TOKYO, JAPAN, November 9, 2020 — NTT DOCOMO, INC. and Nihon Tokushu Kogaku Jushi Co., Ltd. (NTKJ) announced today that they have reached a licensing agreement to manufacture advanced lenses for DOCOMO’s virtual reality (VR) headset, which pairs with smartphones for ultra-wide-angle VR experiences. The agreement includes the use of DOCOMO’s patents and design documents for the manufacture and sale of lenses that NTKJ will begin providing to headset manufacturers on November 16. Thereafter, the manufacturers will collaborate with NTKJ to produce end-user headsets (goggles) based on DOCOMO’s basic designs.
Existing low-end VR headsets coupled with smartphones only achieve narrow viewing angles, causing users to feel as if they are looking through a hole. In the new VR headset, however, high-magnification Fresnel lenses surround ordinary-magnification aspherical lenses to create a wider field of vision. Objects appearing in the center are in focus and peripheral images are somewhat blurred, similar to human vision. Incorporating two types of lenses with different levels of magnification makes VR images appear highly realistic, resulting in extra-immersive VR experiences.
Visitors to the 7th UV Fair of Science Photonics Fair 2020 will be able to view the ultra-wide-angle VR headset at NTKJ’s booth. The event will take place in the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center (Hamamatsucho-Kan) from November 11 to 13.
Event details can be viewed at https://www.optronics.co.jp/fair/en/uv.
Going forward, DOCOMO and NTKJ will continue to collaborate in the manufacture and sale of lenses for the new ultra-wide-angle VR headset, enabling people to enjoy all-new immersive 5G experiences, including safely at home in the COVID-19 era.
About NTT DOCOMO
NTT DOCOMO, Japan’s leading mobile operator with over 80 million subscriptions, is one of the world’s foremost contributors to 3G, 4G and 5G mobile network technologies. Beyond core communications services, DOCOMO is challenging new frontiers in collaboration with a growing number of entities (“+d” partners), creating exciting and convenient value-added services that change the way people live and work. Under a medium-term plan toward 2020 and beyond, DOCOMO is pioneering a leading-edge 5G network to facilitate innovative services that will amaze and inspire customers beyond their expectations. DOCOMO is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (9437). https://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/english/.
About NTKJ
NTKJ, the Japan-based lens manufacturer, specializes in ultra-precision machining, heat compression molding, and large lens manufacturing. NTKJ utilizes pico-meter resolution of 5+2 axis machine to manufacture ultra-precision optics. NTKJ’s facility and 46-year-experience enables to manufacture VR lenses, Germanium Fresnel, MLA, DOE, Freeform lenses and mirrors, elliptical Fresnel and NTKJ’s standard lenses. NTKJ boosts innovative optics R&D for industries such as imaging, lighting, sensing, medical and aerospace. https://www.ntkj-japan.com/
