- Capability group
- Robotics & Autonomous Systems
- Domain
- Critical Technology · Hard Power
- Identifier
- factbase.org/cap/JTVN7J7W40
Papers
–
2020–2024
Paper growth
–
2020–24 on 2015–19
Patent families
68.7k
2020–2024
Filed abroad
37%
families in more than one office
What it covers
What the capability covers and what it leaves to others, and the indicators it will be measured by.
Bounds
Covers interface technology; medical applications are shared with the biotechnology group, classified by purpose, and the ethics and regulation of human enhancement belong to the governance domain.
Lineage
New in v0.1, the one wholly new capability in the release: interface technology appears across current government technology lists and had no home in v0.0.
Indicators
- research publication share in neural and immersive interfacesResearch
- interface device trials approvedPending
Who publishes it
No research data maps to this capability yet: it is new in framework v0.1 and the research classification still follows the v0.0 topics.
Who patents it
Patent families by the nation of origin of their applicants and their earliest priority year, from the CPC and IPC classes the capability is read from. 2025 onwards is incomplete: families are published 18 months after priority.
Families by priority year
The five leading origins, families by year
18,435 applicants filed here in 2015–2024; the five largest held 10% of families (HHI 39 of 10,000: unconcentrated).
Share of families by origin, 2020–2024
- 1China45.3%31,126 families
- 2United States19.2%13,194 families
- 3South Korea15.7%10,786 families
- 4Japan6.9%4,726 families
- 5Germany3.2%2,213 families
- 6Taiwan2.0%1,374 families
- 7France1.4%958 families
- 8United Kingdom1.0%699 families
- 9Finland0.5%376 families
- 10Israel0.5%344 families
Applicants filing most internationally, 2015–2024
Families filed in more than one office, by applicant as the offices name them.
- 1SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD2,732international families
- 2APPLE INC1,534international families
- 3META PLATFORMS TECH LLC1,134international families
- 4MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC1,126international families
- 5SONY CORP920international families
- 6BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO LTD821international families
- 7GOOGLE LLC792international families
- 8HUAWEI TECH CO LTD762international families
- 9SONY GROUP CORP750international families
- 10SNAP INC725international families
Classification read
- G06F3/011 Body interaction for virtual reality: head, eye, hand, brain signals · 299.3k documents
- G06F3/016 Haptic and force feedback · 74.3k documents
- G06F3/017 Gesture-based interaction · 114.1k documents
- G02B27/01 Head-up and head-mounted displays · 630k documents
- G06T19/006 Mixed and augmented reality · 101.8k documents
- A61N1/0529 Electrodes for brain stimulation · 22k documents
- A61B5/375 Brain-wave biofeedback · 4.4k documents
- A61F2/72 Nerve and muscle signal control of prostheses · 4.7k documents
- B25J9/0006 Exoskeletons · 15.3k documents
Shares inventions with
Capabilities whose classes the same families also fall in, by overlap (Jaccard).
- Applied AI & Advanced Analytics10,655 families · 0.043
- Advanced Optical Communication & Photonics2,106 families · 0.022
- Advanced Robotics1,940 families · 0.021
Who makes it
The companies that research, design, make, supply and operate the technology, the global leaders and the leading firms of every region.
50 companies in this capability, from 23 nations across 8 regions. Sorted by how experts see each company's global relevance in the field, from very high to very low.
- Very high4 companies
- 1Very highSoftware & platformsMenlo ParkUnited States200474kMETA
Through Reality Labs it leads the consumer XR headset market with Quest, sells Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, and is developing the Orion AR glasses and an EMG neural wristband.
Very high relevance · Software & platforms · United States, Menlo Park · founded 2004 · 74k staff
- 2Very highHardware & devicesCupertinoUnited States1976164kAAPL
It makes the Vision Pro spatial computer with eye- and hand-tracking input, and is the second-largest international patent applicant in this capability.
Very high relevance · Hardware & devices · United States, Cupertino · founded 1976 · 164k staff
- 3Very highDesignSan DiegoUnited States198549kQCOM
Its Snapdragon XR and AR1 chipsets power most standalone headsets and smart glasses outside Apple, including Quest, Ray-Ban Meta and Galaxy XR.
