Headsets, smart glasses, XR silicon, optics, and 3D/digital-twin software; excludes gen-AI content models (AI, 10000000) and cloud streaming (28000000).
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Chulalongkorn Joins European Team in AI-AR Balance Rehabilitation Research
The Faculty of Medicine and Chulalongkorn Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society, in collaboration with a European research network, has launched the TeleRehaB DSS project, a clinical decision support system using artificial intelligence (AI) for the rehabilitation of individuals with balance problems and fall risk. The project has a total value of over 5.06 million euros, funded under the European Union's Horizon Europe – Health program, running from December 1, 2022, to August 31, 2026. Building on HOLOBALANCE technology, it integrates AI, Augmented Reality (AR), wearable devices, and IoT to enable patients to undergo rehabilitation at home with virtual trainers and remote monitoring by medical teams. Chulalongkorn Hospital is one of five clinical study centers, alongside University College London, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, University Medical Centre Freiburg, and Madeira Health Service/IDEA. The study covers patients with stroke, mild cognitive impairment, and inner ear balance disorders. The goal is to apply the knowledge to real Thai patients in the future.
Apple Cuts 200 Jobs in Siri and Vision Pro to Refocus on AI
Apple is cutting over 200 jobs in its Siri and Vision Pro units as it redirects resources toward artificial intelligence and smart glasses development. The restructuring shifts focus away from immersive video and gaming features in Vision Pro toward AI-driven capabilities and new hardware. Apple is concentrating affected roles within its core AI efforts, signaling a reallocation of talent and spending across key product teams. The move is expected to influence Apple's future product roadmap and its positioning in the broader market for AI-powered devices and services.
Emdoor Information's first-half net profit attributable to parent surges 1,614.8% year on year to 196 million yuan
Emdoor Information released its 2026 interim report, with net profit attributable to the parent company soaring 1,614.8% year on year to 196 million yuan. The company's operating revenue was 2.75 billion yuan, up 80.7% year on year; net profit attributable to the parent after deducting non-recurring items was 103 million yuan, up 756.3% year on year; net operating cash flow was negative 744 million yuan, down 134.2% year on year. In the second quarter, operating revenue was 1.61 billion yuan, up 65.9% year on year, and net profit attributable to the parent was 153 million yuan, up 1,076.4% year on year. The company said that, influenced by the wave of AI technology in the global consumer electronics industry, the sector is undergoing a structural recovery. The company continues to deepen its AI-plus core development strategy. Operating revenue from smart hardware products grew 59.23%, XR and AIoT business grew 133.29%, and domestic substitution business grew 51.72%.
Lante Optics first-half net profit attributable to parent rises 163.2% year on year to 272 million yuan
Lante Optics released its 2026 interim report, showing first-half net profit attributable to the parent rose 163.2% year on year to 272 million yuan. Operating revenue was 1.01 billion yuan, up 75.5% year on year. Net profit attributable to the parent after deducting non-recurring items was 267 million yuan, up 172.0% year on year. Net operating cash flow was 391 million yuan, up 148.5% year on year. Second-quarter operating revenue was 561 million yuan, up 74.7% year on year, and net profit attributable to the parent was 143 million yuan, up 146.5% year on year. The company said its optical prism, optical lens, and optical wafer businesses all improved significantly, benefiting from demand for micro-prisms in consumer electronics, rapid growth in optical communications, and accelerating deployment of augmented reality applications.
Ruilian New Materials secures OLED patent license from TCL CSOT affiliate, entering printed OLED terminal materials track
Ruilian New Materials announced it has signed a technology license agreement with Guangzhou CSOT Printed Display Technology Company Limited, officially entering the printed OLED terminal materials track. CSOT Printed Display is affiliated with TCL CSOT, a global leader in printed OLED technology with more than 1,200 related patents. Its 29.5 billion yuan investment in the world's first 8.6-generation printed OLED production line is expected to begin production in 2027. Under the agreement, CSOT Printed Display licenses its relevant patents and technical know-how in the printed OLED materials field to Ruilian New Materials. The company and its subsidiaries may carry out research and development, production, and sales of printed OLED materials within the licensed scope. New technological achievements and intellectual property generated through joint development by both parties will be shared by both parties. In the first quarter of 2026, Ruilian New Materials achieved revenue of 379 million yuan and net profit attributable to the parent company of 43.65 million yuan.
