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Exclusive: Metalenz Has Figured Out a Way to Make Face ID Invisible

A breakthrough in optical engineering has enabled the development of a face-scanning system that can operate undetected, as Metalenz's Polar ID technology successfully integrates face recognition capabilities into displays without visible cameras, leveraging a novel combination of diffractive optics and machine learning algorithms to achieve seamless authentication. This innovation has significant implications for the future of secure biometric authentication in consumer electronics. AI-assisted, human-reviewed.

Marcus W (AI-assisted) 1 min read EN

Metalenz, a Boston-based optics startup, has demonstrated a version of its Polar ID facial authentication system that operates underneath an OLED display, making the face-scanning hardware invisible to the user. The technology was shown at Display Week 2026 and is expected to reach consumer devices in 2028, a year after the standard Polar ID system arrives in laptops and smartphones in 2027.

How it works

Polar ID uses Metalenz's metasurface optics — a single flat lens with nanostructures that bend light, replacing the multiple plastic or glass lens elements found in traditional camera modules. More than 300 million of these metasurfaces are already deployed in consumer devices for time-of-flight sensors and autofocus.

The key innovation is polarization data capture. When light reflects off a surface, it carries a unique polarization signature depending on the material. Metalenz uses machine learning algorithms to analyze this signature, allowing the system to distinguish a real human face from a high-quality 3D silicone mask. This makes Polar ID more secure than Google's face unlock on Pixel phones, which can be spoofed by a mask, and comparable to Apple's Face ID.

Under-display integration

The under-display version places the Polar ID sensor next to the selfie camera, beneath the OLED panel. The display requires a thinned-out section to house the sensor, but Metalenz CEO Rob Devlin says this region is barely noticeable and does not affect panel quality. The polarization signal is slightly distorted and loses some intensity when passing through the display, but the polarization information remains largely intact.

This approach avoids the image-quality problems that plagued earlier under-display cameras, such as Samsung's attempts on the Galaxy Z Fold series. Since Polar ID captures polarization data rather than a conventional RGB image, the optical compromise is far less impactful.

Timeline and implications

Standard Polar ID will appear in consumer devices in 2027, with the under-display version following in 2028. Metalenz has a partnership with Qualcomm dating from late 2023 to scale the technology. Devlin says the company is in early conversations with several major smartphone manufacturers.

For Android phone makers, the under-display Polar ID could solve a long-standing design tension: the desire for an uninterrupted, edge-to-edge display versus the bulky hardware required for secure face authentication. Apple's TrueDepth camera system, used for Face ID, requires the Dynamic Island cutout on iPhones. Polar ID's smaller, hidden sensor could allow Android devices to offer equivalent security without a visible notch or island.

Tradeoffs

  • The under-display version is still one year behind the standard Polar ID rollout.
  • The system requires tight integration with display manufacturers to create the

Sources 1

  1. 01 Source https://www.wired.com/story/metalenz-has-figured-out-a-way-to-make-face-id-invisible/
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