Very high relevance · Design · United States, San Diego · founded 1985 · 49k staff
- 4Very highHardware & devicesFremontUnited States2016––
It develops the N1 implanted brain-computer interface and its robotic implantation system, and has implanted human participants in FDA-approved PRIME trials since 2024.
Very high relevance · Hardware & devices · United States, Fremont · founded 2016
- High10 companies
- 5HighComponents & subsystemsSuwonSouth Korea1969268k005930
It is the largest international patent applicant in this capability, makes the Galaxy XR headset on Android XR, and through Samsung Display supplies OLED and OLEDoS panels for headsets.
High relevance · Components & subsystems · South Korea, Suwon · founded 1969 · 268k staff
- 6HighHardware & devicesTokyoJapan1946113k6758
It makes the PlayStation VR2 and is a leading supplier of micro-OLED displays, including those in Apple Vision Pro, and it is a top-five patent applicant here.
High relevance · Hardware & devices · Japan, Tokyo · founded 1946 · 113k staff
- 7HighSoftware & platformsMountain ViewUnited States1998183kGOOGL
It develops the Android XR platform for headsets and smart glasses with Samsung and Qualcomm, and is a major patent applicant in AR interaction.
High relevance · Software & platforms · United States, Mountain View · founded 1998 · 183k staff
- 8HighSoftware & platformsRedmondUnited States1975228kMSFT
It created the HoloLens mixed-reality headset and the US Army IVAS programme built on it (the programme was handed to Anduril in 2025), and it holds a large mixed-reality patent portfolio.
High relevance · Software & platforms · United States, Redmond · founded 1975 · 228k staff
- 9HighHardware & devicesNew YorkUnited States2016––
It developed the Stentrode, an endovascular brain-computer interface placed through the jugular vein, and was the first BCI company to run an FDA-approved early feasibility study (COMMAND).
High relevance · Hardware & devices · United States, New York · founded 2016
- 10HighHardware & devicesSalt Lake CityUnited States2008–Private
It makes the Utah Array, the electrode used in most human intracortical BCI research implants over the past two decades.
High relevance · Hardware & devices · United States, Salt Lake City · founded 2008
- 11HighContract manufacturingWeifangChina2001–002241
It is the dominant contract manufacturer (ODM) of VR headsets and AR optics for global brands, including Meta and Sony.
High relevance · Contract manufacturing · China, Weifang · founded 2001
- 12HighSystems integrationHaifaIsrael196620kESLT
It is a world leader in pilot helmet-mounted displays, supplying the F-35 Gen III HMDS through its Collins Elbit Vision Systems joint venture.
High relevance · Systems integration · Israel, Haifa · founded 1966 · 20k staff
- 13HighComponents & subsystemsStockholmSweden2001–TOBII
It is the global leader in eye-tracking hardware and licensing, used for gaze input and foveated rendering in headsets such as PlayStation VR2.
High relevance · Components & subsystems · Sweden, Stockholm · founded 2001
- 14HighHardware & devicesSydneyAustralia1981–COH
It is the world leader in cochlear implants, the most widely deployed implanted neural interface, with more than 750,000 devices implanted.
High relevance · Hardware & devices · Australia, Sydney · founded 1981
- Moderate16 companies
- 15ModerateHardware & devicesShenzhenChina1987208kPrivate
It is a top-ten patent applicant in this capability and makes the Vision Glass and Vision headsets along with HarmonyOS spatial interaction.
Moderate relevance · Hardware & devices · China, Shenzhen · founded 1987 · 208k staff
- 16ModerateComponents & subsystemsBeijingChina1993–000725
It is China's largest display maker, supplies LCD and silicon-based OLED microdisplays for VR/AR headsets, and is a top-ten patent applicant here.
Moderate relevance · Components & subsystems · China, Beijing · founded 1993
- 17ModerateSoftware & platformsBeijingChina2012–Private
Its Pico unit, acquired in 2021, makes the Pico 4 headset line, China's leading consumer VR brand.
Moderate relevance · Software & platforms · China, Beijing · founded 2012
- 18ModerateHardware & devicesNew YorkUnited States2021––
It makes the Layer 7 thin-film cortical interface, which received FDA 510(k) clearance in 2025 for temporary implantation.
Moderate relevance · Hardware & devices · United States, New York · founded 2021
- 19ModerateSoftware & platformsSanta MonicaUnited States20114,911SNAP
It develops Spectacles AR glasses with waveguides from its WaveOptics acquisition, and it is a top-ten patent applicant in this capability.
