Month: July 2026

Project OceanShade

Canada’s Ocean Supercluster Announces $11.7M Project OceanShade – Dynamic Electrochromic Marine Glass

Published on
July 28, 2026
Words by
Vedika Daswani

VANCOUVER, BC, July 28, 2026 – Today, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster announced three new ocean innovation projects valued at over $25 million, including the $11.7 million Project OceanShade – Dynamic Electrochromic Marine Glass led by Miru Smart Technologies (Miru). This project is a collaborative initiative to design, develop, and validate Miru dynamic glass – a next-generation smart window system engineered for marine vessels.

This project will deliver a Canadian-designed and validated dynamic glass system for marine vessels that automatically adjusts window tint in response to changing light conditions. By actively managing glare and solar heat gain, Miru dynamic glass enhances visibility, passenger comfort, and vessel energy efficiency. The Project OceanShade consortium will develop marine‑adapted prototypes, conduct rigorous durability and certification testing, and assemble a complete technical package to support commercial deployment.

The consortium is led by Vancouver, B.C.-based Miru in partnership with Innovative Finishing Solutions in Orangeville, ON and Maple Advanced Robotics in Richmond Hill, ON. With a total project value of $11.7 million, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is investing $4.1 million, with the balance of funding coming from project partners.

Project OceanShade positions Canadian innovators at the forefront of smart marine glazing, combining advanced materials with AI‑enabled manufacturing processes. The resulting technology will strengthen domestic supply chains, support vessel decarbonization, and open new export opportunities for high‑performance marine systems. This initiative underscores Canada’s growing leadership in sustainable maritime technologies and next‑generation vessel design.

Through Ambition 2035 and together with Canada’s ocean community, we are bold in our ambition to grow Canada’s ocean economy 5X to $220 billion by 2035. Continued investment in the accelerated development and commercialization of globally relevant, made-in-Canada ocean solutions will help us realize this ambition. Read more about recommendations to help achieve this transformational growth opportunity outlined in Charting the Course to 5X Growth in Canada’s Ocean Economy and the projected benefits to Canada here.

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Media Contacts

Vedika Daswani
Miru Smart Technologies
v.daswani@mirucorp.com

Nancy Andrews
Canada’s Ocean Supercluster
nancy.andrews@oceansupercluster.ca

About Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

Canada’s Ocean Supercluster accelerates the development and commercialization of made-in-Canada ocean solutions in Blue Food, Arctic & Surveillance, Ocean Energy, and Marine Decarbonization, while also growing more companies, creating more jobs, and attracting ocean talent. As Canada’s national ocean cluster, the OSC is a convenor of members, partners, and networks and a catalyst for transformative growth that helps build the robust ecosystem needed to help realize Ambition 2035 – a 5X growth potential in ocean in Canada by 2035. To date, the OSC has approved almost 160 projects valued at more than $600 million, which will deliver more than 300 new made-in-Canada ocean products, processes, and services to sell to the world. Every dollar invested in Ocean Supercluster projects generates more than five times its value in GDP contribution, with the following economic benefits to Canada as of March 2025:

  • $1.7 billion in total economic output
  • $1 billion in GDP contribution
  • Nearly $748 million in total labour income
  • Close to 10,000 jobs created
  • $286 million in total tax revenues generated
  • $295 million in follow-on investment raised

Quotes

“Through investments in innovative projects across marine transportation and decarbonization, advanced manufacturing and sustainable seafood production, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is supporting Canadian companies in developing and commercializing world-leading technologies. These initiatives will create jobs and opportunities for Canadian communities, expand exports, strengthen Canada’s global competitiveness and accelerate the growth of a stronger, more sustainable ocean economy. By supporting Canadian innovators today, we are ensuring that Canada remains at the forefront of the industries that will shape the future.”– The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions

“Project OceanShade is an excellent example of how Canadian innovation is accelerating the transition to cleaner, more energy efficient marine operations. By integrating advanced smart glass technologies into vessel design, this consortium is helping reduce fuel consumption, cut emissions, and improve onboard performance. Through solutions like Project OceanShade, homegrown technology is strengthening our supply chains, supporting vessel decarbonization, and positioning Canada as a global leader in sustainable maritime systems.” – Kendra MacDonald, CEO, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

“Miru is building one dynamic glass platform that can be deployed wherever intelligent control of light creates value. With the support of Canada’s Ocean Supercluster and in collaboration with our Canadian partners, Project OceanShade extends that platform into the marine sector, validating our technology in one of the world’s most demanding operating environments, while accelerating the path toward commercial deployment.” – Curtis Berlinguette, Founder and CEO, Miru

“Project OceanShade demonstrates how Physical AI can accelerate the commercialization of Canadian next-generation manufacturing technologies. The future of advanced manufacturing is powered by intelligent, adaptive automation, and we are honoured to contribute our AI-enabled robotics platform to this important initiative.” – Dr. Yi Li, Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of Maple Advanced Robotics

“Innovative Finishing Solutions Inc. is pleased to partner with Miru and Maple Robotics on the Ocean Supercluster project. We look forward to collaborating with these innovative organizations and contributing our expertise in robotic finishing and handling systems to advance this important initiative.” – Brad Sparkman, President & CEO of Innovative Finishing Solutions Inc.

