Vuzix
A U.S. technology company that develops smart glasses, augmented-reality displays, and related software for enterprise, industrial, defense, and consumer applications.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Vuzix Corporation is an American technology company focused on smart glasses, augmented-reality display systems, and wearable computing software. Founded in Rochester, New York, in 1997 by Paul Travers, the company originated through the acquisition of assets from Forte Technologies, an earlier virtual-reality and head-mounted-display business. Its early work combined defense contracting, virtual-reality hardware, and video eyewear, before the company broadened its emphasis toward see-through augmented reality and connected enterprise wearables. The business began under the name Interactive Imaging Systems. In its early years, it worked on military and U.S. defense applications, including a 1997 subcontracting project for Raytheon involving display electronics for a digital night-vision weapon sight. It also explored consumer virtual-reality equipment, including the VFX1 and VFX3D head-mounted systems. In 2001, the company introduced the iCOM personal internet browser, one of its first consumer-oriented electronics products. The company changed its name to Icuiti in 2005 and later adopted the Vuzix name in 2007. During the Icuiti period, it introduced the V920 video-eyewear product and secured a military research-and-development contract for a monocular display intended to show tactical maps and video. That work developed into the Tac-Eye family, which entered rate production in 2009 and was used in military programs including the Battlefield Air Operations kit. Vuzix also supplied a custom handheld display system for Hitachi's pavilion at the 2005 World's Fair in Aichi, Japan, where visitors interacted with computer-generated imagery and mixed-reality presentations. Vuzix became increasingly associated with optical see-through and video-based augmented reality. In 2010, it presented the Wrap 920AR, a pass-through augmented-reality system using cameras and displays to give users a live view of their surroundings. The company subsequently developed the Raptyr transparent-display prototype, demonstrated at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show. Although the Raptyr name was not used for the final commercial product, the technology became the STAR 1200, which Vuzix described as an early production transparent augmented-reality system. The STAR 1200 was released in 2011 and was aimed at professional and development applications rather than mass-market eyewear. The M100 Smart Glasses marked a shift toward mobile and enterprise computing. Demonstrated at CES in 2013 and shipped during the first quarter of that year, the M100 used an onboard Android operating system and could connect wirelessly with iOS and Android smartphones. Its intended applications included remote access to information, field service, logistics, manufacturing, training, and other hands-free workflows. Later Vuzix products, including the M series and Blade family, continued this enterprise-oriented approach while incorporating optical waveguides, cameras, voice interaction, and Android-based software ecosystems. Vuzix attracted strategic investment from Intel in January 2015. Intel invested $25 million and acquired approximately 30 percent of Vuzix's stock, giving the company a prominent technology-industry strategic investor. In 2017, Vuzix and BlackBerry announced a partnership focused on enterprise smart glasses, combining Vuzix hardware with BlackBerry enterprise and software capabilities. Vuzix remains publicly traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol VUZI and operates internationally, with offices and commercial activity in the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, and other markets. Its positioning is primarily as an enterprise and industrial augmented-reality supplier, although it has also developed consumer video eyewear and gaming-related products.
History
Vuzix was established in 1997 in Rochester, New York, by Paul Travers under the name Interactive Imaging Systems. The company acquired assets associated with Forte Technologies, a pioneer in virtual-reality and head-mounted-display equipment. Its initial activities included both defense work and consumer virtual reality. In the same year it served as a Raytheon subcontractor on display electronics for a digital night-vision weapon sight, establishing an early connection to military visualization and wearable displays. The company's first major product era centered on head-mounted video and virtual-reality equipment. The VFX1 Headgear became sufficiently notable to appear in a U.S. Postal Service commemorative stamp collection covering 1990s technology, while the higher-resolution VFX3D followed around 2000. In 2001, Interactive Imaging Systems launched the iCOM personal internet browser, extending its activities into consumer electronics and wearable information access. In 2005, the company changed its name to Icuiti. It introduced the V920 Video Eyewear, its first product designed specifically for consumers under that identity. During the same period, it supplied Hitachi with a high-resolution handheld display system for the company's pavilion at the 2005 World's Fair in Aichi, Japan. The installation used computer-generated imagery and mixed-reality experiences to present endangered-species models and dioramas. Icuiti also expanded its defense research. In 2005 it received a military research-and-development contract to create a high-resolution monocular display for tactical maps and video. This work eventually produced the Tac-Eye line, which entered rate production in 2009 and was incorporated into military programs, including the Battlefield Air Operations kit. The company's name changed again in 2007, when Icuiti was rebranded as Vuzix. Vuzix's later development concentrated on augmented reality and optical display engineering. In 2010 it showcased the Wrap 920AR, a pass-through system combining cameras with VGA displays to provide a live view of the user's surroundings. It also developed the Raptyr transparent-display prototype, shown at CES in 2011. The commercial successor was marketed as the STAR 1200 rather than under the Raptyr name. Released in 2011, the STAR 1200 was designed to resemble eyewear and could be worn over a user's existing glasses. It represented an early production implementation of transparent augmented-reality display technology. The M100 Smart Glasses, demonstrated at CES in January 2013 and shipped during the first quarter of that year, moved Vuzix toward connected mobile and enterprise use. The product used Android onboard and wirelessly accessed information from iOS and Android smartphones. Vuzix subsequently developed additional M-series products and the Blade family for professional, industrial, and consumer-adjacent use cases. Its displays are based on optical waveguides, a technology intended to place digital imagery within a glasses-like form factor while preserving forward visibility. Corporate and commercial partnerships became another part of Vuzix's growth strategy. In January 2015, Intel invested $25 million and acquired roughly 30 percent of Vuzix's stock. In August 2017, Vuzix and BlackBerry announced a partnership to supply enterprise smart-glasses solutions. Vuzix continues to operate as a publicly traded company under the Nasdaq ticker VUZI, serving customers and partners through operations connected with the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, and international enterprise markets. Its historical transition has been from military and consumer virtual-reality hardware toward enterprise smart glasses, augmented-reality displays, and hands-free computing systems.
