At the recent SILMO Paris exhibition, French innovator KaviAR Tech showcased POESIAR and ARAI, app-free augmented reality and artificial intelligence solutions designed to enhance physical eyecare retail. POESIAR transforms static materials like posters and brochures into interactive multimedia experiences via QR codes, requiring no app downloads or technical teams. ARAI functions as a 24/7 virtual assistant projected through smartphone browsers, offering multilingual support in over 50 languages and intelligent lead qualification capabilities. The company highlighted these tools' relevance for Australian optical practices seeking to differentiate from online retailers by reducing adoption barriers such as cost and complexity. KaviAR Tech also provided an optical-specific demo of ARAI, dubbed "Max," allowing practitioners to experience the avatar's ability to guide customers through product information and answer preliminary questions directly within their real-world environment.
Spanish technology company Indizen Optical Technologies (IOT) announced that progressive lenses manufactured using its Light-Form Technology are now available to consumers in Madrid. This marks the transition from research and development to commercial use for the platform, which produces ophthalmic lenses via a single-step 3D printing process using a flash of light. According to IOT, the technology meets commercial precision standards while eliminating water consumption, reducing energy use by 90 percent and cutting waste by 76 percent compared to conventional methods. The rollout follows the technology's February 2026 debut and is facilitated through retail partner VisionLab. While IOT is discussing opportunities with North American companies, the firm stated there are no current plans to replicate the Madrid retail launch in the U.S.
Darla Shewmaker, founder of WaveRFID and former Vice President of Product Development at an eyecare electronic health record company, discusses the financial impact of unmanaged inventory in optical practices. Drawing on decades of industry experience, she notes that a typical single location holding 750 to 1,200 frames carries $80,000 to $150,000 in inventory value. Shewmaker identifies significant discrepancies between perceived and actual retail price points, citing examples where practices believe 30–40% of their stock is high-end ($500+), while sales data reveals only 10% meets that threshold. She argues that this misalignment causes capital to sit idle rather than driving growth. The interview emphasizes that implementing proper inventory systems requires staff buy-in and a shift from traditional paper-based methods to data-driven management to improve profitability.
Bonne Franquette has introduced the Silure de Loire, the first frame in its collaboration with French chef Mathieu Pérou. The round acetate design draws inspiration from the chef’s regional dish, featuring tortoise warmth, subtle green accents, and resin details intended to recall the scales of the Loire catfish. Mood Eyewear Inc., established in 2006 as an exclusive Canadian distributor for European optical brands including Bonne Franquette, handles the distribution. The source describes the product's aesthetic features and the partnership but does not provide specific pricing, availability dates, or independent performance metrics.
SATISFY and Oakley announced their eighth collaboration, "Chapter VIII: Equipment for Our World," scheduled to arrive globally on October 13, 2026. The collection revives two archival eyewear silhouettes: the Oakley Scar, originally introduced in 2001 as the brand’s first mixed-material frame with O Matter construction and metal hinges, now offered in Falcon and X-Silver Metal colorways with vented Prizm lenses; and the Suture Jacket, featuring spiked high-wrap designs in Grey Smoke and Transparent Yellow with vented Prizm Black lenses and sweat-activated Unobtainium nosepads. Accompanying technical running apparel includes the AuraLite Dune Perforated Long Tee, AmbientWarp Cordura Trail Cap, and SoftCell Bandana. The partnership emphasizes visible industrial design alongside athletic function, leveraging Oakley’s engineering history and SATISFY’s Paris-based aesthetic influences.
Charmant announced an exclusive eyewear collection created with Japanese artist Kanako Sasaki at the Silmo fair in September, coinciding with the brand's 70th anniversary. The collaboration features sunglasses and optical frames displaying multi-coloured patterns inspired by Sasaki’s acrylic work and vibrant colour palette. During the Paris event, Sasaki performed live art on the Charmant stand, where the collection was displayed. Following the announcement, a pop-up event celebrating the collaboration and launching the new eyewear took place at the Line Art Charmant store in Ginza, Tokyo. Sasaki, born in Sendai in 1983, is known for previous collaborations with brands including Loveless and Ujoh.
