High-tech masks on the ski slope

Measuring performance, providing a soundtrack and giving real-time information about the slopes: the latest ski masks are revolutionising skiing, but can they crossover into the mainstream, or will they remain stuck with a niche market of rich geeks?

Worthy of a James Bond gadget, these large ski goggles are equipped with an integrated screen in the bottom-right of the view that relays information sent by Bluetooth, wifi and GPS.

Sensors measure not only altitude and the gradient of the slope, but also distance covered, temperature, speed and the height of any jumps.

To really impress your friends, these networked skiiers can also download their data once they are back at their lodge, allowing them to compare performances and analyse data.

In addition - by connecting through their mobile phones - the goggles can also locate other wearers on the slopes, share text messages and take incoming calls that flash up on the screen.

A remote control - worn like a large watch - also allows wearers to flick through their music collection.

"It's like being in the future," Damien Chaussin, owner of the shop "L'Oeil du Mont Blanc" at Chamonix, told AFP.

"The idea is very cool, it is the future, but there is currently still a price barrier."

Indeed, the goggles will still set you back about 650 euros ($A1,006) - the same as an excellent snowboard or pair of touring skis.

They attract buyers, according to several vendors who spoke to AFP, who tend to be over-30s and a little "geeky" and "narcissistic".

It's only a matter of time before these technologies take off, says Thierry Penet, of Paris-based Laster Technologies, which specialises in digital display technologies in medical, aerospace and military sectors.

"For two years, manufacturers have realised the potential uses for this type of technology in sport. Right now, we are only at the start of this type of usage ... but we must prepare ourselves for the emergence of a mass market," he said.