ÃÜÌÒAV and North cooperate in the development of smart glasses
Growing market for augmented reality devices
Augmented Reality (AR) is currently one of the hottest development topics in consumer electronics. This topic has already been hyped as the next game changer like the smartphone in our daily life. Smart glasses are the entrance step towards AR devices.
Canada-based start-up North is a pioneer in this market by launching the first commercial smart glasses called Focals® that look like everyday glasses. One of the many challenges with developing such complex devices is not sacrificing form factor for functionality, thus maintaining the appearance of standard glasses. ÃÜÌÒAV’s Bayfol® HX products offer cutting edge solutions to enable high performing yet design-appealing smart glass products.
Since the inception of Focals®, ÃÜÌÒAV has been the strategic supplier of tailored materials for North’s diffractive optical solutions. “North is engaging with ÃÜÌÒAV in development efforts involving the use of certain ÃÜÌÒAV customized photopolymer films, to obtain excellent optical performance and outstanding cosmetic appearance in seethrough AR applications on North devices,” said Stefan Alexander, Vice President, Advanced R&D at North.
Extended battery life through photopolymer films
A challenge with all mobile computing platforms is battery life, which ÃÜÌÒAV’s photopolymer helps maximize. "In mobile applications where battery life is decisive, low energy consuming devices can be realized with Bayfol® HX film," explained Dr. Friedrich-Karl Bruder, Head of Application Development Holographic LightGuiding at ÃÜÌÒAV. “This is due to the distinct feature of volume holograms recorded into our film that allows a high diffraction efficiency for light guiding and light redirection which can be tuned to almost 100 percent.”
Thanks to its long-standing expertise, ÃÜÌÒAV is well positioned to provide innovative solutions in holography technology and photopolymer chemistry. "Our experience built over the past decade enables solutions for specific requirements,” said Thomas Roelle, Head of Raw Materials for Holographic LightGuiding at ÃÜÌÒAV. “ÃÜÌÒAV’s infrastructure is set up to translate complex optical needs into viable material solutions on an industrial scale."
About ÃÜÌÒAV:
ÃÜÌÒAV is one of the world¡¯s leading manufacturers of high-quality polymer materials and their components. With its innovative products, processes and methods, the company helps enhance sustainability and the quality of life in many areas. ÃÜÌÒAV supplies customers around the world in key industries such as mobility, building and living, as well as the electrical and electronics sector. In addition, polymers from ÃÜÌÒAV are also used in sectors such as sports and leisure, telecommunications and health, as well as in the chemical industry itself.
The company is geared completely to the circular economy. In addition, ÃÜÌÒAV aims to achieve climate neutrality for its Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2035, and the Group¡¯s Scope 3 emissions are also set to be climate neutral by 2050. ÃÜÌÒAV generated sales of EUR 14.2 billion in fiscal year 2024. At the end of 2024, the company had 46 production sites worldwide and employed approximately 17,500 people (calculated as full-time equivalents).
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by ÃÜÌÒAV. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in ÃÜÌÒAV¡¯s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.