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.
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.
Case study: Building the future of adaptive manufacturing
Published on
June 23, 2026
Words by
Vedika Daswani
As Miru prepares to scale dynamic glass for automotive, wearables, and future optical systems, we are focused on more than developing breakthrough materials. We are also building the manufacturing technologies needed to produce them at commercial scale.
Miru recently launched a GL-AI-ZE project to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can make advanced manufacturing more efficient, consistent, and scalable.
With support from NGen, Canada’s advanced manufacturing innovation network, the project brings together Miru’s dynamic glass technology with Mazlite’s industrial AI platform for spray and powder processes, and Innovative Finishing Solutions’ (IFS) expertise in robotic paintshop and finishing systems.
At the heart of the project is a simple idea: manufacturing should be able to adapt.
There are several ways to make a window smart. The most common approach involves applying a film to the glass that makes it responsive to light or other stimuli, but Miru’s approach is different: we spray our proprietary inks directly onto the glass for a more durable, flexible surface.
Producing Miru’s electrochromic coatings requires precise control over a complex spray coating process. Traditional manufacturing is often rigid, with a ‘set and forget’ approach. Advanced materials do not always behave in fixed ways. Small changes in the operating environment can influence how a coating is deposited, even when the equipment settings remain the same. This drift can lead to significant material waste and high defect costs.
GL-AI-ZE leverages AI to address this challenge. By applying machine learning to real-time data from the spray process , the system identifies deviations, and recommends or applies adjustments to maintain consistent coating quality. Instead of reacting to manufacturing issues after they occur, GL-AI-ZE continuously optimizes the process parameters as conditions change, creating a closed-loop AI system.
For Miru, this approach supports the next phase of our commercialization. Smarter manufacturing can improve consistency, reduce waste, increase throughput, and help scale production across a global network of manufacturing partners. The project also aligns with Miru’s broader strategy of combining advanced materials with advanced manufacturing to accelerate the adoption of dynamic glass.
The impact extends beyond Miru.
Many advanced manufacturing industries, from automotive and advanced optics to consumer electronics and precision coatings, face similar challenges as products become more sophisticated. Adaptive, AI-enabled manufacturing can improve quality, efficiency, and sustainability across these sectors.
The future of advanced materials and the future of manufacturing will evolve together. Projects like GL-AI-ZE are helping us build both.
The future of windows is dynamic
Published on
June 19, 2026
Words by
Vedika Daswani
This is part of a series exploring how Miru dynamic glass is being applied across industries including automotive, architecture, wearables, and autonomous systems.
Buildings today depend heavily on glass. From skyscrapers to airports, academic buildings, and hospitals, expansive windows and glazing have become a defining feature of contemporary architectural design: expanding the view for those on the inside while connecting them with natural light from the outside.
But with static windows and light come familiar challenges: glare, heat, and high energy bills.
Sharp sunlight creates glare, requiring the costly installation of shades that have breakable parts and spoil the aesthetics. Room temperatures soar, forcing climate-control systems to work overtime to keep the space comfortable, and in some cases, livable. Even in residential buildings, this push and pull boosts the electricity bill by 25 percent.
The environmental cost is also high. Heating, cooling, and lighting buildings accounts for 27% of global greenhouse gas emissions, while building operations generate more than 10 gigatons of CO₂ annually. Improving the performance of windows represents one of the most direct opportunities to reduce that impact.
Windows are overdue for a revolution.
Not since the 1970s, when low-emissivity (“low-E”) windows first became available, has this critical architectural component been examined and adapted to reflect modern life.
Low-E windows, which are tinted using thin films applied to glass, are still widely used today, but they are static. They do not react to conditions around them. Because windows are expensive to replace regularly, builders and customers need an adaptive solution that can change with the sun’s position.
Miru’s dynamic glass technology uses low-voltage electrical signals to switch the window’s tinting based on the amount of light coming through it. This can happen automatically, or can connect to Smart Home systems and work like a thermostat, letting users input their own settings. There are many advantages to this approach:
Improved durability. We spray our solution between layers of glass, so there is no visible film applied to the outside. This means no bubbling, no unprotected edges, no degradation due to the elements – and therefore, longer warranties.
Better design flexibility. The spray method gives builders the freedom to use windows of all shapes and curvatures, which are increasingly employed in modern buildings.
