3D glasses bring the outdoors inside

Cinemizer glasses, on display at the CeBIT technology fair in Hanover, Germany, let users visit exotic locations and luxury hotels without leaving home.

Carl-Zeiss-Cinemizer-OLED-3D-multimedia-glasses-Photo-AFP-Carl-Zeiss

Cinemizer glasses, on display at the CeBIT technology fair in Hanover, Germany, let users visit exotic locations and luxury hotels without leaving home.

Designed to create an emersive visual experience, the Carl Zeiss Cinemizer OLED 3D multimedia glasses differ in one very big respect from Google's much publicized Project Glass headset -- there is a very clear use case for them.

Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during an Apple product launch event at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, California. AFP Photo

Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during an Apple product launch event at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, California. AFP Photo

However, Carl Zeiss hopes that its headsets will be adopted by the travel industry as a means of letting holidaymakers explore a hotel suite or a far-off destination before parting with their money. To this end it has partnered with a company called moving-pictures that creates interactive panoramic tours, to build 3D experiences specifically for the Cinemizer that will work in conjunction with a headtracking unit.

'360° panoramas in the travel industry will help to meet expectations and to build trust with customers. Everyone can know in advance exactly what to expect and book their travel and accommodation with full confidence,' explains Wolfgang Sailer, CEO of moving-pictures.

In the first product release following the death of Steve Jobs, Apple Inc. introduced the third version of the iPad and an updated Apple TV. AFP

In the first product release following the death of Steve Jobs, Apple Inc. introduced the third version of the iPad and an updated Apple TV. AFP

Zeiss is also developing additions for the Cinemizer, including something called a quadrocopter, which works with a remote camera for the inspection of hard to reach places -- such as the underside of a vehicle.