Tuesday 4 March 2025
Vivid Photonics, a spin-out company from Tyndall National Institute based at University College Cork, has developed a breakthrough technology poised to revolutionise image quality in augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR).
The team has developed a Horizontal Cavity Surface Emitting Super Luminescent Diode (SLD) technology – the first of its kind globally. This revolutionary light source technology is designed to deliver superior image quality in compact, ultra low-power, lightweight AR devices, such as smart glasses, paving the way for seamless integration into everyday experiences.
Impact areas of education, medicine, environmental science and more
This innovation has the potential to impact the areas of education, medicine, environmental science, entertainment, and more.
Brian Corbett.
The team behind the spin-out company, including Brian Corbett, are part of IPIC, the Research Ireland centre for Photonics, and have extensive experience in the industry. A prolific inventor and innovator, Corbett’s research has fuelled several spin-out companies, including InfiniLED, which was subsequently bought by Meta in 2016.
The company launched to a global audience at Photonics West in San Francisco recently.
Chris Gorman, CEO, Vivid Photonics.
Chris Gorman, CEO, Vivid Photonics, said: “This is an exciting time to be involved in photonics, and Ireland is at the forefront of this industry. Years of advanced research in Tyndall have produced breakthrough manufacturing processes that will revolutionise how we generate projected light for small lightweight AR glasses. The image quality this will achieve is anticipated to be on par with real life."
Commercialisation
Professor Paul Townsend, director of IPIC and head of photonics, Tyndall, said: “I am excited to see the commercialisation of this latest innovation from Brian Corbett’s world-leading photonics research group. This is a fantastic example of how investment in cutting-edge photonics research through programmes such as IPIC can generate impact.”
Professor William Scanlon, CEO, Tyndall, said: “Vivid Photonics’ technology is set to redefine how the digital and physical worlds interact. This spin-out company is testament to Tyndall’s research excellence in the field of Photonics and we look forward to seeing the profound impact this tech will have across many different applications.”
Dr Sally Cudmore, director of UCC Innovation, said: “It is great to see many years of Tyndall and UCC research come to fruition through the creation of a photonics spin-out company.
"The UCC Innovation team supported the project from conception to spin-out, and I would like to congratulate the research team on their entrepreneurial journey. Vivid Photonics will continue to develop Tyndall’s SLD technology into products that will generate economic and social impact.”