You Can Actually Build Your Own AR Glasses from Scratch

An experienced maker can reproduce all sorts of commercial electronic devices at a fraction of their normal price. Obviously, this is a very nice skill to have. Unfortunately, when these gadgets shrink down to smaller and smaller sizes, it eventually becomes all but impossible to copy them with hobbyist-grade parts and tools.

Augmented reality (AR) glasses definitely fall into this category, but YouTuber Mañolo decided to build a pair from scratch anyway. No, they aren’t as compact or polished as an off-the-shelf device — and they aren’t as capable, either, for that matter. But they are perfectly tailored to Mañolo’s needs, and that’s all that really matters.

The project, called Onyx AR 2.0, takes a modular approach that leans heavily on 3D printing and clever component integration. Instead of attempting to miniaturize everything beyond what he could work with, Mañolo distributes the electronics across a custom frame, with each section serving a specific purpose. The result is a wearable device that looks chunky by consumer standards, but still remains quite practical for a DIY build.

At the core of the system is a custom-designed power management board. This small PCB handles battery charging and voltage regulation, stepping up the output from a single-cell LiPo battery to a stable 5V rail for the rest of the electronics. A tactile power switch and status LEDs provide basic user feedback, keeping the design simple and self-contained.

A tiny microdisplay, paired with a dedicated driver board, forms the basis of the AR experience. The driver converts incoming composite video into a format the display can understand, while a magnifier lens ensures the image appears at a comfortable focal distance. A semi-transparent combiner — essentially a carefully positioned piece of glass — reflects the projected image into the wearer’s eye while still allowing visibility of the real world.

To keep the system wireless, Mañolo repurposes a video receiver module commonly found in budget automotive camera kits. This allows the glasses to accept a live video feed without any physical tether. In the demonstration setup, a Raspberry Pi single-board computer acts as the transmitter, streaming content directly to the headset.

The right temple of the glasses houses most of the core electronics, including the battery, charging circuitry, and receiver. The left temple, meanwhile, is dedicated to the display driver, which has been slimmed down by removing bulky connectors. Fine wires run across the front frame to link both sides together, while a flexible cable extender connects the display and its controller.

In the end, Onyx AR 2.0 isn’t trying to compete with commercial AR glasses. Instead, it demonstrates that with enough ingenuity, even complex modern technologies can be built right on your workbench at home.