Why MicroLED for AR?
Current AR headsets often use LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) or OLED-on-Silicon. However, these technologies struggle with either brightness (OLED) or bulk (LCoS). MicroLED offers:
- Extreme Brightness: Visible even in direct sunlight.
- Energy Efficiency: Up to 5x more efficient than OLED.
- Compact Size: Pixels are measured in microns, allowing for ultra-slim optics.
Google Acquisition
Google's acquisition of Raxium in May 2022 signaled a shift towards in-house hardware development for AR. By controlling the display layer, Google can optimize the entire Android XR stack for specific hardware configurations.