- 2017
Vuzix partners with BlackBerry
[1]The companies announced a partnership to deliver smart-glasses solutions for enterprise customers.
- 2015
Intel makes a strategic investment
[1]Intel invested $25 million and acquired approximately 30 percent of Vuzix's stock.
- 2013
M100 Smart Glasses launch
[1]The M100 combined an onboard Android operating system with wireless connectivity to iOS and Android mobile devices.
- 2011
STAR 1200 reaches the market
[1]The STAR 1200 became Vuzix's production transparent-display augmented-reality system after the Raptyr prototype.
- 2010
Wrap 920AR is introduced
[1]Vuzix presented a pass-through augmented-reality system using cameras and displays to provide a live environmental view.
- 2009
Tac-Eye enters rate production
[1]The Tac-Eye monocular display family entered rate production following military research and development work.
- 2007
Icuiti is rebranded as Vuzix
[1]The company adopted the Vuzix name as it increasingly emphasized video eyewear and augmented-reality displays.
- 2005
Company becomes Icuiti
[1]Interactive Imaging Systems changed its corporate name to Icuiti and introduced the V920 Video Eyewear.
- 2001
iCOM personal internet browser launches
[1]Vuzix's predecessor introduced the iCOM, an early consumer-oriented wearable internet-access product.
- 2000
VFX1 appears in a U.S. Postal Service technology stamp collection
[1]The VFX1 Headgear was included in a commemorative collection highlighting technology associated with the 1990s.
Products and positioning
An enterprise- and industrial-focused developer of smart glasses and augmented-reality display technology, with additional applications in defense, field service, manufacturing, training, logistics, and consumer video eyewear.
Virtual-reality head-mounted display
VFX1 Headgear
One of the company's early virtual-reality headsets, the VFX1 helped establish its reputation in immersive head-mounted displays and later gained recognition through inclusion in a U.S. Postal Service technology stamp collection.
Virtual-reality head-mounted display · 2000
VFX3D
A higher-resolution successor to the VFX1, the VFX3D continued the company's early focus on immersive video and virtual-reality hardware around the turn of the millennium.
Consumer video eyewear · 2005
V920 Video Eyewear
Introduced during the Icuiti period, the V920 was designed specifically for consumers and reflected the company's transition from specialist virtual-reality equipment toward personal video eyewear.
Military monocular display · 2009
Tac-Eye
The Tac-Eye family grew out of military research for a monocular display capable of presenting tactical maps and video. It entered rate production in 2009 and was used in several military programs.
Pass-through augmented-reality eyewear · 2010
Wrap 920AR
The Wrap 920AR used cameras and display panels to provide a live view of the surrounding environment, allowing digital content to be presented as a pass-through augmented-reality experience.
Optical see-through augmented-reality eyewear · 2011
STAR 1200
The STAR 1200 was an early production transparent augmented-reality system. It was designed to fit over a user's existing eyewear and connected to a computer through VGA or DVI interfaces.
Connected smart glasses · 2013
M100 Smart Glasses
The M100 was a mobile-connected smart-glasses platform with an onboard Android operating system. It enabled users to access smartphone-linked information and content hands-free, supporting early enterprise and field-work scenarios.
Smart glasses
Vuzix Blade
The Blade family represents Vuzix's glasses-oriented smart-display offering for consumer-adjacent and professional applications. It builds on the company's emphasis on optical waveguides and wearable access to digital information.
Enterprise smart glasses
Vuzix M400
The M400 is part of Vuzix's enterprise M-series and is intended for industrial and professional workflows requiring hands-free access to information, remote assistance, documentation, and operational software.
Brand decisions
2017
Enterprise partnership with BlackBerryStrategyBackground
Vuzix was seeking to expand smart-glasses adoption in enterprise environments rather than relying solely on consumer demand.
Action taken
Vuzix and BlackBerry partnered to deliver enterprise smart-glasses solutions.