Megane Top launched new eyewear from its classic brand THE BEDFORD HOTEL on October 6, 2026. The collection features titanium frames designed to evoke the aesthetic of aged brass and antique items, utilizing four proprietary aging processes developed at the company's own factory to create a weathered texture. While standard models are available at all Megane Ichiba stores and the official website, a specific limited-color edition is restricted to 210 units and sold only at select locations and online. The designs reinterpret 1970s fashion trends for contemporary wear. Availability details for the limited edition require checking the brand site for eligible retailers.
Eyewear brand VANNI has introduced "Italian Kaleido," a new visual language designed to interpret Italian design through color. The concept positions Italy as the country of culture and style rather than just fashion, utilizing a palette of one dominant color complemented by two additional shades to evoke energy, elegance, and optimism. This framework aims to enhance eyewear products, making them instantly recognizable within the VANNI world. The strategy emphasizes warm, intense lighting with defined shadows to reflect Mediterranean character. Italian Kaleido will be applied across window displays, in-store POP materials, catalogues, digital platforms, and trade show stands. VANNI also clarified that its fashion models are real humans, not AI-generated.
Eyewear brand Einstoffen has introduced its "Same Ground" collection. The source describes the line as reflecting an inward focus and a decision to remain grounded amidst change, with surfaces that shift according to light, season, and time while maintaining a sense of calm beneath. The text emphasizes material grounding and independence from external noise, positioning the products for individuals who value clarity and self-reliance. No specific launch dates, geographic availability, pricing, or technical specifications are provided in the source material.
Imago Eyewear has expanded its "Imago" and "Pix" collections with several new models featuring tinted lenses and mixed materials. The Imago line introduces six titanium frames: "Suki," "Shobu," and "Aibu" combine modern shapes with color accents, while "Ichi," "Kin," and "Makiko" feature gradient centers and curved lines. All six are available in five colors each. The Pix collection adds three models: "Pulau" and "Voodoo" mix stainless steel with acetate rims, whereas "Santa Cruz" uses a flat acetate form with slight curves. These three also come in five colors. Founded in 1990 under the "Designed in Germany" principle, Imago Eyewear maintains a portfolio of five distinct collections.
Satisloh has released the Q2 2026 update for its Manufacturing Execution System, MES-360. The release introduces a new Integrated Solutions Customer Portal accessible directly via MES-360, featuring a knowledge base, AI Assistant, and support agent contact options. It also expands DRL, OEE, and productivity reporting to help identify accuracy trends and performance loss drivers. Operational resilience is improved through simplified job transfers and remote display recovery for E-Ticket operations. Additionally, the update resolves vulnerabilities in Rx-Hub, Rx-PDF, and the Shared platform. Complete release notes are available on the MES-360 product page.
Indizen Optical Technologies (IOT) published an article analyzing accommodative lag as a continuous clinical variable affecting lens selection from childhood myopia through pre-presbyopia. The text defines lag as the gap between accommodative stimulus and response, noting that values above 1.00 D in patients aged 5 to 39 warrant investigation. It distinguishes lag from amplitude, explaining that elevated lag can signal binocular vision issues before presbyopia onset. Citing studies like CLEERE, the article notes myopic children often exhibit double the lag of emmetropes, though causality with axial elongation remains debated. IOT highlights its MyoLess lens, which uses free-form peripheral defocus to address these findings. The company specifies that MyoLess is currently offered only in non-US markets.
OptoTech promotes its Applications Lab in Germantown, Wisconsin, as a facility for North American customers to engage with ophthalmic lens production technology. The lab supports hands-on training, execution of customer-specific jobs, troubleshooting through error reproduction, and on-site testing of new equipment using metrology capabilities. Current installations include the IQ-Synergy Generator, IQ-Synergy ECO Blocker & ECO Deblocker, and IQ-Synergy S2 Blocker. The space allows customers to evaluate solutions before integrating them into their own production environments. OptoTech invites interested parties to schedule private visits for themselves and their teams to experience these services firsthand.
In April 2026, Rodenstock announced that its B.I.G. EXACT Sensitive lens technology received the TOP OPTA Award in the Czech Republic for ‘Quality Vision for All Generations’ and the Belgoptic Award in Belgium for ‘Innovation of the Year’. These recognitions follow four international prizes awarded to the same technology in 2025, including the German Innovation Award, Silmo d’Or, Grupa MTP Gold Medal, and Optician Lens Awards. The lenses utilize biometric data from the DNEye Scanner and AI to create personalized spectacle lenses based on individual eye anatomy and visual sensitivity. Catherine Stahl, Executive Vice President Marketing & Strategy at Rodenstock, stated that the awards confirm the company's innovative strength and commitment to individualized vision care.
