On Mar, 02 2026, MetaOptics Ltd (9MT) announced a collaboration with a Singapore-based national institute to develop an ultra-compact optical module that enables 3D non-contact fingerprint biometrics for potential integration into smartphones and other space-constrained consumer devices.

The planned module uses a tunable flat-lens optical stack composed of two 2.0 mm-diameter metalenses mounted on 0.775 mm glass substrates, separated by an approximately 100 µm liquid-crystal layer. By applying voltage across the liquid crystal, the system achieves electronic focusing without mechanical motion, targeting a total optical stack height of 1.65 mm and an overall module thickness of about 5 mm.

Designed for green 532 nm illumination and paired with a monochrome image sensor, the architecture is expected to deliver higher 3D biometric precision than conventional 2D contact-based fingerprint solutions, while improving reliability and manufacturability compared with voice-coil-motor focusing methods.

MetaOptics intends to showcase a demonstrator of the tunable metalens module at CES 2027 in Las Vegas in Jan, 2027. Further development updates will be provided as the project progresses.