Brighter AR vision comes into focus

Tokyo-based AR innovator Cellid seems to be quickly becoming one of the most watched players in the immersive tech space.

Following a showcase at the 2025 Augmented World Expo (AWE) in Long Beach, California, I had the opportunity to speak with Cellid’s leadership team. What they revealed paints a clear picture of how their proprietary waveguide and display technologies are setting the stage for mainstream augmented reality (AR) adoption.

A waveguide is a special kind of lens or glass that guides light, specifically the digital image, from a projector to your eyes, while still letting you see the real world around you. A waveguide is like a super high-tech transparent display that can be worn like regular glasses, but instead of a person seeing a screen in front, the visuals are embedded in the glass itself.

This year at AWE, Cellid unveiled two new waveguides, including the R30-FL (C) and the C30-AG (C), which both represent a leap in brightness and clarity. The plastic-based R30-FL (C) is now twice as bright as previous models, while the glass-based C30-AG (C) achieves over three times the brightness. It is designed to support vivid full-color visuals even in brightly lit environments. But what truly caught conference attendees’ attention, however, was Cellid’s software-based color correction.

“We demonstrated how our software compensates for waveguide color irregularities caused by wider field-of-view designs,” said Kentaro Mihara, Cellid software CTO. “Waveguides are based on light interference, so software becomes essential to ensure color consistency across viewing angles.”

This hybrid of hardware innovation and real-time image optimisation is key to making AR visuals not only tolerable, but also enjoyable in real-world use cases.

_{Amanda Razani. Photo supplied.}

Pegatron partnership

Another recent development the team told me about was Cellid’s partnership with Pegatron Corporation. Together, they recently launched the new Verge AR Smart Glasses. Weighing just 45 grams and powered by the Qualcomm AR1 platform, Verge features Cellid’s fully laminated, ultra-thin waveguide lenses.

This collaboration shows how advanced photonics and AI can work well together, delivering immersive visuals in a slim form factor suitable for everyday use, according to Cellid’s CEO Satoshi Shiraga.

From turn-by-turn navigation to AI-enhanced communication, Verge is designed for consumer-facing tasks that require clarity, comfort and seamless performance. It looks like Cellid’s strongest step yet toward making AR wearables mainstream.

Precision fit and accessibility

During our interview, the Cellid team also emphasised the growing importance of accessibility. With more than half the world’s population requiring vision correction, Cellid introduced Precision Fit Lenses, a major step in solving one of AR’s most persistent adoption barriers.

“These lenses integrate diopter correction with our light field control,” said Mihara. “That means AR visuals appear crisp no matter your vision needs – and the experience remains comfortable and immersive.”

The lenses use Cellid’s Small-base Curved Lens (SCL) technology to align flat waveguides with curved prescription lenses, solving the inherent optical contradictions that once made this impossible.

Reference designs

Cellid is also expanding its influence through the release of its reference design for spectacle-type AR smart glasses. This lightweight (approximately 58g) design integrates an 8MP wide-angle camera, IMU sensors and SDK support for generative AI and object recognition.

“Our goal isn’t just to make AR glasses,” said Kosuke Nakamura, Cellid global PR manager. “We’re building an ecosystem where developers, brands and users collaborate to grow this space together.”

Cellid’s Business Development Partner Program and OEM Partner Program are key elements of that strategy. Companies can either co-develop use cases, such as AI-assisted manufacturing or retail training, or launch their own AR products using Cellid’s platform as a foundation.

The glasses are Android and Windows compatible and designed to handle a variety of AR overlays, such as real-time instructional guides, remote expert collaboration and contextual data displays.

Toward a consumer-ready future

Cellid’s future roadmap includes the launch of a new wireless reference design later this year, slated for release around August and September 2025. This version will hopefully include improved aesthetics, lighter weight and added microphone and camera modules.

“Our CEO always reminds us that AR glasses need to be stylish,” said Nakamura. “We’re working to design tech you actually want to wear every day.”

When asked about consumer concerns around eye strain or health risks, Mihara addressed it head-on: “We’re working with certified optical labs to ensure our prescription lenses meet medical standards. And because we focus on AR – not VR – you’re still seeing the real world. That reduces the disorientation some users experience with enclosed VR headsets.”

Expanding into health care

Perhaps the most ambitious effort is Cellid’s recent entry into the medical field. Through a five-year, government-backed R&D project with Tokyo University of Science and Mitsui Chemicals, Cellid is developing AR glasses tailored for clinical use.

The goal is to enable surgeons to visualize vital information without obstructing their natural field of view. These prototypes are already undergoing clinical validation and incorporate waveguide displays placed just outside the line of sight to avoid distractions during procedures.

Mitsui Chemicals is contributing advanced nanoimprint materials for lenses, while Tokyo University of Science is providing both research and clinical expertise.

The race is on

With participation in events like CES, Mobile World Congress and AWE, Cellid is positioning itself to move quickly in what it describes as an increasingly competitive landscape.

“We need to be fast,” Nakamura said. “Everyone’s entering this space. But we believe our hybrid of advanced optics, intelligent software and real use-case support gives us a real edge.”

As Cellid prepares for the next wave of product releases and partnerships, its vision for AR is more grounded and practical than speculative. With innovations in prescription-ready lenses, real-time AI integration and industry-specific deployments already underway, the future of augmented reality may very well be built on their glass.

* Amanda Razani is a freelance journalist and podcast host with a strong background in technology media, and is co-founder and board member of the Concho Valley Technology Alliance.