Enhanced aesthetics. Miru’s interlayer is completely colorless. With our ultra-low haze, window views can be enjoyed without interruption.
Lower carbon footprint. Smart windows can improve a building’s energy efficiency by up to 20%. As adoption grows, dynamic glass has the potential to eliminate up to two gigatons of CO₂ emissions annually while creating more comfortable and sustainable buildings.
Crystal-clear, climate-friendly dynamic glass is the next critical step in reducing global energy consumption while providing its people with greater comfort, safety, and well-being. Miru’s dynamic glass technology is driving that revolution.
As vehicles become autonomous, visibility becomes critical
Published on
June 5, 2026
Words by
Vedika Daswani
This is part of a series exploring how Miru dynamic glass is being applied across industries including automotive, architecture, wearables, and autonomous systems.
Vehicles today are taking on more driving tasks than ever before. Automakers continue to expand the capabilities of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and move toward increasingly assisted and autonomous driving.
Features such as lane keeping, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, and hands-free highway driving are all powered by ADAS. Together, they help vehicles monitor their surroundings, identify hazards, and support driving decisions in real time.
Cameras have become one of the most important safety systems on modern vehicles, enabling ADAS to “see” and understand the world around them.
Like the human eye, however, cameras are vulnerable to light and glare. Low sun angles, oncoming headlights, and strong reflections can reduce image quality and make it more difficult for systems to accurately interpret their surroundings.
Today, the glass surface protecting these cameras remains static. The surface allows all light to pass through, including the stray and scattered light that causes flare and reduces contrast. Static glass has increasingly become a limitation for camera-based safety systems.
The same dynamic glass platform behind Miru’s automotive and wearables applications applies here. Miru integrates electrochromic technology directly into the glass surface protecting ADAS cameras, managing incoming light before it reaches the sensors.
This creates two advantages:
Dynamic flare reduction: The dynamic glass responds to changing light conditions, including low sun angles, direct glare, and strong reflections, helping cameras maintain image quality and clarity under all lighting conditions.
Neutral color: ADAS systems rely on color information to interpret traffic signals, brake lights, road signs, and other critical visual inputs. Miru’s technology manages light without introducing significant color distortion.
ADAS performance ultimately depends on the quality of what the camera “sees”. By transforming sensor-facing glass into an intelligent surface, Miru helps create a more reliable foundation for the next generation of assisted and autonomous driving systems.
This is part of a series exploring how Miru dynamic glass is being applied across industries including automotive, architecture, wearables, and autonomous systems.
Smart glasses and augmented reality devices are moving into everyday environments, where they need to perform across bright sunlight, shaded streets, office lighting, vehicles, storefronts, and constant indoor-outdoor transitions. In each of these settings, one factor has an outsized impact on the user experience: light.
Bright sunlight washes out displays. Reflections reduce readability. Rapid transitions between indoor and outdoor environments create inconsistent viewing.
Many smart glasses today compensate with brighter displays, fixed tint, or added software processing. These approaches can help, but they can also increase power use, reduce comfort, and limit usability.
The better solution starts at the optical glass layer.
Wearable systems rely on transparent surfaces to layer or project digital information onto the physical world. Dynamically controlling glare, brightness, heat, and visible light transmission is critical to system performance.
This is where Miru sees a major shift emerging.
The next generation of wearable devices will not rely on static optical surfaces. They will require intelligent optical control that continuously adapts to changing environmental conditions.
Miru dynamic glass actively manages light in real time for wearable and augmented reality systems.
Our electrochromic platform reduces glare, improves display visibility, and maintains optical clarity across changing lighting conditions, while supporting thin, lightweight, low-power and curved form factors required for seamless wearable integration.
The future of wearables and augmented reality depends on how effectively these devices perform and interact with the physical world around them.
Miru is building the intelligent dynamic glass that drives that transition.
This is the first in a series exploring how Miru Dynamic Glass is being applied across industries including automotive, architecture, wearables, and autonomous systems.
In 2026, Miru will begin commercial deployment of its Dynamic Glass technology in automotive applications – the first major market for a platform designed to support a broad range of intelligent surface applications.
This milestone reflects a broader shift taking place across the automotive industry.
Modern vehicles are increasingly software-defined, sensor-driven, and optimized for performance. Yet the glass surrounding drivers, passengers, cameras, and sensors still behaves largely the way it always has: it either lets light and heat in, or blocks them entirely. Static glass forces the rest of the vehicle to compensate, from cabin cooling to glare management to sensor visibility.
