces.

IDTechEx's Sensors report provides extensive analysis of the global sensor market, including 58 company profiles and insights collected from over 20 related sensor reports. Summarizing IDTechEx's extensive sensors report portfolio, this research contains over 35 sensor technology SWOT analyses, 24 technology readiness level roadmaps, material requirements and supplier information across future mobility, IoT, wearables, biomedical, edge computing, environmental sensing and more.

Accessing health metrics during any hour of the day is becoming the new norm as wearable technology is gaining traction and becoming increasingly widespread. This article covers some of the most popular wearable types alongside some newer, emerging applications.

Around the clock access to health metrics, made accessible by wearable devices for consumers, is revolutionizing fitness optimization and healthcare in a non-invasive way. This article covers different wearable devices, and the many types of sensors and their primary applications.

Sensor technologies are advancing and being developed to detect things from human facial expressions and mood, all the way down to the tiny scale of particles on a quantum level. This article explores sensing technologies across different sectors including automotives, consumer devices, and quantum.

Achieving continuity and efficiency with biometrics and health data can be achieved with wearables. This article explores some of the main devices in the wearables market today including smart watches, and others which are emerging, such as smart gumshields.

Webinar: The Future of MEMS Gyroscopes Presenter: Mika Takahashi, Technology Analyst, IDTechEx Date: Thursday 24th July 2025 Choose your preferred time zone - the webinar runs three times during the day.

This US$15 billion industry has grown and reached maturity in many sectors, but what are the technologies on the horizon that could be the next big leap forward for MEMS? This brand-new report by IDTechEx focuses on the cutting-edge next-generation MEMS technologies that are preparing to disrupt the industry, highlighting 3 key areas

Smart glasses could create real life subtitles for clearer interactions, while helmets for firefighters or policemen with sensing technology could make high-risk jobs safer. This article explores a future of accessible technologies to bring ease to daily life.

Haptics refers to the technology that actively enhances the touch experience when engaging with devices, allowing for a more streamlined and stimulating customer experience with surface textures and thermal haptics. IDTechEx expects the haptics market to grow at a CAGR of 4.4% between 2024 and 2035.