Vuzix Corporation reported its second quarter 2026 results, with total revenues decreasing 14% to $1.1 million from $1.3 million in the prior-year period. The company posted a net loss of $7.7 million, or $0.09 per share, compared to a loss of $7.7 million, or $0.10 per share, a year earlier. Gross loss improved 15% to $0.6 million, while research and development expenses rose 20% to $3.1 million. Vuzix ended the quarter with $17.3 million in cash and no debt, and highlighted initial deliveries of its Ultralite Pro glasses to Amazon and waveguide systems to a global automaker.
Integrated Visual Augmentation Systems Market to Reach $8.22 Billion by 2035
The global integrated visual augmentation systems market is projected to grow from USD 2.99 billion in 2026 to USD 8.22 billion by 2035, a compound annual growth rate of 10.66%. The expansion is driven by military modernization programs, rising defense expenditure, and investment in soldier-wearable technologies. Microsoft, BAE Systems, Elbit Systems, and Lockheed Martin are among the leading companies in the sector. North America holds the largest market share in 2026, supported by substantial U.S. defense spending and procurement infrastructure. The report also highlights technical and regulatory challenges, including battery capacity and varying defense standards across countries.
German rights group files criminal complaint over Meta's AI smart glasses
German non-profit HateAid filed a criminal complaint on the 12th against Meta Platforms' management and companies selling its AI-powered smart glasses, alleging the devices violate personal data protection law. HateAid claims the glasses breach a German data protection law that bans the sale of communication equipment designed to record people without their knowledge. The complaint, lodged with ZIT, the specialist public prosecutor's office for internet and cybercrime, names Meta's management as well as the Ray-Ban division of eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica, major eyewear retailers Fielmann, Apollo Optik, and Mister Spex. HateAid points to a confirmed rise in digital violence using images, with women as the main victims, and argues that smart glasses make it possible to conceal hard-to-detect surveillance technology in everyday objects. ZIT confirmed it has accepted the complaint and said it will conduct a preliminary review under standard procedures to determine whether there are grounds for a fuller investigation. Meanwhile, Germany's Federal Network Agency told Reuters on the 12th that while it is closely monitoring the smart glasses market, it has not yet opened a formal investigation into any legal violations. It added that owning, importing, and selling smart glasses is not itself prohibited, and that recording functions are acceptable as long as they are clearly indicated, for example through a visible light.
Speed Wireless Technology Plans Private Placement to Raise Up to 1.096 Billion Yuan for Server Cooling Modules and Other Projects
Speed Wireless Technology announced that the company plans to issue A-shares to specific investors to raise total proceeds of no more than 1.096 billion yuan. After deducting issuance expenses, the funds will be used for a server cooling module project, a lightweight radio frequency component project for smart glasses, a low-earth orbit satellite communication antenna and module project, and to supplement working capital.
Shuobeide plans private placement to raise up to 1.096 billion yuan for AI cooling, smart glasses, and satellite communications
Shuobeide announced on the evening of August 12 that it plans to raise no more than 1.096 billion yuan through a private placement, to be used for server cooling modules, lightweight radio frequency components for smart glasses, low-earth-orbit satellite communication antennas and modules, and to supplement working capital. The server cooling module project has a total investment of 445 million yuan, with 375 million yuan planned from the raised funds. The smart glasses lightweight radio frequency component project has a total investment of 257 million yuan, with 231 million yuan planned from the raised funds. The low-earth-orbit satellite communication antenna and module project has a total investment of 215 million yuan, with 189 million yuan planned from the raised funds. Another 300 million yuan is planned to supplement working capital. The company said that because the projects funded by the placement will not generate benefits in the short term, this issuance may lead to a short-term decline in return on equity and diluted earnings per share, but as the projects are gradually completed and put into production, they are expected to increase main business revenue and improve profitability. Shuobeide disclosed in its earnings forecast on July 15 that it expects net profit attributable to the parent company for the first half of 2026 to be between 24 million and 27 million yuan, a year-on-year decline of 19.48 percent to 28.42 percent, mainly due to rising memory component prices, higher raw material costs, and increased pre-production investment in some new projects. As of the close on August 12, the company's share price was 18.40 yuan, with a total market value of 8.465 billion yuan.
