Source:Air Force Link

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AFNS) – A research associate at the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Laser and Optics Research Center here is developing a new capability that will allow satellites to be seen and see clearer.

Dr. Geoff Andersen developed the process, called holographic adaptic optics, that uses sensors and lenses that can correct for disturbances in the atmosphere.

Atmospheric disturbances can interfere with ground-based optical telescope’s abilities to clearly see satellites orbiting the earth.

“Stars don’t twinkle,” Dr. Andersen said. “This is just the effect of atmospheric interference on our ability to see into space.” To know more, click here.

San Jose, C.A., January 26, 2009 — Thorlabs, Inc. and Boston Micromachines Corporation (BMC) today announced that their Adaptive Optics (AO) Toolkit is being used around the world for vision science, laser beam shaping, and astronomy research by leading organizations including the University of Murcia in Spain and the University College Dublin in Ireland.

The AO Toolkit, a finalist for the first annual Prism Award for Photonics Innovation, is a complete turnkey solution that makes adaptive optics easy, affordable, and widely available for researchers. The toolkit allows researchers to integrate adaptive optics into their research systems in hours rather than months.

At the University College Dublin in Ireland the AO Toolkit is being used for closed-loop wavefront correction in retinal imaging. “We chose the AO Toolkit for its low cost, high speed, and accuracy, and we are very satisfied with the performance of the kit,” said Dr. Brian Vohnsen, Stokes Lecturer, University College Dublin. To know more, click here.

Source: optics.org

Photonics community ponders future under new US president With Barack Obama now sworn in as the 44th president of the United States, all eyes will turn to the White House to see how the photonics industry and science in general will fare. John Marburger, director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, describes the legacy that is being left by the Bush administration and what changes we can expect to see under the new leadership. Click here to know more.

Source: optics.org

Raydiance is developing a fibre to transport ultrashort pulses without damage.

fibre survivor

The company has been awarded $500,000 for a Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contract with the US Naval Air Warfare Centre. The STTR programme funds cooperative R&D projects involving a small company and a university, in this case the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“We have been working with MIT for several years on this fibre technology,” Raydiance president Scott Davison told optics.org. “We recently completed Phase 1 of the STTR to prove feasibility. Now Phase 2 aims to advance ultrafast performance to a level at which these lasers can be integrated into critical Navy missions as well as into lucrative commercial markets.” To know more, click here.

Source: optics.org blog

“Solar energy is on the cusp of reaching grid parity in the next few years and by 2011 gigawatt scale solar production will be a reality,” announced Eric Wesoff in today’s hot topics discussion. Wesoff is senior analyst at Greentech Media and has spent his career following the growth and technology trends in the photovoltaic market.

Photovoltaic technology is enjoying high growth and substantial investment due to worldwide focus on the long-term importance of renewable energy. Today the market is valued at $20bn, and is predicted to grow at a rate of 30% per year. Even in the current economic climate, Wesoff expects the market to grow by 25% in 2009.

Many technical challenges remain, however, including efficiency, reliability, cost per watt and commercialization. “For example, a couple of years ago the cost per watt was around $10,” commented Wesoff. “By 2011, this should fall to around 75 cents per watt, at which point things will start to become very interesting.” To know more, click here.

Source: optics.org

The opening session at today’s Laser & Photonics Marketplace Seminar left delegates in no doubt that the global economic crisis is now having a major impact on laser manufacturers. Before presenting his 2009 forecast, Steve Anderson, editor-in-chief of Laser Focus World, warned delegates that “there are a few bright spots, but there’s more red ink than black”.

What followed was unremitting bad news for laser makers. Anderson forecasts sharp declines for laser sales into both materials processing and optical storage applications, which together account for 55% of the total laser market. Telecoms will also be hit, but to a lesser extent than consumer-driven markets because investment in optical networks is still needed to support increased bandwidth demand.

Overall, Anderson predicts that revenues in the laser market will fall by 11% year-on-year, down from $7.12bn in 2008 to $6.33bn in 2009. But, given the events of the past couple of months, he cautioned that even that forecast could be optimistic. To know more, click here.