Moderate relevance · Software & platforms · United States, Santa Monica · founded 2011 · 4,911 staff
- 20ModerateHardware & devicesNew TaipeiTaiwan1997–2498
Its Vive line of PC and enterprise VR headsets and trackers pioneered room-scale VR, and it sold part of its XR team and IP to Google in 2025.
Moderate relevance · Hardware & devices · Taiwan, New Taipei · founded 1997
- 21ModerateSoftware & platformsBellevueUnited States1996–Private
It created the SteamVR platform, the Lighthouse tracking system and the Index and Steam Frame headsets, the core of PC VR.
Moderate relevance · Software & platforms · United States, Bellevue · founded 1996
- 22ModerateHardware & devicesBeijingChina2017––
It leads global shipments of consumer AR display glasses (Air and One series) and is a launch partner for Google's Android XR glasses.
Moderate relevance · Hardware & devices · China, Beijing · founded 2017
- 23ModerateHardware & devicesPlantationUnited States2010–Private
It makes the Magic Leap 2 enterprise AR headset and now licenses its waveguide optics, including to Google; Saudi Arabia's PIF is its majority investor.
Moderate relevance · Hardware & devices · United States, Plantation · founded 2010
- 24ModerateHardware & devicesCosta MesaUnited States2017–Private
In 2025 it took over the US Army's IVAS soldier mixed-reality programme (now SBMC) and is developing its EagleEye headset with Meta.
Moderate relevance · Hardware & devices · United States, Costa Mesa · founded 2017
- 25ModerateHardware & devicesHelsinkiFinland2016––
It makes high-resolution XR headsets used in military and aviation simulators and in industrial design.
Moderate relevance · Hardware & devices · Finland, Helsinki · founded 2016
- 26ModerateHardware & devicesSuwa, NaganoJapan194274k6724
It makes the Moverio smart glasses and is a major supplier of micro-OLED and HTPS microdisplays for head-worn displays.
Moderate relevance · Hardware & devices · Japan, Suwa, Nagano · founded 1942 · 74k staff
- 27ModerateComponents & subsystemsSeoulSouth Korea1985–034220
It supplies OLED and OLED-on-silicon panels for XR headsets and is developing high-pixel-density microdisplays for AR/VR.
Moderate relevance · Components & subsystems · South Korea, Seoul · founded 1985
- 28ModerateComponents & subsystemsNess ZionaIsrael2000–Private
It develops reflective geometric waveguides for AR glasses and military head-up displays, made under licence by Schott and Quanta.
Moderate relevance · Components & subsystems · Israel, Ness Ziona · founded 2000
- 29ModerateHardware & devicesAustinUnited States2015––
It develops the Connexus high-channel-count implanted BCI for speech restoration, which received FDA IDE approval for a clinical trial in 2025.
Moderate relevance · Hardware & devices · United States, Austin · founded 2015
- 30ModerateDesignTainanTaiwan2001–HIMX
It supplies LCoS microdisplays and display driver ICs for AR glasses, including early HoloLens and Magic Leap devices.
Moderate relevance · Design · Taiwan, Tainan · founded 2001
- Low12 companies
- 31LowComponents & subsystemsWestboroughUnited States1984–KOPN
It supplies microdisplays and optics for military helmet-mounted, weapon-sight and soldier-display systems, including the F-35 helmet.
Low relevance · Components & subsystems · United States, Westborough · founded 1984
- 32LowHardware & devicesRochesterUnited States1997–VUZI
It makes enterprise smart glasses and waveguide optics, and Quanta Computer is a strategic investor.
Low relevance · Hardware & devices · United States, Rochester · founded 1997
- 33LowHardware & devicesHangzhouChina2014––
It makes consumer and enterprise AR glasses (Rokid Max, Station and AI glasses) and is one of China's leading AR glasses brands.
Low relevance · Hardware & devices · China, Hangzhou · founded 2014
- 34LowHardware & devicesHangzhouChina2015––
It makes non-invasive EEG headbands and EMG-controlled bionic prosthetic hands, and it began as a Harvard Innovation Lab spinout.
Low relevance · Hardware & devices · China, Hangzhou · founded 2015
- 35LowSoftware & platformsBristolUnited Kingdom2013–Private
It formed from the merger of Ultrahaptics and Leap Motion, and provides camera-based hand-tracking software and mid-air ultrasound haptics used in XR headsets and kiosks.