3D Mapping and Modeling Market Forecast to Hit $29.2 Billion by 2031
The global 3D mapping and modeling market is projected to reach $29.2 billion by 2031, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 10.6% from an estimated $17.63 billion in 2026, according to a new report from ResearchAndMarkets.com. Digital twin software is expected to be the fastest-growing segment, driven by infrastructure digitalization and integration with BIM, GIS, LiDAR, and reality capture. Cloud deployment is anticipated to lead the market in 2026 as organizations adopt scalable, connected geospatial workflows. North America is forecast to hold the largest market share, while Asia Pacific is projected to be the fastest-growing region due to rapid urbanization and infrastructure investment. Key drivers include expanding digital twin deployments, growing UAV-based reality capture, and AI-powered automated feature extraction.
Warby Parker Q2 revenue rises 9.8% to $235.5 million, reaffirms full-year outlook
Warby Parker reported second-quarter revenue of $235.5 million, up 9.8% from a year earlier, driven by retail sales growth, eye exam expansion and higher average order values. Adjusted EBITDA totaled $32.9 million, a 14% margin, including an $11.8 million tariff refund benefit. The company reaffirmed its full-year revenue outlook of $959 million to $976 million and adjusted EBITDA of $117 million to $119 million, excluding any contribution from its planned Intelligent Eyewear collection. Co-CEO Neil Blumenthal said the full Intelligent Eyewear collection, developed with Samsung and Google using Gemini, will be unveiled in several weeks with customer deliveries on track for the holiday season. Warby Parker opened 15 net new stores in the quarter, reaching 352 locations, and said eye exams grew more than 30% year over year to about 7% of revenue.
Apple and OpenAI escalate legal battle over devices
Apple and OpenAI have escalated their legal fight over trade secrets, with OpenAI calling Apple's allegations baseless and seeking dismissal of the lawsuit. Apple sued OpenAI last month in San Jose, California, accusing the AI company of orchestrating a campaign to steal trade secrets through former employees as it develops its own consumer hardware device. In a Monday filing, Apple described OpenAI's actions as repeated instances of deliberate theft, while OpenAI's Wednesday response called the complaint rotten to its core and argued that Apple should not be permitted to use a baseless lawsuit to make up for its shortcomings in the talent market. Federal Judge Edward Davila will consider both requests at an October 1 hearing. The dispute unfolds even as the two companies remain partners, with ChatGPT integrated into Apple products since 2024, and centers on OpenAI's secretive device project, reportedly a screenless smart speaker designed with Jony Ive's LoveFrom studio, which Bloomberg says could launch in 2027 at a price between $300 and $400.
Warby Parker Launches First Intelligent Eyewear Collection with Google Gemini and Samsung
Warby Parker announced the launch of its first Intelligent Eyewear collection in collaboration with Google Gemini and Samsung, marking its entry into smart wearables. The collection integrates with Google Gemini and Samsung technology platforms, extending the company's product range beyond traditional prescription and sun eyewear into connected devices. The launch comes as Warby Parker reported positive net income of US$4.64 million in its latest quarter and reaffirmed full-year 2026 revenue guidance of US$959 million to US$976 million. The product is expected to roll out in fall 2026, with investors watching for early demand signals such as unit volumes and attach rates to prescriptions.
Rokid launches Thousand Creator Program and brings Agent Store and YodaOS to the U.S.