Eyewear brands Paragraphe and Marlone, both certified by the Origine France Garantie label, have released their autumn campaigns. Paragraphe’s campaign features bicolored acetate frames in urban Parisian settings, highlighting handcrafted details and contrasting hues like amber tortoiseshell against opaque beige. Marlone’s “Road in the US” campaign juxtaposes American diner aesthetics with French manufacturing, showcasing the Valinda model in copper metal with a double bridge and the Delamar model in translucent gray acetate with gold trim. Both brands produce their eyeglass frames primarily in Oyonnax, France. The campaigns emphasize distinct visual identities—Paragraphe focusing on city color and Marlone on cinematic nostalgia—while maintaining a shared commitment to domestic production standards.
Optical Prism Magazine published a post titled "Centennial Optical New Frame Release – October 2026." The source material consists solely of this title and the attribution line indicating the post appeared first on the magazine. No specific details regarding the frames, such as design features, pricing, availability regions, or technical specifications, are provided in the text. Consequently, the announcement confirms only the existence of a new frame release by Centennial Optical scheduled for or associated with October 2026, without further substantiation of product capabilities or market impact.
At the 2026 Venice Film Festival, sunglasses emerged as a prominent fashion element alongside traditional attire. Attendees showcased varied styles rather than a single trend. Maggie Gyllenhaal wore black Ray-Ban Wayfarer 2140 901 frames, while Georgina Rodriguez chose Celine Triomphe CL40194U 05A and Sam Rockwell selected Gucci GG0341S. Claire Foy displayed Bottega Veneta BV1492S 001 shields, and George Clooney utilized Even Realities G2 B smart glasses, highlighting technological integration. Amal Clooney appeared in oversized tortoise Chloé CH0286S sunglasses, and J Balvin wore gold Miu Miu MU A56S 5AK90L. Color accents included Emilia Schüle’s blue Miu Miu B14SU Ivresse, Orlando Bloom’s Porsche Design P 8947 B with blue mirror lenses, and Ricky Martin’s Tom Ford FT1480 with violet lenses. Cat-eye silhouettes were featured by Matilda De Angelis in Bottega Veneta BV1484S and Phoebe Bridgers in Gucci GG2215S 001. Sydney Sweeney opted for vintage Gucci Bamboo frames, and Zoey Deutch wore black Miu Miu MU 04ZS 1AB5S0 ovals.
Prada released the director’s cut of "To The Summit," a film for its Linea Rossa eyewear collection directed by Karim Huu Do and starring Jake Gyllenhaal. The campaign highlights resilience and vision, featuring five sun and optical styles designed for travelers facing diminished visibility and intense pressure. Production involved filming on remote Icelandic glaciers with a small crew, navigating storms and changing conditions to capture in-camera footage. This material was combined with a single studio day in New York, where practical effects and visual effects completed the journey. Post-production collaboration between seek.studio, WeAreFX, and VFX art director Eugen Lekh focused on invisible effects, including generating normal maps to relight Gyllenhaal for glacial environments.
For the 2025–2026 academic year, ISO invited Bonne Franquette to sponsor its Bachelor’s program in Eyewear Design in Paris and Bordeaux. Students explored Japanese aesthetic codes, materials, and symbols to create eyewear designs through sketches, shape development, color combinations, and prototypes. Three student projects were selected to join the Bonne Franquette collection. The brand’s team redesigned these original prototypes by adjusting proportions, balancing lines, and optimizing comfort, durability, and manufacturing feasibility. This process aimed to preserve the students’ creative vision while transforming concepts into eyewear ready for manufacture, distribution, and wear.
Optical Prism Magazine reported that Ferragamo Eyewear announced its Autumn-Winter 2026 campaign. The source material consists solely of the headline and a standard attribution line, providing no further details regarding specific products, creative direction, release dates, or geographic availability. Consequently, the scope of the announcement remains undefined beyond the seasonal designation.
