Smart glasses are often on the hunt for additional devices such as displays and cameras. Unlike, say, the Ray-Ban meta, IXI addresses a problem that affects many people every day, and sees clearly as your eyes bounce between a phone, a laptop, and the world in front of you. Its autofocus smart glasses are designed to change focus in real time, and the company unveiled the concept at CES 2026.
For anyone in the transition zone between near and distance assistance, the usual answer is bifocals or progressive lenses. These can work well, but they can also lock you into a tight sweet spot, especially when reading, and cause blurring around the edges when your eyes wander from the right area. Some people adapt quickly, others never really notice.
IXI’s goal is easier to explain than most smart glasses. Make the lens behave as if it were always in the right place instead of having to look for the right place in the lens.
The trick is eye recognition
The glasses use eye tracking to figure out where you’re looking and then adjust the liquid crystal lenses accordingly. The frame relies on infrared components that are aimed at your eyes and read reflections to estimate the direction of your gaze. When moving from far to close, the optics can correct the reading. Looking up again will restore the distance setting.
Because the correction changes dynamically, the company believes there is no need for large fixed zones constantly dedicated to reading.
The promise is comfort and clarity. By keeping the majority of the lens optimized for distance until you actually need close-ups, you may spend less time tilting your head, moving a screen, or squinting through the edges.
However, this is not yet a finished consumer product. The experience depends on how natural the transitions feel, especially in motion.
The roadmap and the caveats
IXI is targeting a launch within the next year, first in Europe, pending regulatory approval, and then toward an FDA pathway for the US. Prices are expected to be higher than standard glasses. Early availability can also be narrow, with only a few frame styles and widths.
There are practical compromises. The glasses need to be charged overnight via a hidden magnetic connection. The company also acknowledges edge distortion and says further testing is needed before the system can be deemed safe to drive, with a fallback mode that returns to the lens’ default state if something goes wrong. If you’re interested, the most useful next step is to watch real-world demos that include outdoor walks, night scenes, and driving studies, not just a controlled indoor test.
If you’re interested in augmented reality and smarter smart glasses, the best glasses can help you get prescriptions.