Rokid announced its Thousand Creator Program at a Happy Hour event in Mountain View, California, offering 1,000 Ai Glasses Style Packs at complimentary or exclusive creator pricing to creators of all stages. Creators with over 1,000 followers can apply for a complimentary Style Pack, while emerging creators can purchase one for US$199. The company also introduced the Rokid Agent Store and YodaOS to the U.S. market, expanding its AI ecosystem with a platform for custom AI agentic experiences and a spatial computing operating system. Additionally, a limited-time sale offers 50% off a second pair of Rokid Ai Glasses Style on Amazon and the official webstore.
Snap CEO Says $2,195 AR Spectacles Won't Reach Mass Market Until End of Decade
Snap CEO Evan Spiegel said the company's $2,195 AI-powered Spectacles are unlikely to see mass-market adoption before the end of the decade. Speaking on the second-quarter earnings call, Spiegel announced plans to unveil the augmented reality glasses at a September 16 event ahead of a commercial launch later this year, describing the device as a first-mover opportunity in a new computing category where AI does more work and people spend less time operating screens. Snap reported a second-quarter adjusted loss of 10 cents per share, beating Wall Street estimates for a loss of 12 cents, while revenue rose 19% year over year to $1.6 billion, topping analysts' expectations of $1.54 billion. The company guided third-quarter revenue to between $1.70 billion and $1.74 billion, above the $1.69 billion consensus, with adjusted EBITDA expected in the range of $300 million to $350 million. Shares closed 7.46% higher at $5.04 and rose another 7.17% in extended trading following the earnings release.
Tencent Launches AI-Powered Digital Jingdezhen Cultural Heritage Game
Tencent Holdings has launched Digital Jingdezhen, an AI-powered game that revives porcelain craft traditions through immersive digital experiences. Players explore digitally recreated historical sites and learn traditional porcelain-making techniques, highlighting Tencent's application of gaming and AI technology in cultural preservation. The project uses AI-assisted procedural generation, digital humans, and 3D asset creation, technology that could be reused for other cities, museums, or themed experiences, pointing to a broader market opportunity in government and institutional contracts. While cultural projects may have unclear monetization paths and heavier AI use in games could attract regulatory attention, the launch showcases Tencent's AI capabilities and may support future contracts in education, tourism, and smart city projects. Investors will watch for distribution across channels like WeChat Mini Programs and whether similar heritage projects follow, as signs of repeat use would suggest the technology is finding commercial traction.
Rokid Glasses Launches in Canada in Partnership with Ming's Optical
Rokid has launched its AI-powered smart glasses in Toronto, marking the company's official entry into the North American market. The Rokid Glasses support prescription lenses, and the company has partnered with Markham-based optical supplier Ming's Optical to offer a wide range of prescription options, which may qualify for insurance reimbursement in Canada. The glasses feature real-time AI translation in 89 languages, a 12MP camera, and a Micro-LED display, and are priced at CA$999 for the standard model and CA$549 for the Style variant, with introductory discounts of CA$100 off each through August 31. Rokid also introduced its AI Agent Store and AI UI framework in Canada, inviting local developers to build new AI experiences. The launch follows Rokid's recent entry into European markets and a record-breaking crowdfunding campaign in Japan that raised nearly US$4,000,000.
Aptima Scientist Contributes to FAA's First Formal Guidance for Extended Reality in Commercial Flight Simulation
Aptima announced that Dr. Stephanie G. Fussell, a scientist in its Training, Learning, and Readiness Division, played an integral role in shaping the Federal Aviation Administration's first formal guidance for the use of extended reality technologies in qualified flight simulation training devices for commercial aviation. The guidance establishes a framework for integrating virtual, augmented, and mixed reality into commercial pilot training while meeting rigorous industry standards, and was developed to harmonize with similar guidance from the International Civil Aviation Organization and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. Dr. Fussell said the guidance marks an important step toward the responsible adoption of XR in commercial aviation and expressed hope that the framework will support implementation in other industries. Aptima CEO Michael J. Garrity stated that the achievement reflects the company's commitment to advancing human-centered technologies that improve learning and readiness in mission-critical environments.