Spanish independent brand Nina Mûr, based in Madrid, produces wooden eyewear using Finnish birch plywood through a made-to-order model. The company states that each frame requires approximately 40 hours to produce, with about 85 percent of construction performed manually. While CNC technology shapes the frames for precision, finishing steps such as sanding, varnishing, assembly, lens fitting, and quality checks are largely carried out by hand. Nina Mûr describes this approach as "Neo Craftsmanship," combining modern production accuracy with small-workshop flexibility. Customers can select shape, color, and finishing details, aligning with the brand’s "Sustainable Uniqueness" philosophy which avoids mass production and unnecessary stock. The design draws inspiration from art, architecture, and fashion movements including Memphis and Cubism.
Cutler and Gross announced its Autumn/Winter 2026 collection, "The Joy in Design," honoring the brand's founding principles of meticulous fit and unrestricted design. The lineup features handcrafted Italian acetate frames, including the architectural 1410 Square Optical and the heritage-inspired 9389 Optical with external milling. Additionally, the Japanese-made Knightsbridge Green titanium collection commemorates the London flagship’s 55th anniversary with styles like the oversized Knightsbridge 1971 Optical. All titanium sunglasses incorporate ZEISS lenses for full UVA/UVB protection and are limited to 350 units per style. The campaign, shot in London by Blommers and Schumm, highlights the enduring appeal of analog-era craftsmanship and character-driven eyewear.
VITURE has released the Pro 2 XR smart glasses in Japan for ¥49,880 (tax included), marking the lowest price point in its current lineup. Weighing 63g, the device features a perceived peak brightness of 1,600 nits and supports independent left/right myopia correction from 0D to -5.0D. The glasses offer up to 1080p resolution per eye and a 50-degree field of view, utilizing an AAC System for spatial audio rather than HARMAN components found in higher-end models. Unlike the Beast series, the Pro 2 lacks built-in 3DoF display stabilization, causing screen drift during head movement. It connects via cable to PCs, smartphones, and game consoles. While lacking some flagship visual stability features, the model prioritizes lightweight comfort and integrated vision correction for users avoiding additional prescription lenses.
French eyewear company MOREL announced a new chapter of its campaign, emphasizing creative freedom through color, imagination, and portraits. The imagery merges reality with fantasy, featuring women’s, men’s, and sunwear styles that share the ambition to reveal individuality. According to the company, color serves as a signature element, realized through intricate details and sophisticated acetate craftsmanship. The campaign highlights three specific concepts: Mila, Enigma, and Varanger. Mila features geometric layered acetate with gradient effects flowing across frames and temples. Enigma presents contrasting temple shades meeting in diagonal gradients on the front, balancing vibrant colors with transparency. Varanger is described as a premium creation combining delicate titanium with an acetate rim for architectural impact.
ENGO has launched engo Titanium, a 28.9-gram augmented reality smart glass designed for road runners and cyclists. Made in France with adjustable 3D-printed titanium temples, the glasses feature a high-brightness color HUD OLED readable in sunlight, displaying over 40 customizable metrics like heart rate and pace via ActiveLook Light AR technology. The company excluded camera, audio, and AI features to prioritize weight, comfort, and battery life, which exceeds 24 hours per charge. Control is managed through a double-tap sensor, with Bluetooth connectivity compatible with Garmin devices. Available as a limited edition exclusively on engoeyewear.com, the classic version costs EUR €599 (USD $689.95), while the photochromic lens version is priced at EUR €649 (USD $759.95).
Hickmann Eyewear, part of GO Eyewear Group, presented its Autumn/Winter 2026/27 collection at SILMO Paris. Officially introduced as the FW26 line, the assortment targets women with contemporary designs ranging from oversized acetate sunglasses to minimalist metal optical frames. Key models include HI9323, an aviator style with gradient lenses; HI3274, a rimless cat-eye; and optical frames HI6422 and HI6453 featuring textured temples and metal inlays. The seasonal palette emphasizes tortoiseshell textures, winter gradients, and deep tones. To support retail partners, the brand provides a cohesive campaign platform including dedicated imagery, videos, digital content, and a 360-degree online experience. GO Eyewear’s sales teams will assist with local activation and visual materials to help retailers communicate the collection’s design signatures and fashion relevance effectively.
