Zeiss, Deutsche Telekom Partner for Smart Glasses Development

Optics developer Carl Zeiss AG has partnered with telecommunications provider Deutsche Telekom AG for “smart glasses” technology, with an early prototype already in development.

The pairing was announced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, with the two firms planning to develop the technology “to the point of marketability.” However, they also noted that new hardware, software and display technology would all be required, along with new user interfaces and connectivity options.

In the prototype developed by one of Zeiss’ own venture companies, a tiny optical system projects a data field — such as images or map information — in front of the eye and onto the wearer’s field of view for a flying field effect. Under the project, Deutsche Telekom is set to provide direct network connection for the technical prototype, combining it with cloud-based storage. The two companies already have a significant connection: Zeiss’s CEO Michael Kaschke is a member of Deutsche Telekom’s advisory board.

Carl Zeiss is a developer of optical systems, industrial measurement and medical devices. Deutsche Telekom is a German telecommunications company.