Eyes 3 Shut

What Eyes 3 Shut does

Eyes 3 Shut (E3S) is a France-based private company that designs, develops, and manufactures active 3D glasses and supporting synchronization equipment for cinema, virtual reality, simulation, training, design, and shared-vision (XR/multi-view) applications. Founded in 2008 as a spin-off of IMT Atlantique, the company holds patented liquid crystal shutter (Thin Cell) technology with the fastest switching time on the market, which eliminates the 'ghosting' artifacts common to conventional plastic polarizer systems and delivers superior image quality on both flat screens and LED displays. Its proprietary RF synchronization technology offers the longest validated range in the market, and the product portfolio spans cinema glasses (Model D, Purple 2 rechargeables, Xpand-compatible rentals), professional SKUs (3D PRO E3S RF, DLP Link Odyssey), the acquired Volfoni Edge line (Edge RF, Edge VR, Edge HC Dual View) plus the ActivHub RF50 emitter and VR Tracker 6DOF targets, and the MHB (Multifunction Head Band) tracking/capture platform. Following the February 2025 acquisition of VOLFONI's assets (stocks, patents, brands), E3S is the stated market leader in active 3D technology.

E3S monetizes through a combination of direct hardware sales and a pay-per-ticket cinema rental program with no minimums or commitments, supported by channel partners (post-production companies, integrators/installers, 3D equipment resellers), and complementary software (VolfoniLoader for Windows, Mac, and Linux) and consumables (wipes, batteries, UV-C disinfection tunnels). The customer base is anchored by cinema operators but extends into professional VR, simulation, and shared-vision segments, with the company historically selling more than 200,000 pairs of glasses across France and Europe after the high-profile James Cameron / Avatar endorsement in January 2023. The company employs 11–50 people, is led by co-founder/CEO Renaud Van Lith (former co-founder of VOLFONI Group and DOREMI/DOLBY shareholder) and CTO Samir Bentahar (16 years in cinema and professional markets), and continues to co-develop IP with the IMT Atlantique research center. After establishing presence in France and Europe, E3S is now pursuing global expansion, supported by original partners including Finistère angels.

Name

Eyes 3 Shut

Legal name

Eyes 3 Shut

Website

https://eyes3shut.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Eyes 3 Shut is a French designer and manufacturer of active 3D glasses and synchronization systems for cinema, VR, simulation, and XR applications, holding patented liquid crystal shutter (Thin Cell) technology. Following its February 2025 acquisition of VOLFONI, the company operates as the stated market leader in active 3D technology, selling direct hardware, per-ticket cinema rentals, and software globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Active 3D Cinema Technology

NAICS

Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115), Optical Goods Retailers (45613), Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (33513)

SIC

Ophthalmic Goods (3851), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)

akta.pro primary industry

Optical Dispensing & Eyewear Devices (Frames, Lenses, Lens Edging/Finishing Equipment) (HLAHAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

AR Smart Glasses (CRACAIAE)

Keywords

• Active 3D glasses
• 3D cinema technology
• Liquid crystal shutters
• RF synchronization emitters
• VR simulation glasses

Headquarters

HQ city

Louveciennes

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. 3D Glasses Hardware Sales: Direct sales of active 3D glasses (RF, IR/DLP-Link, cinema models) and synchronization emitters/kit systems to cinema operators, VR professionals, and simulation markets.
2. 3D Cinema Rental: Rental model where cinemas pay a fixed rental price per ticket sold. No minimum billing, no commitment duration, with free restocking of consumables (wipes and batteries). Includes brand options from Eyes3shut, Volfoni, and Xpand.
3. Software Downloads: Provision of VolfoniLoader software for Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms for configuration and updates of Volfoni-branded 3D glasses.
4. VOLFONI Brand/Patent Licensing: Following the acquisition of VOLFONI's assets (stocks, patents and brands), E3S now controls and licenses VOLFONI intellectual property in active 3D technology.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Eyes 3 Shut designs, develops, and manufactures active 3D glasses and synchronization equipment using patented liquid crystal shutter (Thin Cell) technology for cinema operators, virtual reality professionals, and simulation markets. The company sells its hardware directly and through partners, operates a per-ticket rental program for cinemas, and licenses acquired VOLFONI intellectual property in active 3D technology.

Product overview

Eyes 3 Shut (E3S) is a French company specializing in Active 3D technology for cinema and professional markets (virtual reality, simulation, XR). Founded in 2008 as an IMT Atlantique spin-off, the company designs, develops, and manufactures its own products using patented liquid crystal shutter (Thin Cell) technology. The product portfolio comprises three main categories: (1) Active 3D glasses including the 3D PRO E3S RF glasses, DLP Link Odyssey glasses, and acquired VOLFONI brand products (Edge RF, Edge VR, Edge HC Dual View); (2) Cinema solutions including Model D and Purple 2 glasses with various battery options, 3D KIT and Compact KIT synchronization systems, and supporting accessories (charging racks, cleaning wipes, UV-C tunnels); (3) The Multifunction Head Band (MHB) for specialized applications. The company also offers software tools (VolfoniLoader) and operates a rental service for cinema operators. Following the February 2025 acquisition of VOLFONI's assets, E3S became the market leader in active 3D technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VOLFONI: Acquired brand of 3D glasses and active 3D technology products including Edge RF, Edge VR, and Edge HC Dual View glasses, along with ActivHub RF50 emitter and VR Tracker targets.
• MHB (Multifunction Head Band)