EssilorLuxottica has launched Nuance Audio Plus, the newest generation of its open-ear hearing glasses designed for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss. The update features extended battery life, enhanced audio amplification, improved speech clarity in noise, and better own-voice perception. New design elements include intuitive on-frame controls with dedicated power and volume buttons, options for charging on-the-go, and the ability to manage voice calls when paired with compatible iPhones. The portfolio now includes three styles—Square 53, Panthos 48, and Upturn 52—in five colours and various sizes. Users can control the device via the Nuance Audio app, on-frame controls, or a separate remote, allowing customization of amplification settings and audio modes. The frames support any type of optical lenses. EssilorLuxottica stated that the previous Nuance Audio model remains available. Global head Stefano Genco noted that the brand has expanded to 14 countries and over 18,000 stores in one year, reaching consumers who are younger than traditional hearing-aid users.
BonLook has released its Fall-Winter 2026 eyewear collection, featuring styles inspired by backstage moments and vintage tour posters. The lineup includes frames such as the Isadora ($99), Gaspard ($159), Severine ($99), Arlo ($159), Elodie ($199), Claude ($99), Layer ($99), Lucian ($159), Estelle ($99), Liora ($159), Odette ($159), Delphine ($159), Nathalie ($199), Florence ($159), and Odilia ($99). Available colors range from Clear Taupe and Dark Brown to Gold, Grey Gradient, Copper Tort, and Leopard. The brand markets these designs as confidence-boosting accessories intended to evoke a rock-and-roll aesthetic. Specific availability stages beyond the general release are not detailed in the source material.
Cellid, an AR display developer, has announced a business partnership with Japanese eyewear retailer Megane Top to develop and sell AR glasses under the Megane Top brand. The collaboration spans product development through market expansion, with Cellid leading optical and hardware engineering while Megane Top contributes eyeglass expertise and its nationwide store network, including the Megane Ichiba chain. The jointly developed 'Linse Display' AR glasses feature navigation, notifications, translation, AI notes, and entertainment functions. Preorders via crowdfunding on GREEN FUNDING begin October 23, 2026, followed by in-store sales after the campaign ends. Current images show prototypes, indicating final designs may differ.
Optical Prism published a post titled "These $999 AI glasses are for people with hearing loss." The source body contains no substantive details, only a redirect notice pointing visitors back to the original article in Optical Prism Magazine. Consequently, specific information regarding the product's features, manufacturer, availability, or technical capabilities is not present in the provided text. The only verifiable facts are the headline's claim of a $999 price point and the target audience being individuals with hearing loss, as stated in the title itself.
At Expo Ottica Sud 2026, EssilorLuxottica showcased an ecosystem of solutions combining innovation, personalization, and protection under the "Anima Mediterranea" theme. The presentation featured Varilux XR series with Essilor Living Intelligence for progressive lenses, Transitions Gen S for adaptive light comfort, and Transitions Color Touch for style-driven color nuances. Visioffice X+, a new digital optical column generation, was highlighted for using AI to capture individual visual parameters and frame positioning in seconds. Additionally, Nikon Lenswear’s Z Suite progressive designs and Galileo’s new presbyopia management protocol were displayed. The company stated these technologies aim to center the wearer and optometrist, integrating brand competencies to address diverse visual needs and Mediterranean identity values.
Samsung’s smart glasses, developed with Google and Qualcomm, received FCC clearance under two product codes (SM-O200P for Gentle Monster and SM-O200J for Warby Parker), a step preceding US commercialization. Separately, Snap opened its first SPECS pop-up store at Westfield Century City in Los Angeles, allowing public trials until November 7th. The source notes no other major industry announcements this week. Additionally, some INMO Air3 units were recalled due to overheating reports, while Meta VR Glasses faced debate over perceived field-of-view limitations compared to nominal specs.
Eyestylist reported on the SILMO Paris exhibition held from September 25 to 28, which attracted over 32,000 visitors and 950 exhibitors. The event highlighted key design directions for 2027, including aviator and navigator shapes, round and oval frames, and two distinct color moods: bright and restrained neutral tones. The Trends Forum presented four themes: Fancy, Charisma, Adrenaline, and Aura. Notable releases included anniversary collections from Rigards and Charmant, as well as artistic collaborations such as J.F. Rey x Robertet’s SAKURA limited edition and NINA MÛR’s Freedom collection. Alpagota launched its Vision Twist travel spray. The Silmo d’Or awards recognized winners across categories, including ROLF, Maison Lune, Caroline Abram, and Paloceras. SILMO Paris is scheduled to return September 24–27, 2027, marking its 60th anniversary.
