In June 2020, a report by Patently Apple highlighted Alphabet’s strategic acquisition of North, a Canadian company known for its augmented reality (AR) smartglasses. This move provided a glimpse into Alphabet’s vision for the future of AR technology. Fast forward to recent developments, Google has filed a series of patents that innovate on this technology by facilitating the integration of prescription lenses into their AR glasses, which can be customized either by local opticians or the manufacturers themselves.

The patents tackle a common issue in AR eyewear: the inclusion of corrective lenses tailored to individual vision needs. Historically, the production of such diverse prescription lenses has been the purview of AR display manufacturers. They faced myriad challenges, including ensuring durability, maintaining effective ingress protection, aligning optics correctly, and guaranteeing that lenses remain secure during physical impacts.

Google’s patents propose a user-friendly solution that shifts some of this burden away from manufacturers. This design allows external parties like optometrists to easily insert prescription lenses, thus minimizing delays in manufacturing these specialized lenses and making AR technology more accessible to users who need vision correction. The frame design is especially notable, featuring detachable parts and a retaining clip that simplifies the lens replacement process.

Some designs also incorporate a pressure-sensitive adhesive around the lens perimeter, streamlining the installation process while keeping the aesthetics and functionality intact.

Patent visuals, such as those in figure 3A, illustrate the simplicity with which lenses can be fitted into the frames, emphasizing practicality and ease of use.

The patents credit Nabila Zaman and Joshua Moore as primary inventors, with three additional inventors, formerly with North and now part of Meta’s smartglasses team as of summer 2024, indicating a dynamic cross-pollination of ideas within the industry.

Another notable patent from Google, registered in Europe, introduces an integrated port in the arms of the glasses, enhancing the device’s connectivity features. These technological advances mark a significant step forward in AR eyewear, making it more adaptable and appealing to a broader audience, thereby expanding the ways in which augmented reality can be integrated into everyday life.