EssilorLuxottica, Applied Materials strike deal to develop smart glasses, AR technology
The logo of EssilorLuxottica is seen during the Viva Technology conference dedicated to innovation and startups at Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, France, June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
June 16 : 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.
Here are some details:
• EssilorLuxottica and Applied Materials will scale up commercialisation of AI glasses
• Research and development will focus on advanced optical technologies
• 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
• Their first device with a built-in display, the Ray-Ban Meta Display, was launched in 2025
• AI-powered glasses embed a camera, microphone and speakers into a conventional frame, with an AI voice assistant that answers questions and describes surroundings
• Augmented reality, which overlays digital images onto the user's field of vision, is a far more complex optical challenge
• 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