French eyewear brands Zenka and Dilem have released campaigns highlighting their interchangeable clip systems, which allow users to alter frame aesthetics without changing the base optical mount. Zenka’s approach focuses on decorative overlays; its campaign features model FC 2DE BJ SAT with a white round frame, where clips like CIE 215 BL add floral or lace-like details in pale colors. Dilem, based in Jura, uses clips to reshape frame contours, presenting metal frames with wavy black or scalloped prune edges within a steampunk-inspired narrative. Both brands emphasize that opticians install prescription lenses into the base frames, while consumers can swap clips independently throughout the day. The campaigns distinguish Zenka’s ornamental style from Dilem’s structural transformation, offering customizable looks through simple mechanical attachment.
ClearVision Optical announced the introduction of four new BCBGMAXAZRIA optical styles for the Fall/Winter 2026 season, continuing its more than 20-year eyewear license with the fashion brand. The collection, which includes the Camylle, Dominique, Emma and Josiane models, is made in Italy. These designs feature modern square and almond silhouettes, faceted acetate, jewelry-inspired casted metal accents, dimensional logo treatments and sophisticated colorations. Pam Elfriech, Product Development Manager at ClearVision, stated that the release reflects the brand’s sophisticated, confident and wearable aesthetic. The announcement marks an expansion of the existing portfolio rather than a completed retail launch, offering eyecare professionals fresh options to refresh their BCBG assortment.
Boston-based startup Legato has made its Legato Frames hearing glasses available for purchase in the United States. This release marks the first entry among new competitors challenging EssilorLuxottica’s Nuance Audio product line. The source identifies HOYA’s PENTAX as the lens partner for these frames. The move represents a concrete expansion of options in the hearing aid eyewear sector within the US market.
French start-up Laclarée has revised its commercialization strategy for autofocal eyewear following significant internal changes over the past two years. The company appointed Franck Leclere as CEO, secured €3.5 million in seed funding, and added venture fund Rimonci Capital as a shareholder. These developments have influenced the evolution of plans to bring its autofocals to market. The source indicates that the original release timeline was subject to change, though specific new dates or detailed reasons for the adjustment are not provided in the available text.
Aynak Inc., a startup incubated at the University of California San Diego Qualcomm Institute, is recruiting San Diego-area participants to test its AI-enabled hearing technology embedded in eyewear. The company plans to distribute approximately 35 prototype pairs through local optical stores before the upcoming holidays, with a second distribution scheduled for January 2027. Founder Ramesh Chandrasekhar aims to address the hearing care gap, noting that about 15% of U.S. adults report hearing trouble, yet roughly three-quarters have never used hearing aids. The prototypes use multimodal sensors and on-device AI to enhance speech clarity in noisy environments without sending sensitive data to the cloud.
Kiko Kostadinov and Oakley have launched a collaborative interpretation of the Ellipse eyewear silhouette globally online on October 1. The collection, which debuted during the Fall/Winter 2026 Womenswear runway show in Paris, features two distinct colorways: “Brown Smoke Wood” and “Amherst Fade.” These frames incorporate wood grain and feather applications inspired by nature. Constructed from Oakley’s O Matter™ material, the sunglasses utilize PhysioMorphic™ Geometry for fluid lens curvature and include Unobtainium® earsocks and nose pieces for secure wear. Both colorways are fitted with Prizm™ Lens Technology in a Bronze tint to optimize contrast and visual clarity.
Chiayi Nanguang Eyewear, a third-generation optical shop in Chiayi City using ZEISS digital equipment, highlights the Japanese brand KameManNen. Founded in 1917 by Kimura Kikujirō in Sabae, Japan, the brand emphasizes durability and traditional craftsmanship. The report details two specific models: the KMN77, featuring acetate-wrapped titanium rims and bridge designs tailored for Asian faces, and the KMN 1000, characterized by lightweight titanium construction and unique "turtle foot" reverse nose pads that distribute pressure. Available colorways include tortoiseshell with bronze or bright gold bridges, glossy black with silver, and matte finishes in gold, black, or reddish-brown. These frames are presented as part of the store's focus on material selection and optical design, available at their Chiayi location.