Products and services

• Cinema 3D Glasses Model D Cinema-quality active 3D glasses approved by major Hollywood studios, featuring automatic IR synchronization and 400-hour CR2032 battery life for cinema exhibitors.
• Cinema 3D Glasses Purple 2 (Rechargeable) Rechargeable cinema 3D glasses providing 40 hours of battery life and 90 days of standby for cinema operators.
• Cinema 3D Glasses Purple 2 (Button Battery) Cinema 3D glasses with CR2032 button battery offering 200 hours of battery life for cinema operators.
• 3D PRO E3S (RF 3D Glasses) Professional radio-frequency 3D glasses with long-range RF synchronization, automatic sync, 20-hour battery life, and 2-hour charging for simulation and VR professionals.
• DLP Link Odyssey 3D Glasses DLP-Link compatible 3D glasses for synchronization with DLP projection systems in professional and cinema applications.
• Edge RF 3D Glasses (Volfoni) Rechargeable RF 3D glasses with interference-free RF synchronization, natural color reproduction, and automatic power-off for cinema and professional users.
• Edge VR 3D Glasses (Volfoni) Rechargeable VR 3D glasses with 940:1 contrast, RF synchronization with simulation computers, head tracking via target markers, and a three-position toggle for professional simulation users.
• Edge HC Dual View 3D Glasses (Volfoni) Rechargeable dual-view 3D glasses with high contrast for user separation, RF frequency sync, up to 40-hour battery life, and three-position configuration for shared-vision applications.
• MHB (Multifunction Head Band) Wireless customizable digital platform integrating tracking, capture, and projection systems, featuring fixed or adjustable wide-angle camera, motorized remote-control camera, eye tracking, local SD recording, live Wi-Fi streaming, lighting, and laser pointer for specialized applications such as surgical assistance and training.
• ActivHub RF50 Emitter Interference-free RF 3D emitter providing long-range synchronization up to 30 meters, supporting IR, DLP-Link, and VESA-to-RF signals with frequencies up to 240Hz.
• VR Tracker Target Head-tracking target accessories with six markers providing 6 degrees of freedom data, compatible with RF, VR, and HC Dual View glasses and available in two arm length sizes (EGT4, EGT5).
• 3D Cinema Rental Service Per-ticket rental service for cinema operators providing 3D glasses (Eyes3shut Model D, Volfoni EDGE, Xpand X101) and synchronization equipment with no minimum billing, no commitment duration, and free consumable restocking.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200,000 pairs of 3D glasses sold in France and Europe
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• VOLFONIflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025Acquisition of VOLFONI's assets (stocks, patents and brands) in February 2025 as part of E3S's growth strategy. This acquisition strengthens E3S's position in Active 3D technologies for cinema, virtual reality, and simulation markets, making E3S the leader in the active 3D technology market.
• IMT AtlantiquecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerE3S maintains a cooperative relationship with the French research center IMT Atlantique, funded by the French Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The company was created in 2008 as a spin-off from IMT Atlantique. The partnership continues in both project development and sharing of intellectual property including patent applications.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Magic Leap: Magic Leap develops augmented reality headsets for enterprise and professional applications. As an emerging XR/MR hardware company, it competes for the simulation, training, and design review use cases that E3S targets with its Edge VR glasses and MHB multifunction head band.
• Microsoft (HoloLens): Microsoft's HoloLens mixed reality headset serves enterprise simulation, training, and design use cases directly overlapping with E3S's professional VR/simulation segment. Microsoft's industrial partnerships and developer ecosystem make it a meaningful alternative for the same customers E3S targets with Edge VR products.
• Meta (Quest): Meta's Quest VR headsets target consumer and increasingly enterprise VR markets, directly overlapping with the simulation and training use cases that E3S serves. Meta's pricing power and content ecosystem make it a meaningful threat to E3S's positioning as a low-cost alternative to immersive headsets.

Direct peers

• RealD: RealD is the leading 3D cinema technology provider, offering active 3D glasses, projection systems, and licensing to cinema operators globally. It is the most direct competitor to E3S in the active 3D glasses market for cinema exhibition, with overlapping customer base of cinema chains and content studios.
• Xpand: Xpand (XPAND 3D) manufactures active 3D glasses for cinema, home, and professional use. Xpand-branded glasses are explicitly offered alongside E3S and Volfoni products in E3S's cinema rental program, confirming direct overlap in active 3D eyewear technology and cinema operator customer base.

Others

• Optinvent: Optinvent is a French AR smart glasses developer focused on industrial and enterprise applications. As an adjacent French eyewear technology company working on AR display optics, Optinvent is thematically comparable to E3S's expansion into XR applications and shares a similar European design and engineering DNA.
• VueReal: VueReal is a Canadian micro-LED display technology company enabling next-generation AR and 3D displays. As an enabling technology provider for AR/XR eyewear, VueReal is thematically comparable to E3S's interest in advanced optical and display technologies for active 3D glasses and could become a supplier or partner.

Broad incumbents

• Dolby Laboratories: Dolby offers Dolby Cinema and Dolby 3D systems used by major cinema exhibitors worldwide. E3S's CEO previously held a DOREMI (Dolby) shareholder position, and Dolby's 3D cinema systems compete for the same cinema operator capex as E3S's glasses and emitter systems, while Dolby's brand is the de facto cinema quality standard.
• IMAX Corporation: IMAX operates IMAX 3D cinema exhibition networks globally and licenses its technology to exhibitors. As a broader incumbent in 3D cinema presentation, IMAX competes for the same cinema operator partnerships, studio content deals, and 3D content ecosystem that E3S serves with its glasses and emitter systems.
• Sony Corporation: Sony produces 3D-capable cinema projection systems (SRX) and consumer 3D displays, and is a major 3D content publisher through Sony Pictures. Sony competes with E3S across the cinema 3D value chain from projection through eyewear, and is a major gatekeeper for studio-approved 3D systems.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/eyes3shut
• Facebookfacebook.com/100069156142135
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eyes3shut

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Eyes 3 Shut