Volfoni rolls out active/passive 3D glasses

3D TV may finally have gotten a universal standard – kind of.

French company Volfoni will showcase ActivEyes, a hybrid active/passive 3D solution at the upcoming National Association of Broadcasters show. The company, which unveiled the product at this year's CES, says it can be used on any 3D screen.

To lessen the weight of the glasses, Volfoni has housed the electronic portions in a small pod that can be clipped to clothing or held in the wearer's hand. The glasses themselves weigh just 1.02 oz.

Rather than using liquid crystal shutter (LCS) tech, the company plans to use electronically controlled birefringence (ECB), which it says boosts visual quality. Volfoni has not yet announced any pricing, but they're expected to go on sale in May.

One other distinguishing factor about the lenses: They can double as sunglasses. On passive mode, their UV protection is ranked class 2, something that can be ratcheted up via the electronic clip.