TL;DR
Dubai-based XPANCEO is expanding its partnership with China’s JBD to co-develop micro-displays for smart contact lenses. The collaboration aims to address scalability, manufacturability, and safety challenges, bringing smart lenses closer to market. The project is still in development, with key technical hurdles remaining.
Dubai-based startup XPANCEO has announced an expansion of its partnership with China’s JBD to co-develop micro-displays specifically designed for future smart contact lenses. This collaboration aims to advance the technology toward eventual consumer products, with a focus on scalability and manufacturability, bringing the concept of smart lenses closer to reality.
XPANCEO and JBD, a Shanghai-based micro-display company, previously collaborated on a printed circuit board with an integrated micro-display and a specialized optical system capable of projecting images onto the eye. The current partnership deepens this relationship, focusing on the development of tiny microdisplays that could be embedded in contact lenses.
The companies state that their efforts will prioritize scalability and manufacturability, aiming for a potential first mass-market production run. The technical challenges include fitting all components into a contact lens roughly the thickness of a human hair, ensuring comfort, and managing brightness levels for ocular safety while maintaining clear visibility. Since images are projected directly onto the retina, the displays can operate at lower brightness than AR glasses, which require more intense illumination, according to XPANCEO.
In addition, XPANCEO announced a partnership with France’s ITEN, a solid-state battery startup, to address power supply issues, as traditional batteries are too bulky and unsuitable for ocular wearables. The company secured a Series A funding round of $250 million in July 2025, valuing it at $1.35 billion, which supports its development efforts.
Implications for Future Smart Contact Lenses
This development signals a significant step toward commercializing smart contact lenses capable of augmented reality, health monitoring, or other applications. The focus on improving scalability and manufacturability indicates that mass production could be feasible in the coming years, potentially transforming wearable technology. However, technical hurdles such as miniaturization, safety, and power management remain, meaning widespread adoption is still some years away.
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Previous Advances and Industry Challenges
Smart contact lenses have been a long-standing goal in wearable tech, with prototypes and concepts demonstrated over the past decade. Notably, JBD showcased a microdisplay smaller than a penny capable of 3 million nits at CES 2020, highlighting the potential for ultra-compact, high-brightness displays. Despite these advances, challenges persist in integrating displays into lenses that are comfortable, safe, and durable, especially in terms of power supply and optical safety standards. XPANCEO’s recent partnerships and funding round reflect a growing industry interest and investment in overcoming these barriers.
“The focus on scalability and manufacturability suggests we might see consumer-ready smart contact lenses within the next few years.”
— an anonymous researcher
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Remaining Technical and Commercial Challenges
It is not yet clear when the first mass-produced smart contact lenses will be available to consumers. Key issues such as long-term safety, durability, power management, and cost are still being addressed. Additionally, regulatory approval processes for ocular devices are complex and could influence timelines.
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Next Steps Toward Consumer-Ready Smart Lenses
XPANCEO and JBD are expected to continue refining their microdisplay prototypes, focusing on scaling production and testing safety and comfort. The companies might also seek regulatory approval and partnerships with device manufacturers. Updates on pilot programs or initial consumer trials could emerge within the next 1-2 years, signaling progress toward commercialization.
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Key Questions
When might smart contact lenses become available to consumers?
While no specific date has been announced, industry experts suggest that commercial products could arrive within the next 3-5 years, depending on technical and regulatory progress.
What applications could smart contact lenses have?
Potential uses include augmented reality, health monitoring (such as glucose or intraocular pressure tracking), and visual enhancement or correction.
What are the main technical hurdles remaining?
Key challenges include miniaturizing components, managing brightness and power safely, ensuring comfort and durability, and obtaining regulatory approval.
How will power be supplied to these lenses?
XPANCEO is working with a solid-state battery partner to develop slim, durable power sources suitable for ocular wearables, but practical solutions are still under development.
Source: Road to VR