Tech Giants Race to Develop Wearable AI Devices, Paving the Way for a Post-Smartphone Era
Major technology companies and startups are racing to develop wearable AI devices that can see, hear, and understand users more deeply, paving the way for a post-smartphone era amid privacy concerns. These devices include Meta Ray-Ban AI Glasses, the Amazon Bee Pioneer wristband, the Plaud Notepin S voice recorder, and smart glasses that Samsung plans to launch this year. The goal is to give AI assistants real-time access to daily life information, enabling personalized recommendations and eventually performing tasks on behalf of users. However, a CNN reporter who tested all three devices over several months found that while they offer benefits in certain situations, such as analyzing images of tourist attractions or recording conversations at networking events, they mostly felt unnatural when asking permission to record audio, and raised concerns when AI incorrectly analyzed personal emotions or feelings. Executives from Qualcomm, Amazon, Plaud, and OpenAI all confirmed ongoing development of AI hardware, believing that AI will become more effective when it understands the context of a user's life throughout the day, potentially leading to a four-day work week and the end of keyboards and mice. Meanwhile, privacy experts warn of the risks of unauthorized image and audio recording, particularly with Meta Ray-Ban glasses, which have been used to record others without consent. Although an LED indicator light is present, experts note that some devices may be hard to notice and carry the risk of being used harmfully in private spaces.
Meta Platforms to Report Q2 Earnings Amid AI Spending Scrutiny
Meta Platforms is set to report its second-quarter 2026 financial results after the U.S. market closes on Wednesday, July 29th. Zacks Consensus Analyst Estimates project revenue of approximately $60.17 billion, representing 26.63% year-over-year growth, while earnings per share are expected to be $7.13, a slight decline of 0.14% from the prior year. The company has beaten Zacks Consensus Estimates for 13 consecutive quarters, with an average surprise of 12.31% over the past four quarters. The options market is pricing in a post-earnings move of plus or minus 7.3% in Meta shares, which have fallen 15.2% over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500's 18.6% gain. Key areas of focus include soaring capital expenditures, with full-year 2026 capex expected between $125 billion and $145 billion, potential AI infrastructure partnerships such as a rumored multi-billion-dollar deal with Anthropic, and the performance of the Reality Labs hardware and metaverse division.
Myrias Optics Names Ben Cherniawski Director of Production
Myrias Optics has appointed Benjamin Cherniawski as its Director of Production. He will lead the development and scale-up of the company's manufacturing capabilities and new production facility, overseeing process development, production operations, metrology strategy, quality systems, equipment implementation, and manufacturing readiness as Myrias transitions next-generation metaoptics from advanced R&D into high-volume production. Cherniawski brings more than seven years of experience from Apple, where he served as a Materials and Process Integration Lead and Technical Program Leader across multiple Vision and Display technology programs. His background spans advanced optical materials, wafer-level processing, process development, reliability engineering, manufacturing scale-up, supplier qualification, statistical process control, and cross-functional technical leadership for complex electro-optical systems. Myrias Optics focuses on wafer-level metaoptics, diffractive optics, and AR waveguides, using proprietary all-inorganic nanoimprinting technology to deliver precision optical components with industry-leading material performance and a clear path to production-scale deployment.
AI glasses nearly double sales, driving EssilorLuxottica's second-quarter growth
EssilorLuxottica reported that sales of its AI-enabled glasses nearly doubled in the second quarter compared to last year, helping accelerate overall revenue growth. Second-quarter sales rose 7.2 percent to 7.7 billion euros, while first-half sales increased 5.7 percent to 14.8 billion euros and net profit jumped 12.9 percent to 1.6 billion euros. The company, which developed the AI glasses in partnership with Meta, said the products are generating sustainable profits and expanding across global markets and consumer segments. It also saw a 24 percent jump in sales of lenses that slow short-sightedness in children and plans to launch a second generation of its Nuance Audio hearing-aid glasses in mid-September.
