South Korea's LetinAR is building optics behind AI glasses

At a glance:

• LetinAR, a South Korean startup, secured $18.5 million in funding to advance its optical technology for AI glasses
• The company's PinTILT technology aims to solve the industry's challenge of creating thin, lightweight, and power-efficient optical modules
• Global AI glasses shipments surged to 8.7 million units in 2025, with projections to exceed 15 million this year

The race to perfect smart glasses optics

Smart glasses are rapidly evolving from niche concepts to mainstream consumer devices, with major tech companies investing heavily in the space. Meta has been selling AI-enabled Ray-Ban glasses since 2023, Google is developing Android XR, and Apple is expected to enter the market soon. Samsung reportedly plans to unveil its first AI-capable smart glasses, co-designed with Gentle Monster, at a Galaxy Unpacked event in London this July. Meanwhile, Chinese tech giants including Huawei, Alibaba, and Xiaomi are also making significant moves in this emerging sector.

The momentum is reflected in growing market numbers. Global AI glasses shipments surged to 8.7 million units in 2025, representing more than 300% growth from the previous year. Analysts project that figure will cross 15 million units this year, according to data from Omdia. This rapid expansion has created a critical need for advanced optical components that can deliver high-quality visual experiences in compact, wearable form factors.

LetinAR's optical breakthrough

At the heart of this revolution is optical technology that determines whether smart glasses feel like futuristic headsets or practical everyday accessories. South Korean startup LetinAR has spent the past decade developing the optical modules that could make advanced AR experiences truly wearable. Founded in 2016 by CEO Jaehyeok Kim and CTO Jeonghun Ha, who have been friends since high school, the company focuses on solving the central engineering challenge of the industry: creating optical components that are simultaneously thin, lightweight, power-efficient, and capable of delivering sharp, clear images.

"We see AI glasses as that next platform," Kim said. "And the optical module is the hardest part to get right as AI glasses makers will need a lens that is thinner, lighter, and more power-efficient than what exists today." The company's proprietary technology, called PinTILT, represents a novel approach to arranging tiny optical elements within a lens to precisely direct light into the user's field of vision rather than scattering it in multiple directions.

The PinTILT advantage

Existing smart lens technologies face significant tradeoffs. The dominant waveguide approach creates thin lenses but suffers from inefficiency, as much of the light is scattered before reaching the eye, resulting in dimmer images and faster battery drain. Alternatively, birdbath mirror-based systems deliver light more directly but require bulky structures that make them impractical for normal-looking glasses frames.

LetinAR's PinTILT technology aims to overcome these limitations by focusing exclusively on light that can enter the eye and carefully engineering the angle of each tiny optical element. According to the company, this approach enables brighter images in thinner, lighter form factors while consuming less power—a critical advantage in an industry where every gram and every hour of battery life matters. "In the space, there are a number of peers like WaveOptics, DigiLens and Lumus," the company noted, positioning itself among established players in the optical components market.

Strategic funding and industry validation

LetinAR recently secured $18.5 million in funding from Korea Development Bank and Lotte Ventures, among others, bringing its total raised to $41.7 million. The investment comes ahead of the company's planned 2027 IPO in South Korea and will support scaling operations as the AI glasses market transitions from early adopters to mass production. Notably, LG Electronics, one of LetinAR's previous investors, has begun developing its own AI smart glasses—a clear indication of how seriously South Korea's largest consumer electronics company views this emerging category.

The funding will enable LetinAR to expand manufacturing capabilities and accelerate R&D efforts as hardware devices increasingly represent the next frontier for bringing AI into everyday life. "When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn't affect our editorial independence," the article notes, though this appears to be a standard disclaimer rather than part of the core news.

Real-world applications and customers

LetinAR's optical modules are already shipping to customers, providing the company with valuable manufacturing experience at scale. Among its clients are Japan's NTT QONOQ Devices and Dynabook (formerly Toshiba Client Solutions). The company is also in discussions with major tech companies regarding R&D partnerships for next-generation AI glasses, though it has declined to name these potential collaborators.

One of LetinAR's most demanding customers is Aegis Rider, a Swiss deeptech company spun out of ETH Zurich's Computer Vision Lab. Aegis Rider is developing an AI-powered AR helmet that displays navigation, speed, and safety alerts directly in a motorcycle rider's field of vision. Unlike traditional AR displays that float on the visor, Aegis Rider's system anchors information to the road itself, creating the illusion that data is physically painted on the world ahead. LetinAR's modules are integral to this experience, with Aegis Rider targeting EU and Swiss markets for a 2026 launch.