Before the days of light-as-your-eyeglasses augmented reality (AR) devices, Harvard University produced “The Sword of Damocles” in 1968.¹ It was a heavy headset with multiple cables and mechanical arms meant to overlay simple wireframe images onto the user’s view.

Today’s expectations for AR devices are far different—slim frames holding lenses that produce images as a new layer of reality. Obtaining the desired image quality, mechanical robustness, and optical performance within a compact footprint will require the development of novel materials and products. It is thus unsurprising that the market for AR devices is projected to grow to about $90 billion in the next two years.²