- New facility enables state-of-the-art waveguide designs to accelerate development of AI-enabled smart glasses
ROCHESTER, N.Y., April 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Vuzix® Corporation (NASDAQ: VUZI), a leading supplier of smart glasses, waveguides, and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies, today announced the acquisition of an advanced waveguide R&D facility in Milpitas, California. The facility, previously operated by a global technology leader known for its extensive work in software, AI, and augmented reality, will now serve as a key waveguide tools development and innovation hub for Vuzix and its ODM/OEM customers' next-generation AI-driven smart glasses. This strategic acquisition will enable Vuzix to further innovate and scale its waveguide development capabilities, a critical component for next-generation AI/AR smart glasses.
(PRNewsfoto/Vuzix Corporation)
Situated in the heart of technology-rich Silicon Valley, the new facility will serve as a hub for waveguide tools development and innovation in the area. The facility will allow Vuzix to play a stronger key role in advancing lightweight, high-performance optical solutions for AI-powered smart glasses. The new facility features state-of-the-art equipment, including an advanced ion milling machine, which offers superior precision, advanced tool development capabilities, and batch-processing. It is already enabled with custom shutter mechanisms that enable the fabrication of multiple high-quality waveguides tools on a single substrate. The facility and equipment, with future upgrades, will be capable of modern cassette-to-cassette handling for high-efficiency substrate processing for special customer needs.
By integrating these cutting-edge waveguide tool manufacturing capabilities, Vuzix is reinforcing its role as a key enabler for smart glasses as numerous new manufacturers are looking to integrate AI and AR technologies into their consumer and enterprise wearable solutions. Vuzix is now further poised to accelerate the design, development, and manufacturing of advanced waveguide solutions, catering to the needs of its growing list of ODM/OEM customers and manufacturing partners. The facility's advanced capabilities will ensure that Vuzix can develop increasingly compact, high-performance optical components essential for next-generation wearables.
"Vuzix continues to drive innovation in waveguide optics and display technology, enabling the development of next-generation AI-powered smart glasses," said Paul Travers, President and CEO of Vuzix. "This facility strengthens our ability to support our partners with the highest-quality waveguide solutions, ensuring they have the technology needed to bring advanced, fashion-forward smart glasses to market. AI and AR are converging rapidly, and Vuzix is positioned to lead the way in this evolution."
The total cost of this expansion will be in the low seven figures in 2025 and is in line with Vuzix' planned technology-driven growth strategy, ensuring that the Company continues to advance its industry leadership while maintaining disciplined financial management.
Vuzix is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of AI-powered Smart Glasses, Waveguides and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies, components and products for the enterprise, medical, defense and consumer markets. The Company's products include head-mounted smart personal display and wearable computing devices that offer users a portable high-quality viewing experience, provide solutions for mobility, wearable displays and augmented reality, as well OEM waveguide optical components and display engines. Vuzix holds more than 425 patents and patents pending and numerous IP licenses in the fields of optics, head-mounted displays, and the augmented reality wearables field. The Company has won Consumer Electronics Show (or CES) awards for innovation for the years 2005 to 2024 and several wireless technology innovation awards among others. Founded in 1997, Vuzix is a public company (NASDAQ: VUZI) with offices in: Rochester, NY; and Kyoto and Okayama, Japan. For more information, visit the Vuzix website, Twitter and Facebook pages.
Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer
Certain statements contained in this news release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward looking statements contained in this release relate to Vuzix Smart Glasses, our waveguide design and manufacturing capabilities, future business relationships with potential ODM/OEM customers, future success of Vuzix Westcoast waveguide R&D facility, expected annual operating costs, and among other things the Company's leadership in the Smart Glasses and AR display industry. They are generally identified by words such as "believes," "may," "expects," "anticipates," "should" and similar expressions. Readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are based upon the Company's beliefs and assumptions as of the date of this release. The Company's actual results could differ materially due to risk factors and other items described in more detail in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's Annual Reports and MD&A filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and applicable Canadian securities regulators (copies of which may be obtained at www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov). Subsequent events and developments may cause these forward-looking statements to change. The Company specifically disclaims any obligation or intention to update or revise these forward-looking statements as a result of changed events or circumstances that occur after the date of this release, except as required by applicable law.