Meta Platforms Doubles Down on AI Buildout Ahead of July 29 Earnings
Meta Platforms is funding a $125 billion to $145 billion AI capital expenditure plan entirely from its own cash, even as the stock fell 8.79% in the past week on AI fatigue. In the first quarter of 2026, the company posted $56.31 billion in revenue, with ad impressions up 19% year over year and average price per ad up 12%, while earnings per share of $10.44 beat consensus by 57% for a fifth straight quarter. Free cash flow reached $12.39 billion, and the company returned $26.25 billion to shareholders through buybacks in 2025, supported by an operating margin of 41.44% and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. By contrast, Alphabet reported negative $5.86 billion in free cash flow and suspended its buyback program in the second quarter of 2026. Reality Labs lost $4.03 billion in the first quarter, but the Family of Apps segment generated $55.9 billion in revenue, roughly 140 times the Reality Labs figure, cushioning the risk. Prediction markets give a 96.3% probability of another earnings beat when Meta reports on July 29.
Virtuix sells first Omni One Enterprise system to Tesla for Optimus humanoid robot division
Virtuix Holdings has sold its first Omni One Enterprise system to Tesla for use in the Optimus humanoid robot division. The purchase marks Virtuix’s expansion into enterprise and humanoid robot applications, following earlier milestones in consumer, defense, and healthcare markets with partners including Meta, NASA, and all four major branches of the U.S. military. Omni One Enterprise enables natural movement in immersive virtual environments within a compact footprint, supporting training, simulation, and teleoperation of humanoid robots. Founder and CEO Jan Goetgeluk said the platform is demonstrating versatility beyond its original consumer market as organizations adopt immersive technologies for training and simulation.
Apple Delays Smart Glasses to 2027, Makes Privacy Central to Strategy
Apple is making privacy a central part of its smart-glasses strategy as it tries to overcome concerns about camera-equipped AI wearables. The company has reportedly delayed the product partly to refine both the hardware and its privacy policies, and is now targeting a reveal at its Worldwide Developers Conference next June, followed by a consumer launch by the end of 2027. Apple is exploring safeguards including more on-device AI processing, no facial recognition, limits on continuous environmental scanning, and a policy against using customer recordings to train its models. The approach could help Apple differentiate its glasses from Meta's Ray-Ban devices, which helped popularize the category but also intensified concerns about covert recording.
Qualcomm plans double-digit price hikes and expands Samsung Snapdragon partnership
Qualcomm is planning significant double-digit price increases on select products, citing higher supplier costs and ongoing supply shortages. The company is also deepening its partnership with Samsung to use advanced Snapdragon platforms across Galaxy mobile devices, wearables, and augmented reality products. These moves highlight changes in Qualcomm's pricing approach and its expanding role within the broader Galaxy device ecosystem.
Autodesk joins Alliance for OpenUSD as ISO process begins for 3D standards
Autodesk has joined the Alliance for OpenUSD, which has started the ISO certification process for the OpenUSD Core Specification 1.1, aiming to drive global 3D data interoperability and agentic AI workflows. The move ties Autodesk's software ecosystem more closely to OpenUSD as a common 3D data layer across gaming, XR, and enterprise use cases. Autodesk's stock closed at $205.26, down 28.4% year to date and 31.8% over the past year, with a five-year return down 36.0%. The ISO process could influence how quickly regulated industries adopt 3D and AI pipelines on this standard, potentially affecting Autodesk's integration into cross-platform workflows alongside competitors like Unity and NVIDIA.
Wetour Robotics Outlines Orchestra Platform for Wearable Robotics Powered by NVIDIA Jetson
Wetour Robotics has outlined Orchestra, a portable AI hub and operating system for wearable robotics powered by the NVIDIA Jetson platform. Orchestra centralizes AI processing in a dedicated edge computing unit to enable real-time visual perception, gesture recognition, and multi-device coordination for devices such as smart glasses, gesture-control wristbands, and body-worn sensors. The system utilizes two core technology modules: Vision-Link, which processes real-time visual input and translates visual context into actionable commands, and Conductor, which reads electromyographic signals from the wearer's wrist to recognize continuous hand gestures and convert them into precise control commands for connected devices like exoskeletons and robotic arms. The company intends to explore open interface protocols to allow third-party hardware manufacturers to build on the Orchestra platform while retaining proprietary capabilities in its core intelligence engine.
Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses are among fastest-selling products at National Vision
Meta Platforms' new Ray-Ban smart glasses are one of the fastest-selling products at eyeglass retailer National Vision. CEO Alex Wilkes discussed the latest consumer buying trends around the new generation of wearable technology on Market Domination.
Virtuix expects major sales growth after Meta launch, sets Q1 FY2027 call
Virtuix Holdings expects to report a major increase in sales following the launch of Omni One for Quest in collaboration with Meta, and will discuss its first quarter fiscal year 2027 results on a conference call on Thursday, August 13, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time. The company, which develops AI-driven full-body simulation systems, will provide an update on accelerating momentum across consumer, defense, and enterprise initiatives, including expanding government traction for AI-driven defense simulations and NASA deployments, healthcare collaborations, and recent industry recognition for robotics applications. Chairman and CEO Jan Goetgeluk described the quarter as one of the strongest in recent history, citing rapid traction in the defense business and pending strategic initiatives. A press release with detailed results will be issued before the call, which will be hosted by Goetgeluk and CFO Thomas McGinnis and will include a question-and-answer period.
Qualcomm and Samsung Expand Collaboration with Snapdragon Across New Galaxy Devices
Qualcomm and Samsung have expanded their collaboration, with Snapdragon platforms powering the new Galaxy lineup across smartphones, watches, and intelligent eyewear. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform for Galaxy will drive the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Z Fold8, and Z Flip8, while the Snapdragon Wear Elite Platform enables the Galaxy Watch9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra2, and the Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 supports new intelligent eyewear. The partnership aims to deliver a unified AI experience with on-device processing and cross-device connectivity. Samsung and Qualcomm also announced that Gentle Monster and Warby Parker will offer additional intelligent eyewear designs built on Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 as part of larger collections coming this fall.
femtoAI reports 5X growth in first half of 2026 driven by Samsung and Marshall engagements
femtoAI announced 5X growth in the first half of 2026, driven by engagements with Samsung and Marshall, new customer use cases, and increased developer adoption. The company has deployed over 200,000 SPU-001 chips and delivers AI inference solutions that consume 100 times less power and energy with 10 times less memory. Six tier-1 next-generation smart glass vendors, including Orka, have selected femtoAI as their on-device AI solution, and a five-year partnership with ABOV Semiconductor and Samsung continues to expand across home appliances. femtoAI also launched ClaraCall 3.0 and ClaraCall 3.0-S models for AI call quality enhancement and is developing a next-generation SPU to meet growing demand for low-energy, low-power, low-memory AI inference.
Nika Optics Completes Nearly 100 Million Yuan Series A Funding Round
Nika Optics announced the completion of a Series A funding round of nearly 100 million yuan. This round was jointly invested by BOC International Investment, Tianjin Binhai Industrial Fund, Gobi Partners, China Securities, and Allwinner Technology. The funds will mainly be used for the production line launch of volume holographic optical waveguides and to accelerate technological iteration.
Meta adds Xbox Game Pass starter to Horizon+ subscription
Meta Platforms is adding the Xbox Game Pass starter edition to its Meta Horizon+ subscription service, expanding gaming on Quest virtual reality headsets. The move deepens Meta's partnership with Microsoft's Xbox and gives Horizon+ subscribers access to more than 50 Game Pass titles alongside the existing catalog of more than 100 virtual reality games available through the service. Horizon+ customers will also get 10 hours of cloud gaming per month, with featured titles including Fallout 4, Fallout 76, Grounded, DayZ and Overcooked 2. Meta said it will roll out a gamepad emulator in the coming weeks, allowing Quest Touch controllers to function like an Xbox controller.