Dynamic Glass changes the role glass can play in the vehicle.
Miru combines advanced electrochromic technology with intelligent control to create glass that actively responds to changing conditions in real time.
Panoramic roofs can adapt as sunlight shifts. Side glass can reduce glare without cutting occupants off from the outside world. Sensor-facing surfaces can support clearer, more consistent visibility across changing light conditions.
Smart glass is not one technology
Smart glass is often treated as a single category, but the differences matter.
Precise light control
Many smart glass systems are effectively clear or opaque. Miru’s technology enables continuous control of visible light transmission, allowing glass to be tuned smoothly as conditions change, enabling better management of glare, heat, comfort, and energy use.
Optical clarity matters
Drivers, passengers, cameras, and optical systems all depend on consistent visibility. Miru’s electrochromic layers are engineered to minimize haze and avoid color distortion, producing a neutral grey tint and clear, undistorted views.
Built for automotive scale
Performance is only part of the challenge. Automotive glass must be manufactured in large formats, curved geometries, and high-throughput production environments. Miru’s technology is designed to integrate with existing glass manufacturing and lamination lines, supporting the way automotive glass is already produced.
The future of vehicle glass is dynamic
Static glass is increasingly out of place in modern mobility.
As vehicles become increasingly intelligent, the materials surrounding them must evolve as well. Dynamic Glass represents a broader shift toward adaptive, responsive surfaces designed for the next generation of mobility.
At Miru, innovation is not just about what comes out of our lab – it is how we make the discovery itself faster, smarter, and more scalable. That is where “Adam”, our groundbreaking AI-driven robot scientist, or self-driving lab, comes in.
Adam is accelerating how we discover and refine the advanced materials behind Miru’s dynamic electrochromic window (“eWindow”) technology. Electrochromic materials may look simple in action – tiny pulses of electricity tinting a window – but they involve millions of variables and years of iteration. Traditionally, it would take decades to move from breakthrough to market.
We decided to accelerate that timeline.
In 2018, our CEO, Curtis Berlinguette, and his team at the University of British Columbia built “Ada”, the world’s first fully autonomous self-driving labs. In collaboration with Jason Hein and Alan Aspuru-Guzik, and backed by an $8 million grant from Natural Resources Canada, Ada could mix, cast, process, test, and analyze materials – and then instantly adjust and repeat. What once took nine months could be compressed into five days.
Adam is the first generation of self-driving labs being used in the materials industry.
(“Ada” was named after Ada Lovelace; “Adam”, is the Ada-Miru iteration.)
Faster, more powerful, and always learning, Adam runs complex experiments continuously and with frequent microadjustments, freeing Miru engineers and scientists to focus on insights and strategy. Together, human ingenuity and AI speed are pushing the boundaries of what is possible in electrochromic technology.
The result: Miru is uncovering better materials at a record pace – developing smarter, more sustainable eWindows for cars, homes, and buildings around the world.
Miru’s mission is to enhance the well-being of people and the planet. Adam is one more way we are building that future, today.
Electric vehicles and e-bikes may be in the limelight of our global move towards decarbonization, but our buildings play an outsized role in reducing our carbon emissions.
Many people do not realize that buildings consume more energy than the entire transportation sector combined—including all cars, trucks and planes. The majority of this energy goes toward heating, cooling and lighting, which accounts for 27% of global GHG emissions and generates 10 gigatons of carbon emissions annually.
This energy goes right out the window—literally. If we can improve the energy efficiency of our windows, we can make a sizable impact in reducing global carbon emissions. At Miru Smart Technologies, we are developing proprietary electrochromic window technology that electronically tints to substantially reduce the amount of energy buildings consume.
Windows are a major source of carbon emissions
Windows are better than walls: They let in the natural light we need for our mental and physical health, and let us connect us to the outside world. But increasingly strict energy-efficiency codes are forcing builders to use more walls than windows to meet these regulations.
Unwanted heat entering or leaving through windows is responsible for 30% of space heating and cooling energy needs in buildings.
To reduce the energy our buildings consume, we need to design better windows—windows that let in natural light and views while also keeping the adequate and comfortable temperature inside.
