Eye safety at the core

Premstaetten, Austria, and Munich, Germany (December 16, 2025) — Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are moving from niche applications into everyday life—powering education, healthcare, remote collaboration, and entertainment. Analysts project tens of millions of AR/VR devices to be shipped annually in the coming years, underscoring the need for robust, safe, and power-efficient optical components¹.  

As displays move closer to the eye, eye safety becomes more and more important. The same applies to infrared illumination used for eye tracking, where precise current control and built-in safeguards are essential for compliance. Meeting strict safety standards without compromising performance is one of the biggest challenges for device makers. This includes navigating IEC 62471 and IEC 60825-1 requirements, which can significantly increase system complexity when handled externally. ams OSRAM addresses this head-on with its AS1181 LED driver, a solution designed to make smart glasses and AR/VR headsets safer, more efficient, and more compact.

“Eye safety is fundamental to every AR/VR system we design at ams OSRAM,” emphasizes Markus Zieserl, Product Manager at ams OSRAM. “With AS1181, we’ve built safety into the silicon chip itself, enabling reliable eye tracking illumination without adding external protection circuitry. This approach gives our customers top-tier performance, higher efficiency, and a faster path to certification—all in an extremely compact form factor.”

The AS1181 integrates advanced eye safety features directly into the driver, eliminating the need for complex external circuitry. This “Safety by Design” approach ensures compliance with international standards while simplifying system architecture. The device offers eight independently configurable channels, supports programmable LED currents up to 66 mA, and includes short-circuit and open detection, overcurrent protection, thermal shutdown, as well as a built-in self-test. The device delivers highly accurate current control and fast transient response, both critical for high-precision eye tracking illumination. Two strobe/PWM inputs allow synchronization with external cameras, ideal for binocular eye tracking, while configuration via I²C/I3C interface provides flexibility for developers. Despite its rich functionality, the AS1181 fits into a tiny WLCSP package measuring just 2.9 × 1.75 × 0.5 mm, making it perfect for space-constrained smart glasses and AR/VR headsets.

By combining precise current control, ultra-low power consumption, and integrated protection mechanisms, the AS1181 enables device makers to deliver sharper visuals, longer battery life, and safer user experiences, all without sacrificing design freedom. This is a critical step toward making smart glasses and AR/VR devices truly wearable and everyday-ready.

For more information on our product, visit ams-osram.com.

1 AR and VR Optical Components in Emerging Markets: Analysis and Projections 2025-2033