Davich Optical Chairman Kim In-gyu, left, poses with Everysight CEO David McLauchlan, second from right, after signing a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop smart glasses and distribute them in Korea, Thursday. Davich Optical CEO Kim Bong-gun, second from left, and Yozma Group CEO Lee Won-jae also attended the ceremony. Courtesy of Davich Optical.
Major glasses and contact lens developer Davich Optical has signed a deal with Israeli smart glasses developer Everysight to jointly research augmented reality (AR)-based advanced eyewear.
Under a memorandum of understanding signed Thursday, the two companies agreed to collaborate on developing a lineup of smart glasses designed as assistive tools for people with impaired vision.
Davich Optical will launch a new platform to distribute the products and provide related services. The Korean firm will also distribute Everysight’s products in Korea through its 310 retail outlets nationwide.
The partnership comes as the global eyewear market evolves from simple vision correction to multifunctional devices that support communication and other daily activities and Davich Optical seeks to go beyond conventional eyewear to AR-based technology devices.
Everysight is an AR specialist that spun off from Elbit Systems, an Israeli aviation and defense technology company, in 2014. The firm has introduced lightweight AR glasses for sports, industrial and other applications based on head-up display technology originally developed for fighter jet pilots. It has also collaborated with BMW to develop smart glasses for motorcycle riders.
Through the new smart glasses, Davich Optical aims to provide solutions for people with hearing and visual impairments. According to the company, the devices’ AR interface will deliver real-time information to users and support people's daily communication needs.
Founded in 2003, Davich Optical operates five brands with different styles and purposes, including Bibiem. The company exports contact lenses to Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates.
Davich Optical also operates a manufacturing plant in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, built jointly with Dongkook Pharmaceutical in 2018. The company trains more than 1,880 optical specialists each year to support the operation of its retail stores.
Source: Korea Times News
