AWE preview: XR focus shifts to lightweight glasses with effortless control
AWE has always been a good place to see where XR is headed, and this year’s event will showcase exciting technology tuned to a more practical approach. Instead of chasing only bigger displays and flashier demos, several companies are working on what smart glasses still need most: lighter hardware and easier control.
AWE USA 2026 runs from June 15 to June 18 in Long Beach, California, with more than 250 exhibitors. I recently joined a preview meeting with Xreal, EverySight, Fether Labs, Unseen Reality, and PeKe Labs. Each company is approaching XR glasses differently, but the common thread is usability.
Xreal’s Project Aura could be Android XR’s first glasses breakthrough
Xreal is already one of the most recognizable names in smart glasses, and Project Aura remains one of the most interesting Android XR devices on the horizon. Aura is a tethered XR glasses platform built with Google for Android XR, with a 70-degree field of view, Xreal’s X1S spatial computing chip, optical see-through displays, and support for the Android XR ecosystem.
That puts Aura somewhere between today’s wearable display glasses and a full headset. It’s aiming for a larger spatial computing experience in a glasses form factor, while Android XR and Google Play could make apps easier to bring along.
There had been some confusion about whether Project Aura was only meant for developers. Ralph Jardice, Xreal’s head of PR, told me Aura is intended for consumers and emphasized that it’s coming this year. However, Xreal isn’t using AWE as a launch event and won’t announce pricing or a final launch date there.
Xreal will also show the ROG Xreal R1, a gaming-focused pair of AR glasses built with ASUS. The R1 has a 240Hz refresh rate, 0.01ms response time, Micro-OLED displays, a 57-degree field of view, Sound by Bose, native 3DoF modes, and compatibility with the ROG Control Dock for PC and console gaming. It’s a reminder that Xreal isn’t abandoning wearable displays while it pushes deeper into spatial computing.
EverySight wants cheaper, brighter displays without waveguides
EverySight is coming at smart glasses from the optics side. Instead of using waveguides, the company is developing projection-based micro-OLED display engines that it says can be brighter, more efficient, and less expensive.
The current Maverick model weighs 43 grams and offers up to 11 hours of battery life, according to EverySight. The next-generation Maverick AI glasses add a camera and eye tracking while targeting a sub-$500 price.
EverySight told me its current AWE units are monocular, but the technology can support binocular designs and up to a 40-degree full-HD display for customers. Monocular HUD-style glasses won’t replace spatial computing headsets, but they could be a good fit for lightweight, all-day AI glasses.
Fether Labs has a different take on wrist-based input
Input remains one of XR’s most stubborn problems. Voice is awkward in public, and hand tracking works best when cameras can clearly see your hands. Fether Labs is taking a different route with a wristband that senses tendon movement.
The company says the Fether Band monitors tendon dynamics at the wrist to translate hand movement into digital output. Jacques Blagburn of Fether Labs told me this differs from EMG, which reads electrical activity from muscles. Fether’s system detects physical tendon movement, which the company says can make quick custom gestures easier, with per-user calibration under five seconds.
At AWE, Fether Labs plans to show a developer kit with demos for invisible gestures, user-created gestures, and grip-force sensing. A tiny hand movement could select, scroll, dismiss, or confirm without forcing the user to speak aloud or wave at empty air.
Unseen Reality is chasing a lighter spatial computer
Unseen Reality, also known as URXR, is a newer startup with a team that includes former Apple and Meta talent. Its URXR One glasses have a claimed 85-degree-plus field of view, roughly 2K-per-eye displays, video see-through, hand tracking, and an onboard spatial compute chip.
The glasses weigh about 93 grams, according to the company. That’s much lighter than a mixed reality headset but still heavier than normal eyewear. URXR One uses pancake optics and video passthrough rather than optical see-through waveguides.
URXR One can connect to computers, phones, and consoles through USB-C DisplayPort output, with an external power hub available when needed. The company says video see-through latency is under 10 milliseconds and plans to bring 10 demo units to AWE. URXR plans to launch a Kickstarter in June and target first shipments in September.
PeKe Labs wants to put the controller in your pocket
PeKe Labs is focused on a problem that can be easy to overlook during polished demos: smart glasses need a good controller. The company is building a phone-mounted touchpad that works through clothing, offering a very different alternative to EMG wristbands.
Instead of reaching for a phone, raising a hand, or speaking out loud, you could tap and swipe while the phone remains in your pocket. Thane Hunt of PeKe Labs said CES testing showed an average onboarding time of about 20 seconds, compared with roughly two minutes for many smart glasses control systems.
PeKe Labs plans to launch at AWE and expects to announce smart glasses partnerships for both business and consumer markets. The company is targeting a September ship date, with pricing still under review.
The next wave of XR glasses might be quieter
The most interesting thing about this preview is that none of these companies is solving the entire smart glasses equation alone. Xreal is pushing Android XR into a more capable glasses form factor. EverySight is working on lighter, cheaper displays. Fether Labs and PeKe Labs are focused on control. Unseen Reality is exploring how much spatial computing can fit into a smaller device.
That feels like where XR needs to go next. The industry has spent years proving immersive computing can be impressive. Now it has to become comfortable, affordable, and socially normal enough to use outside a demo room.
AWE 2026 should offer a better sense of which ideas are ready and which still need more time. But the direction is encouraging. Smart glasses don’t just need better displays. They need fewer awkward moments, faster interactions, and less friction between the user and the experience.