Windows have not changed in 40 years
The energy crisis of the 1970s led to the development of the first low-emissivity (“low-E”) windows. These windows have a coat of thin metal film deposited onto hot float glass. They allow sunlight into a room while, depending on the climate, reflecting or keeping heat to help maintain the inside temperature to increase building energy efficiencies by 20%.
Today, 85% of windows sold around the world contain a low-E coating.
Market share by glazing type showing that low-E windows account for 85% of the global market. Figure updated from National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) (2022, April). www.nrel.gov.
Low-E windows do not change with the seasons
While low-E windows make our buildings more energy efficient, they are static. The amount of light let into the windows and the amount of heat the windows reflect does not change between winter and summer, morning, midday and evening, weekdays and weekends.
Currently, when designing the building’s enclosure, a compromise is made when selecting the glazing parameters so the windows can deliver the best performance across different seasons. This compromise leaves a lot of energy on the table. Low-E windows let in too much energy during hot summers while not taking advantage of free solar energy during cold winters.
This inefficiency becomes apparent when looking at the solar heat gain coefficient (“SHGC”) of low-E windows. SHGC is a standard used to measure the insulating properties of a window. By definition, SHGC is the ratio of solar energy that hits a window and the solar energy that enters the window. A low SHGC (<0.30) is desirable when it is warm outside, while a higher value (>0.50) is preferable when it is cold outside.
For low-E windows, you need to select a single SHGC value even though the temperature the window is exposed to will vary significantly over time.
Solar heat gain coefficient (“SHGC”) values for a variety of different glazing configurations, with higher values representing the configurations that let more solar energy through the window.
How eWindows give you control of your SHGC
It is not realistic to change our window glass each season like we do with car tires. However, a window with a SHGC that changes depending on environmental conditions can provide the energy efficiency of a range of different window tints.
The variable tint available with eWindows does this.
eWindows allow you to electronically control the SHGC of the window, so you can easily toggle between different SHGCs depending on the weather, time of day, season, or building occupation.
Plot of visible light transmittance (i.e., level of tint) vs. SHGC for various glazings to demonstrate the relationship between the degree of visible light transmittance and SHGC.
How do eWindows work?
Miru eWindows use laminated electrochromic glass units that are combined into an electrochromic insulated glass unit (“eIGU”).
The electrochromic units contain two pieces of glass, each with a metal oxide coating that changes color when charge is passed through it. The electrochromic units operate like a lithium battery: electricity drives the migration of lithium from one metal oxide coating to the other. This ion migration changes the transparency of the window from a clear to tinted state. The window can be cleared again by simply reversing the direction of electrical current.
This ability to vary the tint with applied voltage gives you precise control of the eWindow’s SHGC. The window can also be connected to an algorithm or automated thermostat to change the tint of the window with the time of day or cloud cover, all while letting you enjoy your pleasant view.
Rendering of a cross-section of a Miru eIGU showing the electrochromic unit that faces the exterior of the building, and low-E glass towards the interior of the building.
How long does the energy payback take?
eWindows contain more coatings than lowE windows, so they can be a more expensive investment up front. However, the initial eWindows’ costs are offset by the smaller investment required for the heating and cooling systems of the building. In fact, eWindows can actually reduce the overall cost of a building.
More importantly, eWindows provide significant energy and carbon savings. The energy savings from eWindows yield cost and carbon payback periods of less than two years, particularly in hot climates that need to maintain cool indoor temperatures.
For example, recent industry case studies of electrochromic glazing retrofits demonstrated that a Seattle office building saved 18% in annual energy, and a shopping mall in Colorado showed an even higher 73% reduction in energy use when eWindows were combined with lighting and envelope improvements.
Eliminate gigatons of CO2 emissions with eWindows
Windows are everywhere. The inefficiency of these windows are responsible for massive amounts of carbon emissions.
eWindows are a clean energy technology that can provide significant energy and carbon savings today.
If every installed window was an eWindow, we would reduce global CO2 emissions by 2 gigatons per year. This would represent a reduction of global CO2 emissions by more than 5%! eWindows are a proven technology and can be deployed today. With the Biden administration’s 30% tax credit for eWindows in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, increasingly stringent energy-efficient codes, and growing stress on our power grids, there is more demand than supply for eWindows.
Policies are forcing the electrification of cities. The building industry must find ways to make their buildings more efficient and eWindows are an important part of the solution as the world moves toward a decarbonized future.
This article first appeared in Clean50 on August 18, 2023.
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