Aftermath
The partnership connected Vuzix wearable hardware with BlackBerry enterprise technology and reinforced the company's business-to-business positioning.
2015
Intel strategic investmentM&ABackground
Intel sought exposure to wearable display technology and Vuzix's smart-glasses development.
Action taken
Intel invested $25 million and acquired approximately 30 percent of Vuzix's stock.
Aftermath
The transaction gave Vuzix a major technology-industry strategic investor and increased the visibility of its wearable-display work.
Intel investment. $25 million investment; approximately 30% ownership (January 2015)
2007
Rebranding from Icuiti to VuzixStrategyBackground
The company was developing a broader identity around video eyewear, wearable displays, and augmented reality.
Action taken
Icuiti changed its name to Vuzix.
Aftermath
The Vuzix name became the platform for the company's subsequent augmented-reality and smart-glasses product strategy.
2005
Shift toward consumer video eyewear and defense displaysStrategyBackground
While operating as Icuiti, the company broadened beyond earlier virtual-reality work by introducing consumer video eyewear and pursuing a military monocular-display contract.
Action taken
It launched the V920 Video Eyewear and began development that later produced the Tac-Eye line.
Aftermath
The move helped establish two continuing areas of activity: personal display products and specialized defense visualization.
Recent events
Vuzix contracts Base Logistics for European operations[3]
Reported:
Vuzix announced it had contracted Base Logistics to provide third-party logistics support for the expansion of Vuzix’s European operations and business needs.
Verizon and Vuzix partner on augmented reality technology[4]
Reported:
Verizon and Vuzix announced a partnership combining Vuzix Shield smart glasses with Verizon's 5G network capabilities. They said they planned to explore commercializing augmented reality technology for sports and gaming, especially training scenarios.
Vuzix signs distribution agreement with Barcotec[5]
Reported:
Vuzix announced that it signed a distribution agreement with Barcotec, which will distribute Vuzix Smart Glasses across multiple industry verticals. Vuzix also said it had received and shipped against an initial order from Barcotec.
Vuzix announces pricing of an $85 million public stock offering[6]
Reported:
Vuzix announced pricing for an underwritten public offering of 4,146,342 common shares at $20.50 per share. The offering was expected to generate approximately $85 million in gross proceeds before expenses, excluding any underwriter option exercise; closing was expected on or about March 30, subject to customary conditions.
Ox Fulfillment Solutions announces seed investment round with Vuzix participation[7]
Reported:
Ox Fulfillment Solutions announced a private seed investment round led by MaC Venture Capital and Cortado Ventures that included a minority investment from Vuzix.
Vuzix upgrades Zoom, Skype for Business and Webex Teams connectors[8]
Reported:
Vuzix announced expanded availability and upgraded support for its Zoom, Skype for Business and Webex Teams connector applications on its M4000 and M400 Smart Glasses, with added features including speech commands and camera controls.
Vuzix partners with Children of War Foundation[9]
Reported:
Vuzix announced a partnership with Children of War Foundation, supplying M400 Smart Glasses to help connect healthcare professionals and surgeons for remote medical and surgical education.
Vuzix announces support for Oculogx fulfillment software[10]
Reported:
Vuzix announced that its M-Series smart glasses support Oculogx's order fulfillment software suite and said it looked forward to further collaboration with Oculogx.
Vuzix M400 receives China sales certification[11]
Reported:
Vuzix announced that its M400 Smart Glasses had received CCC certification for sale in China.
NNTC upgrades biometric software for Vuzix AR glasses[12]
Reported:
NNTC upgraded its iFalcon Face Control Mobile biometric facial-recognition system for Vuzix AR glasses. Release 2.0 adds support for operating hundreds of wearable devices or thousands of CCTV cameras through one interface, among other features.
Showing the 10 most recent.
Sources14 sources
- 1Vuzixen.wikipedia.org
- 2Vuzix official websitevuzix.com
- 3Vuzix 聘用 Base Logistics 支持欧洲业务运营prnewswire.com
- 4Verizon 与 Vuzix 合作开发扩增实境技术engadget.com
- 5Vuzix与Barcotec签署分销协议prnewswire.com
- 6Vuzix宣布定价8,500万美元公开发行股票prnewswire.com
- 7Ox Fulfillment Solutions宣布种子轮融资，Vuzix参与投资prnewswire.com
- 8Vuzix 升级 Zoom、Skype for Business 和 Webex Teams 连接应用prnewswire.com
- 9Vuzix 与 Children of War Foundation 建立合作prnewswire.com
- 10Vuzix宣布支持Oculogx履约软件prnewswire.com
- 11Vuzix M400获准在中国销售prnewswire.com
- 12NNTC升级用于Vuzix增强现实眼镜的生物识别软件biometricupdate.com
- 13Vuzix与TensorMark宣布建立合作关系prnewswire.com
- 14Vuzix Expands Partnership with TensorMark for Facial Recognition Related to COVID-19 Hospital Testing Initiativeprnewswire.com
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