The first built-in cooling for smart glasses keeps heat low using a chip—improving comfort, safety, and performance without changing the design.
xMEMS Labs has introduced the first in-frame active cooling solution for AI-enabled smart glasses, extending its µCooling fan-on-a-chip platform to address rising thermal challenges in wearable displays.
As smart glasses integrate AI chips, sensors, cameras, and AR displays, their thermal loads are exceeding 2W. This heat is absorbed by the glasses frame, which contacts the user’s skin directly—raising comfort and safety concerns. Traditional passive cooling methods are proving insufficient for prolonged use.
µCooling provides localized, precision-controlled cooling inside the frame using a silent, compact device. It reduces surface temperatures without altering the glasses’ size or design. Lab results show a 60–70% increase in thermal headroom, up to 40% lower system temperatures, and up to 75% reduction in thermal resistance. These improvements help maintain performance, extend device life, and enhance user comfort.
The platform runs on a solid-state piezoMEMS architecture with no moving parts, ensuring silent, durable, and maintenance-free operation. Measuring just 9.3 x 7.6 x 1.13 mm, it fits easily into slim wearables.
Some of the key features of fan-on-a-chip platform include:
- Cools smart glasses from inside the frame
- Works without fans or moving parts
- Very small and fits in slim glasses
- Makes no noise while running
- Cools only where needed to save space and power
- Keeps glasses safe and comfortable to wear
- Helps the glasses work better for longer
- Already used in phones and other small devices
With success in cooling phones, SSDs, and optical modules, the company is now applying its solid-state thermal technology to next-generation XR glasses and other compact electronics.
“Heat in smart glasses is more than a performance issue; it directly affects user comfort and safety,” said Mike Housholder, VP of Marketing at xMEMS Labs. “xMEMS’ µCooling technology is the only active solution small, thin, and light enough to integrate directly into the limited volume of the eyewear frame, actively managing surface temperatures to enable true all-day wearability.”
