In recent years, the Las Vegas Convention Center has been buzzing with the presence of AR/VR/XR smart glasses. Although major technology companies like Apple and Google have faced challenges in establishing their foothold in this sector, the potential for accessible technology remains largely untapped.
There is significant progress to be made in ensuring that this technology is more inclusive for a wider audience. Soliddd is amongst a growing number of startups investigating the intersection of smart glasses and accessibility.
This week at CES 2025, the company is presenting a prototype of its upcoming SolidddVision glasses. Based in Brooklyn, the startup has its sights set on individuals suffering from macular degeneration, a progressive eye disease that affects about 13% of U.S. residents aged 40 and older, as per CDC statistics.
The startup describes its innovative technology as follows:
The smart glasses utilise Soliddd’s proprietary lens arrays, which mimic a fly’s eye, to display multiple distinct images to the undamaged areas of the retina. This process enables the brain to create stereopsis (the production of a 3D image in the brain) and a comprehensive full-field image with clear acuity that approximates natural, sharp vision.
Currently, the product is in beta testing and may differ significantly from the designs Soliddd has released. In its final iteration, the glasses are expected to resemble standard eyeglasses more closely.
Although there is still considerable work and evaluation ahead, the company is hopeful that the glasses will be ready for market release in 2025. While Soliddd is conducting clinical trials, they have noted that the product will not require FDA approval to be launched.