The hardware now exists
RayNeo’s iO smart glasses have already started shipping, and AREX ONE has just launched a Kickstarter for a dive mask built around the same idea: projecting rich data into the wearer’s field of view. Engo has sold a version of this to runners and cyclists for a while. These three companies arrived at the same display in three different sports. AREX’s dive computer even runs on the same Bühlmann ZHL-16C algorithm Garmin uses across its Descent line, so the overlap with Garmin’s own hardware starts on the software side.
AREX shows what microLED can deliver to a HUD
Every sports HUD so far has been limited to a few pixelated numbers and letters. A good example is FORM’s swim goggles, the closest comparison, which puts up two or three plain metrics and little else. AREX’s images show a next-generation leap: full dive profile charts, multi-line tables, and a Marine ID Scanner that recognises what the diver is looking at. Point the mask at a shark, and it names the species and labels it on the HUD.
Once a HUD can link to a camera, recognise what’s in front of the wearer, and annotate it, what it can show extends well beyond a prettied-up data field. A road sign identified mid-ride is one example, the tech would know where you are going and draw your attention to a relevant signpost.
What this means for Garmin
Garmin has built a HUD before and is believed to be currently researching microLED HUD technology. Varia Vision put cycling data in a rider’s line of sight back in 2016, and Garmin shelved it. Coverage in February argued that a microLED-based successor was Garmin’s plausible route back into the category, whatever sport it ends up serving.
Whatever Garmin builds next, running, cycling, diving or something else, the display and the recognition layer have both now been proven by someone else.
Last Updated on 24 September 2026 by the5krunner
My favourite kit and nutrition
- Garmin Fenix 9 Pro — I’ve just bought one.
- Injinji – Runners protect your toes. Avoid discomfort and minor injury. Run more. Run faster. I use them.
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter — A small keyring adapter you can use anywhere. Essential when away. I use one.
- Garmin charging puck — the fastest and most reliable way to top up your Garmin before a session. I use one.
- Ravemen FR300 — Front light that mounts directly under your Garmin or Wahoo head unit. Keeps your bars clean and your beam pointed where it matters. I use one.
- Body Glide – The blue anti-chafe stick that all swimmers and many runners use. I use it.
- Maurten — The race nutrition trusted by elite athletes. Gels and drink mixes engineered to be easy on the stomach. I use them.
- Garmin Varia RTL515 — A radar rear light that alerts you to vehicles approaching from behind. Pairs with your Edge or Wahoo. I use this model.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2 — The power-meter pedals most serious cyclists choose. Accurate, easy to move between bikes. I use this model.
- Garmin Forerunner 970 — A serious choice for a pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Polar H10 — My daily driver for accurate, waking HRV readings.
- Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3 — The bike computer that has the feature Garmin lacks: usability. I use mine on most rides.
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tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. ID
