A new miniature display reference design brings high-resolution visuals, low-power processing, and a complete video-to-optics pipeline to next-generation smart glasses, viewfinders, and compact AR devices—enabling faster development of lightweight, near-eye wearable systems.
For design engineers developing next-generation wearable and near-eye devices, this reference design serves as a critical shortcut to achieving high-quality visual output in an extremely compact footprint. It provides a fully validated display subsystem—with integrated processing, timing control, illumination management, and optical readiness—allowing engineers to bypass the complexities of building a micro-display architecture from scratch. By offering a proven signal-to-image path, the design reduces development risk, cuts engineering time, and ensures reliable performance for applications where size, power efficiency, and visual clarity are paramount. This makes it an essential foundation for engineers building AR glasses, viewfinders, medical scopes, and other advanced portable imaging systems.
This reference design has been developed by OmniVision Technologies to serve as a complete miniature display solution for next-generation wearables and head-mounted products. It brings together a high-resolution micro-display and a dedicated control-and-processing unit to create a full display pipeline that converts incoming video signals into high-quality near-eye visuals. The company has introduced this design as a fully integrated display subsystem that pairs a 720p display engine with an intelligent processing controller. The system manages video reception, illumination timing, colour handling, and image geometry within a tiny footprint suitable for wearables. By combining processing firmware, optical support, and reference integration material, the design accelerates development for companies building monocular and binocular near-eye displays. Its compact architecture demonstrates how a full digital video pipeline can be embedded inside head-mounted or pocket-sized electronics while maintaining image clarity and power efficiency.
The reference design combines high-definition output, fine pixel detailing, and an integrated processor that manages scaling, frame-rate conversion, colour control, and keystone adjustments while supporting multiple digital video inputs. Its synchronised illumination system ensures accurate colour reproduction, and its low-power operation makes it ideal for battery-driven wearables. A compact light module feeds illumination into the display element, while the control unit processes incoming video through scaling, timing, and geometry correction, manages sequencing through a frame buffer, and drives the final image through the optical assembly. With system control handled by an onboard microcontroller, the design provides a fully integrated, ready-to-deploy architecture suited for AR glasses, inspection devices, camera viewfinders, compact projectors, and other portable visual systems.
The reference design kit includes the micro-display subsystem, the processing and driving electronics, evaluation firmware, sample optical support, and a demonstration setup for rapid prototyping. Complete documentation is provided, covering electrical interfaces, mechanical outlines, configuration details, and integration guidelines, enabling developers to test image quality, evaluate timing performance, and adapt the display engine into their products. Full specifications and downloadable materials are available at the following official pages:link1 and link2.
