Apple acquires German eye-tracking firm SensoMotoric Instruments

“Apple has almost certainly acquired German computer vision company SensoMotoric Instruments, a provider of eye tracking glasses and systems, based on evidence compiled by MacRumors,” Joe Rossignol reports for MacRumors.

“On May 2, Apple’s vice president of corporate law Gene Levoff, representing Delaware-based shell company Vineyard Capital Corporation, granted power of attorney to German law firm Hiking Kühn Lüer Wojtek to represent Vineyard Capital Corporation in all business related to the acquisition of SensoMotoric Instruments,” Rossignol reports. “On June 16, SensoMotoric Instruments filed several documents with the German Company Register outlining new articles of incorporation… Vineyard Capital Corporation is listed as having acquired all company shares of SensoMotoric Instruments.”

“Apple takes steps to hide its acquisitions through shell companies, which essentially only exist on paper, but Levoff’s signature on one of the documents is a clear giveaway that Vineyard Capital Corporation is Apple,” Rossignol reports. “Levoff even notarized the document in Cupertino, California, where Apple is headquartered.”

“SensoMotoric Instruments, founded in 1991, has developed a range of eye tracking hardware and software for several fields of use,” Rossignol reports, “including virtual and augmented reality, in-car systems, clinical research, cognitive training, linguistics, neuroscience, physical training and biomechanics, and psychology.”

Read more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: Done deal. An Apple representative yesterday provided the company’s boilerplate acquisition statement to Axios: “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.”

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[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Fred Mertz,” “Dan K.,” and “Arline M.” for the heads up.]