xMEMS Launches Miniature Solid-State Cooling Chip for Smart Glasses

xMEMS Labs has introduced the XMC-1200, a solid-state micro fan designed to address one of the most persistent obstacles facing smang the frames heavier, thicker, or noisier.

The Santa Clara-based semiconductor company describes the XMC-1200 as the world’s smallest active micro fan. With a footprint of 46 square millimeters and typical power consumption of approximately 70 milliwatts when paired with the company’s Astra2 drive application-specific integrated circuit, the chip is small enough to be integrated into the temple arms of augmented reality (AR), extended reality (XR), and AI-powered glasses.

Under a one-watt thermal load, xMEMS says the system can reduce temperatures by as much as 10°C. Engineering samples are now available under nondisclosure agreements to qualified manufacturers and technology partners, with production readiness targeted for the fourth quarter of 2027. Glasses Are Running Into a Heat Problem

Smart glasses are gradually evolving from relatively simple camera and audio accessories into compact computing platforms capable of running computer vision, real-time translation, multimodal assistants, navigation, and high-resolution displays.

Those capabilities require increasingly powerful processors, image sensors, connectivity components, and light engines. Each produces heat inside a device that must remain lightweight, quiet, and comfortable against the wearer’s skin.

Traditional passive cooling systems, including graphite sheets, thermal pads, heat spreaders, and vapor chambers, can redistribute heat throughout a device. However, they cannot create airflow. In tightly sealed enclosures, heat can become trapped around processors and other components, eventually forcing the device to reduce performance or transfer uncomfortable temperatures to the frame. Thermal constraints can affect several aspects of the user experience. Processors may throttle during sustained AI workloads, cameras may impose recording limits, and displays may reduce brightness to control temperatures. Heat generated inside a temple arm can also make glasses uncomfortable during prolonged use.

A Micro Fan Built Using Semiconductor Technology

The XMC-1200 does not resemble the miniature rotary fans found in laptops or other consumer electronics. Instead, it is fabricated from silicon using xMEMS’ piezoelectric microelectromechanical systems, or piezoMEMS, platform.

When voltage is applied to a thin piezoelectric film, the material expands and contracts at ultrasonic frequencies. This movement drives microscopic membranes that generate continuous air pulses through precision valve structures. The resulting airflow can be directed toward a processor, display engine, sensor, or another concentrated source of heat. itecture avoids the rotary motors and bearings used in conventional fans. This allows the cooling device to operate within an approximately one-millimeter-thin package while reducing mechanical complexity, audible noise, and vibration.

The XMC-1200 can deliver airflow of up to 10 cubic centimeters per second and back pressure of up to 1,100 pascals, according to the company’s current product specifications. It is also rated IP68 for resistance to dust and water, an important consideration for electronics intended to be worn throughout the day. han replacing heat spreaders or other passive components, the chip is intended to complement them. The active airflow disrupts the layer of stagnant warm air surrounding a hot component, allowing heat to move more effectively into the device’s broader thermal structure.

Targeted Cooling for Displays, Processors, and Cameras

One potential application is cooling the light engines used in AR and XR displays.

Microdisplay light-emitting diodes and laser-based systems can experience changes in wavelength and output as their temperatures rise. These changes may contribute to color shifts, reduced brightness, or inconsistent image quality during prolonged use. Targeted airflow could help keep these components within a more stable operating range.

Processor cooling presents another use case. Real-time translation, voice interaction, visual recognition, and on-device AI inference require sustained computing performance rather than brief bursts of processing. Without sufficient thermal headroom, a system-on-chip may quickly reduce its clock speed to prevent overheating.

Camera-based glasses face similar constraints. High-resolution image sensors, video encoders, and wireless connections generate heat simultaneously during recording. Active cooling close to these components could allow manufacturers to support longer recording sessions without dramatically increasing frame size.

The same technology may also help manufacturers control the external temperature of the glasses. Moving heat away from electronics before it reaches the surface of a temple arm could make devices more comfortable during extended wear.

Expanding the µCooling Portfolio

The XMC-1200 is the smallest member of a broader active-cooling portfolio being developed by xMEMS.

The company’s XMC-2400 is designed for higher-power applications including XR glasses, personal solid-state drives, and other edge AI systems. Its current specifications include airflow of up to 28 cubic centimeters per second and typical power consumption of approximately 150 milliwatts.

A larger XMC-4800 model targets smartphones, data-center storage systems, and other applications requiring greater airflow. The company lists that product at up to 48 cubic centimeters per second, with typical power consumption of approximately 240 milliwatts. lects a broader strategy of applying semiconductor manufacturing techniques to thermal management across different device categories. Instead of using one fan design for every product, manufacturers could potentially select chips based on the size of the enclosure, available power, airflow requirements, and the location of individual hotspots.

Founded in 2018, xMEMS initially focused on solid-state MEMS speakers for earbuds, smartwatches, headphones, and glasses. The company has since extended the same underlying piezoMEMS platform into thermal management and reports holding more than 300 granted patents worldwide. rcial Adoption Will Depend on System-Level Performance

Making a cooling component small enough for smart glasses is only one part of the engineering challenge.

Manufacturers will need to determine how airflow should move through frames that may be sealed against moisture and dust. They will also have to evaluate how the cooling chip affects battery life, internal component placement, acoustic performance, durability, and exterior temperatures.

The XMC-1200’s relatively low power requirements could make it suitable for selective operation. A device might activate cooling only during video recording, demanding AI inference, high display brightness, or other sustained workloads rather than running the chip continuously.

The longer production schedule also indicates that the technology remains at an early stage. Although engineering samples are available, consumer devices using the XMC-1200 are unlikely to appear until manufacturers complete extensive testing and incorporate the chip into future hardware designs.

The larger XMC-2400 has already entered mass production and is supporting the company’s first glasses-related deployments, giving manufacturers a currently available option for designs with more space or higher thermal loads.

Active Cooling Could Reshape Wearable AI

Smart glasses have traditionally been designed around strict thermal limits. Manufacturers have managed those limits through software restrictions, intermittent workloads, reduced display brightness, and conservative processor performance.

Micro-scale active cooling creates another option. Instead of engineering every capability around a fixed heat ceiling, future wearables could dynamically remove heat during demanding tasks and return to passive operation when workloads decline.

That could support longer recording sessions, more consistent display quality, and AI features that operate continuously rather than in short bursts. It may also allow more processing to remain on the device, reducing dependence on smartphones or cloud infrastructure.

The broader significance extends beyond a single cooling chip. As wearable computers become more capable, thermal management will increasingly influence which AI experiences can function reliably inside devices light enough to be worn throughout the day.