EssilorLuxottica, Applied Materials strike deal to develop smart glasses, AR technology
EssilorLuxottica and Applied Materials Collaboration Overview
June 16 (Reuters) - EssilorLuxottica, the world's largest eyewear maker, has signed a long-term deal with chipmaking equipment company Applied Materials to develop augmented reality display technology and AI glasses, the companies said on Tuesday.
Key Details of the Partnership
Here are some details:
Commercialisation and Market Expansion
• EssilorLuxottica and Applied Materials will scale up commercialisation of AI glasses
Research and Development Focus
• Research and development will focus on advanced optical technologies
Existing Market Leadership
• EssilorLuxottica already leads the AI-glasses market through a long-term partnership with Meta to sell smart glasses under the Ray-Ban and Oakley brands
Product Launches
• Their first device with a built-in display, the Ray-Ban Meta Display, was launched in 2025
Features of AI-Powered Glasses
• AI-powered glasses embed a camera, microphone and speakers into a conventional frame, with an AI voice assistant that answers questions and describes surroundings
Technological Challenges in Augmented Reality
• Augmented reality, which overlays digital images onto the user's field of vision, is a far more complex optical challenge
Applied Materials' Role in AR Display Technology
• California-based Applied Materials makes the specialised equipment used to engineer the ultra-thin material layers at the heart of semiconductor chips needed for AR displays
Reporting and Editing
(Reporting by Gianluca Lo Nostro; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Barbara Lewis)
