Researchers at Stanford University have unveiled a prototype for augmented reality (AR) glasses that could potentially disrupt the current spatial computing market, with a far slimmer design than Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ:AAPL) Vision Pro.

What Happened: A team of engineers at Stanford have developed a new AI-assisted holographic imaging technology that they claim is thinner, lighter, and of higher quality than existing models.

Although the current lab version has a limited field of view, the team has demonstrated a thinner stack of holographic components that could nearly fit into standard glass frames. The technology can project realistic, full-color, moving 3D images at varying depths.

The glasses use waveguides, a component that guides light through glasses and into the wearer's eyes. The researchers have developed a unique "nanophotonic metasurface waveguide" that eliminates the need for bulky collimation optics.

"Our headset appears to the outside world just like an everyday pair of glasses, but what the wearer sees through the lenses is an enriched world overlaid with vibrant, full-color 3D computed imagery," said Gordon Wetzstein, an associate professor of electrical engineering.

"One could imagine a surgeon wearing such glasses to plan a delicate or complex surgery or airplane mechanic using them to learn to work on the latest jet engine," said Manu Gopakumar, one of the authors of the paper.

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Despite being in the prototype stage, the researchers are aiming to disrupt the current spatial computing market, which includes bulky passthrough mixed reality headsets like Apple's Vision Pro and Meta Platforms Inc.'s Quest 3.

Why It Matters: The spatial computing and AR glasses market has seen significant developments in recent times.

The Apple Vision Pro, despite initial excitement, faced criticism for its design and performance issues. Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg also weighed in, stating that Meta's Quest 3 is the better product.

However, the potential for AR glasses in healthcare was also highlighted, with surgeon Dr. Rafael Grossmann anticipating the launch of the Apple Vision Pro, which he believed could revolutionize healthcare.

Apple also emphasized the potential of its Vision Pro headset to enhance business workflows.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Photo courtesy: Stanford