Alliance for OpenUSD adds ByteDance, Huawei, Physicl, and Unity as members and begins ISO certification for Core Specification 1.1
The Alliance for OpenUSD has added ByteDance, Huawei, Physicl, and Unity as General Members, expanding its reach into gaming, consumer XR platforms, and large-scale enterprise digital transformation. The organization has also begun the ISO certification process for Core Specification 1.1, the first step toward international standardization, and launched a GitHub repository to give developers direct input into the specification's evolution. OpenUSD is emerging as the 3D data layer for agentic AI workflows, with early implementations from Cesium, PTC, and NVIDIA demonstrating how AI agents can understand, navigate, and modify 3D environments built on the Core Specification. AOUSD and member companies including Pixar, NVIDIA, Autodesk, and Epic Games will present sessions at SIGGRAPH 2026 in Los Angeles from July 19 to 23.
Virtuix Omni One wins 2026 Auggie Award for Best Interaction Product
Virtuix Holdings announced that its Omni One platform has received the 2026 Auggie Award for Best Interaction Product at Augmented World Expo, the XR industry’s highest honor, as part of a humanoid robot teleoperation system developed by the University of Central Florida. The award marks Virtuix’s second consecutive win in the category, following Omni One’s 2025 victory, and highlights the platform’s expanding role in robot teleoperation and physical AI training. The recognized project, “Being there without being there,” allows operators to walk naturally on the Omni One omni-directional treadmill while controlling a humanoid robot in real time, demonstrating how full-body locomotion can improve human-robot interaction. Virtuix also recently partnered with 1HMX to develop the Nexus NX1, a full-body humanoid robot control system combining the Omni One Enterprise treadmill with HaptX Gloves G1. The company believes Omni One is uniquely positioned to support both teleoperation and the collection of human movement data for training autonomous robot behaviors.
NVIDIA Adds Omniverse Libraries to Agent Toolkit for Simulation-Ready 3D Content
NVIDIA announced that its Agent Toolkit now includes Omniverse libraries, a collection of software components that give AI agents tools to add physical AI capabilities to existing applications and prepare 3D content for simulation. The new libraries—ovrtx for RTX sensor simulation, ovphysx for GPU-accelerated physics, and CAD-to-SimReady skills for converting CAD data into simulation-ready assets—are openly available on GitHub. Software makers including SideFX and PTC are integrating these libraries into their 3D applications, with support for cloud and local AI systems ranging from NVIDIA RTX Spark to NVIDIA DGX Station. A new blueprint for integrating Omniverse libraries in Blender is also available, demonstrating how agent-ready simulation capabilities can be added to existing 3D tools while keeping creators in control.
Use Digital Twin and Spatial Computing to Stop Paying Tuition to the Stock Market
Investors can stop paying tuition to the stock market with Digital Twin and Spatial Computing technology, using the concept of creating a simulated portfolio to test risks before investing real money, instead of trial and error that could wipe out principal. Dr. Supachai Sukhanin, an investment and AI expert, reveals that Smart Money uses AI to build a Portfolio Digital Twin, simulating thousands of scenarios such as a sudden bear market to see Maximum Drawdown and asset overlap, before adjusting allocations for the best Risk-Adjusted Return. The Spatial Computing and Digital Twin Platform business sector is growing at an average of nearly 40% per year, and investing in these companies is like investing in the shovel sellers of the virtual world era.
Volumetric Video Market Projected to Reach USD 7.01 Billion by 2032
The global volumetric video market is projected to reach USD 7.01 billion by 2032, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 13.27 percent from an estimated USD 3.21 billion in 2026. Artificial intelligence is accelerating volumetric video capture, reconstruction, editing, compression and delivery, while integration with game engines, cloud rendering, edge processing and 5G networks is broadening access. North America remains a major innovation center, Asia-Pacific is highly active with China, Japan, South Korea, India and Australia benefiting from 5G investment and gaming growth, and Europe is progressing through virtual production and cultural heritage digitization. Organizations are advised to prioritize applications that deliver measurable improvements in engagement, training retention or operational performance, and to establish governance for biometric data, consent and synthetic media transparency. The market is shifting from specialized studio experimentation toward scalable and integrated production, with the strongest opportunities emerging where realism, presence and interactivity create clear advantages in entertainment, sports, healthcare, education, retail and industrial training.