Close up of the camera on a pair of augmented reality glasses.

The smart glasses market is entering a new phase.

Published on
July 13, 2026
Words by
Vedika Daswani

Smart glasses have become one of the fastest-moving categories in consumer electronics. 

In recent months, nearly every major consumer technology company has doubled down on smart glasses:

Meta launched its new Meta Glasses collection with EssilorLuxottica. 

Google unveiled Android XR eyewear partnerships with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster. 

Snap introduced its latest generation of AR Specs. 

Across the optical supply chain, companies like Applied Materials and EssilorLuxottica are investing in next-generation technologies designed specifically for smart glasses.

Taken together, these announcements signal something bigger than another product cycle. What was once viewed as an experimental category is rapidly evolving into a mainstream product, driven by advances in artificial intelligence, display technology and semiconductor performance.

Industry data points in the same direction. Counterpoint Research reported record shipments of augmented reality smart glasses in 2025, while Citi Research forecasts that AI glasses could reach 112 million units annually and $40 billion in market revenue by 2030. 

As the market matures, expectations change. The first generation proved smart glasses could work. The next generation has to prove people want to wear them every day.

That means building products that perform everywhere people do – from bright sidewalks to shaded streets, from the office to your car. Lighting conditions constantly change throughout the day, affecting comfort, display visibility and the overall user experience.

Consumers are already familiar with photochromic lenses that darken automatically in sunlight. But smart glasses today demand something more. Instead of simply reacting to UV light, future lenses will need to intelligently adapt to changing environments while balancing glare reduction, display visibility and energy consumption.

Recent optical platform announcements from suppliers such as Applied Materials are starting to include integrated electronic dimming technologies alongside waveguides, vision correction and sensing – highlighting that adaptive light management is becoming an increasingly important part of the smart eyewear stack.

This is where dynamic glass comes in. 

Miru’s dynamic glass platform uses electrochromic technology to actively manage light at the lens level, reducing glare, and improving display visibility as lighting conditions change. It transforms the lens from a passive component into an active part of the user experience.

Designed for next-generation smart eyewear, Miru’s platform is built around the requirements that matter for this market: low haze, neutral colour performance, low-voltage operation, minimal energy demand, and compatibility with light, compact and curved form factors.

The conversation around smart glasses is no longer just about AI, displays or processors. It is about creating products people can wear comfortably, naturally and confidently throughout the day.

As smart eyewear moves toward mainstream adoption, the glass will play a much bigger role.

Learn more about Miru dynamic glass here: https://mirucorp.com/industries/wearables-augmented-reality/

Close up of the windows on the side of a boat cabin reflecting the setting sun and water.

Visibility changes on the water. Glass should too.

Published on
July 2, 2026
Words by
Vedika Daswani

This is part of a series exploring how Miru dynamic glass is being applied across industries including automotive, marine, wearables, and autonomous systems. 

Marine transportation depends on visibility. From ferries and tugboats to yachts and commercial fleets, operators need to read the water, track nearby vessels, approach docks, and respond to changing conditions in real time.

The marine environment presents a unique challenge. Sunlight behaves differently on the water, where reflections intensify glare and conditions change throughout the day. A clear view in the morning can become harsh and distracting by midday, then low-angle glare by sunset. 

Marine windows need to do more than provide a view. They need to actively manage light, reduce glare, support safer navigation, and keep passengers comfortable as sun angles and weather conditions change. 

Miru’s solution is designed for exactly these conditions.

Miru’s dynamic glass technology transforms marine windows from a passive material into an intelligent surface that automatically adapts to changing light throughout the day.

Instead of forcing operators to choose between bright glare, fixed tint, aftermarket films, or mechanical shades, Miru dynamic glass continuously adjusts its tint. The technology enables precise tint transitions in increments as small as 0.2%, moving from clear to darkened states based on changing sunlight and user preferences.

For marine operators, that means more control over visibility from sunrise to sunset through a durable, integrated glass solution. For passengers, it creates a more comfortable onboard experience, particularly in seating areas exposed to direct sunlight for extended periods.

Beyond improving visibility, Miru dynamic glass can also support more efficient vessel operation. The technology maintains a stable tint without a constant flow of power. Because energy is only required during transitions, Miru dynamic glass can help reduce solar heat gain and lower the load on onboard cooling systems. 

For decades, marine windows have simply let light in. The next generation of marine glass will actively manage it. Miru is helping bring that future to the water, today.

Explore how Miru dynamic glass is being deployed across different industries like marine, industrial transport, architecture, automotive and more: https://mirucorp.com/industries/marine-industrial/