Meta Ray-Ban Display Part 1 (Lumus Waveguide, OmniVision LCOS, and Goertek Projection Engine)
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Karl Guttag provides an in-depth technical examination of the optical and display components in Meta Ray-Ban Display Glasses, revealing the use of a Lumus Geometric waveguide paired with an OmniVision LCOS microdisplay and custom Goertek optical engine. The analysis draws from iFixit's CT scans and full teardowns, Radu Reit's partial disassembly (which preserved optical function for direct comparison), and hands-on component inspection. Part 1 focuses specifically on the display path and waveguide optics, with the author documenting the engine's novel design departures from previous Lumus reference implementations. This is the first installment of a multi-part technical series.
Excerpt from KGOnTech
Introduction – Busy Studying the Meta Ray-Ban Display and Helping with Teardowns
As I was about to be away for nearly a month in Europe, including presenting at the AR/VR/MicroLED Connect conference in Eindhoven, news broke about the Meta Ray-Ban Display Glasses. I immediately noticed that the glasses used a Lumus Geometric waveguide (see: Meta Ray-Ban AR Glasses Show Lumus Waveguide Structures in Leaked Video and the image below, left). However, an X-ray-like view of the glasses was subsequently published (below right), revealing that the optical engine didn’t resemble any previous Lumus optical engine. While in Eindhoven during the “networking time,” I heard that it used an OmniVision LCOS microdisplay, and that Goertek designed the optical engine and manufactured the glasses.
If you look at the Lumus engine (right), you will see a long “integrating rod” homogenizer that is not seen in the X-Ray view of the MRBD (above right, pointed at by red arrow)
There have been several teardowns of the Meta Glasses. I helped iFixit with their teardown, which was published on October 8th. iFixit worked with Lumafield to get an intact CT scan of the glasses. This turned out to be a very good thing because, as the optical engine was being assembled, it required disassembling it to inspect its components. iFixit has also provided me with the engine components for further analysis.
I’m also working with Radu Reit’s Display Training Center on his teardown of the Meta Display Glasses (he has one part published on YouTube as of this writing). Radu managed to remove the Lumus Waveguide while keeping the rest of the engine intact and running, allowing us to compare the projector’s output with that via the Waveguide. He was also able to reassemble it with the waveguide.
The combination of the iFixit teardowns and parts, Radu’s partial teardown, and my non-open unit should provide a comprehensive picture of how the Meta Ray-Ban Display Glasses (hereafter, MRBD) display and optics work.
I would also like to thank David Bonelli of Pulsar Solutions for his assistance in analyzing the design. David thinks he could improve on the Goertek optical engine.
In Part 1 of this multi-part series, I will focus on the display and optical path, primarily based on iFixit’s Teardown and the components they lent me for further evaluation.
Partnership with Display Training Center Videos
Radu Reit, formerly with Apple, working on the Apple Watch, iPhone, Vision Pro, and more, has…
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