Low relevance · Software & platforms · United Kingdom, Bristol · founded 2013
- 36LowHardware & devicesEindhovenNetherlands2014–ONWD
It develops spinal cord stimulation therapies and, with France's CEA-Clinatec, a brain-spine interface (ARC-BCI) that let people with paralysis walk again.
Low relevance · Hardware & devices · Netherlands, Eindhoven · founded 2014
- 37LowHardware & devicesSchiedlbergAustria1999–Private
It makes EEG/ECoG biosignal amplifiers and the recoveriX BCI stroke-rehabilitation system, widely used in BCI research labs.
Low relevance · Hardware & devices · Austria, Schiedlberg · founded 1999
- 38LowHardware & devicesTorontoCanada2007–Private
It makes the Muse consumer EEG headband, one of the most widely sold non-invasive brain-sensing devices.
Low relevance · Hardware & devices · Canada, Toronto · founded 2007
- 39LowSystems integrationAnkaraTürkiye197511kASELS
This defence electronics firm, majority-owned by Turkey's armed forces foundation, makes the AVCI helmet-mounted display and sight system for Turkish combat helicopters.
Low relevance · Systems integration · Türkiye, Ankara · founded 1975 · 11k staff
- 40LowHardware & devicesChangzhouChina2011–Private
It makes EEG and BCI recording systems and develops the NEO semi-invasive epidural BCI with Tsinghua University, now in human trials in China.
Low relevance · Hardware & devices · China, Changzhou · founded 2011
- 41LowHardware & devicesShanghaiChina2021––
It is a spin-out of the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Center for Excellence in Brain Science, and in 2025 began China's first prospective clinical trial of an invasive BCI with flexible ultrafine electrodes.
Low relevance · Hardware & devices · China, Shanghai · founded 2021
- 42LowHardware & devicesBarcelonaSpain2019––
It develops graphene-based brain-computer interfaces, received FDA Breakthrough Device designation, and carried out the first human graphene cortical interface procedure.
Low relevance · Hardware & devices · Spain, Barcelona · founded 2019
- Very low8 companies
- 43Very lowSoftware & platformsLausanneSwitzerland2012–Private
It develops neuro-rehabilitation platforms that combine VR, motion capture and neural signals, including its FDA-cleared MindMotion products.
Very low relevance · Software & platforms · Switzerland, Lausanne · founded 2012
- 44Very lowHardware & devicesThaneIndia–––
It is India's leading XR headset maker, building AjnaLens mixed-reality headsets for industrial training and for Indian Army and Navy simulation, and it partners with Larsen & Toubro.
Very low relevance · Hardware & devices · India, Thane
- 45Very lowHardware & devicesPragueCzechia2016––
It makes the XTAL professional VR/MR headsets and pilot-training simulators used by air forces and aerospace firms.
Very low relevance · Hardware & devices · Czechia, Prague · founded 2016
- 46Very lowHardware & devicesSingaporeSingapore2013––
It makes the SenzeBand wearable EEG headband and BCI-based cognitive training software, and is Southeast Asia's most established consumer BCI firm.
Very low relevance · Hardware & devices · Singapore, Singapore · founded 2013
- 47Very lowHardware & devicesParisFrance2019––
It makes the Lynx R-1 and R-2 open-platform mixed-reality headsets with its own folded catadioptric optics, and is Europe's main independent headset maker.
Very low relevance · Hardware & devices · France, Paris · founded 2019
- 48Very lowSoftware & platformsSão PauloBrazil–––
It is Latin America's leading immersive-content studio, creator of the Emmy-winning VR work 'A Linha' and the Pixel Ripped VR game series.
Very low relevance · Software & platforms · Brazil, São Paulo
- 49Very lowProfessional & data servicesLagosNigeria2016––
This XR creation lab builds VR education content (leVRn C3) and runs the pan-African AR/VR Africa hackathon and Meta-backed XR bootcamps.
Very low relevance · Professional & data services · Nigeria, Lagos · founded 2016
- 50Very lowSoftware & platformsNairobiKenya–––
This Kenyan immersive-technology studio runs an XR lab in Nairobi and develops MediAR, a no-code platform for building AR/VR experiences.
Very low relevance · Software & platforms · Kenya, Nairobi