Source: optics.org

An ever growing number of laser makers are turning their attention to the immense potential of fibre lasers. Ultrafast fibre laser specialist IMRA America outlined why these lasers have caught the imagination of the optics industry.According to Gyu Cheon, IMRA’s VP of technology development, ultrafast fibre lasers offer key advantages over solid-state lasers, such as simpler assembly, automated operation and longer lifetime. “However, there are improvements that still need to be made that currently limit the technology,” said Cheon. “These include wavelength tunability over a broad range, extreme short pulse and energy emission.” To know more, click here.

Source: optics.org blog

Monday 23.00 PT: The wider economy might be in the toilet, but if the BiOS tradeshow is any sort of guide then biophotonics is faring better than many emerging tech sectors just now. With a robust 165 companies plying their wares over the weekend, the majority of exhibitors I encountered said they’d bagged some decent leads and that they were, as one attendee put it, “happy with the footfall”. Job done

Courtesy: Mass High Tech

Some researchers at MIT believe that schizophrenia may be triggered by over-stimulating the brain system that handles self-reflection processes. (More)

Courtesy: FierceMarkets, Inc.

The FDA has approved the first trial of a therapy derived from embryonic stem cells. The trial–run by Menlo Park, CA-based Geron–will test GRNOPC1 in patients with acute spinal cord injury. The company will enroll paraplegic study subjects who will receive a single stem cell injection in the spine less than two weeks after being injured. The primary endpoint of Geron’s Phase I study will be to assess the safety of the injection. However, it will also watch for evidence that the procedure improves patients’ conditions, such as improved neuromuscular control or sensation in the trunk or lower extremities. (More)

Courtesy: First World

The Wall Street Journal reported that Pfizer is in talks to acquire Wyeth in a deal that could be valued at more than $60 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. Negotiations have been going on for several months, but the process may collapse because of market volatility, the people indicated. The report added that a deal was not “imminent.” (More…)

Courtesy: FierceMarkets, Inc.

The Wall Street Journal takes a close look at Biogen Idec’s preclinical program for a new drug designed to repair the damage wrought by multiple sclerosis. Evidently a first for any developer, the biotech’s researchers are exploring the therapeutic value of an antibody that inhibits the Lingo molecule from blocking the development of new myelin. Myelin is damaged by MS, triggering a range of symptoms including numbness and paralysis.(More)

Courtesy: InPharmaTechnologist

BIOTECanada has warned the Canadian government that unless it supports biotechs 50 per cent could run out of money this year, resulting in thousands of people being made redundant.

The renewal of BIOTECanada’s call for federal funding follows the results of its survey that revealed half of the nations emerging biotechs lack the cash reserves to stay operational throughout 2009. (More)

Courtesy: InPharmaTechnologist

The FDA is calling for all drugs to be labelled using a standardised numerical identifier (SNI) similar to the one suggested in the delayed California e-Pedigree guidelines in a bid to tighten up supply chain security.

The proposal is that all packages should be marked with an SNI made up of a National Drug Code (NDC), as set out in the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) 21 CFR part 207, and a unique, 8-digit serial number generated by the manufacturer or re-packager.(More)

Coustery: InPharmaTechnologist

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a draft guidance on the measures pharmaceutical and other manufacturers should take to make sure imported FDA-regulated products are in line with federal statutes and regulations.

The document, entitled Good Importer Practice and available to review here[http://www.fda.gov/oc/guidance/goodimportpractice.html], is designed to “prevent or detect potential problems at critical points along the product’s life cycle to avoid placing the US consumer at risk,” according to the agency. (More)

Source: Nature Photonics

(…) In November, one of QPC’s major investors, Finisar, planned to repossess some of QPC’s key assets to cover outstanding interest payments totalling $44 000 on a $5.4M loan (…) As Technology Focus went to press, it was unclear wether these assets had been removed or not. Finisar declined to comment. Whatever happens, it seems the outlook for QPC’s shareholders is bleak, as any sale of QPC’s assets is unlikely to cover the $5.4M owed to Finisar, most likely leaving nothing left for the shareholders.(…)

To know more, let us know and we’ll scan you the article.

Courtesy: Yahoo! News

Scientists say they are on the verge of developing a saliva test for monitoring type 2 diabetes, which might someday replace invasive blood tests.

For the first time, researchers from Oregon and India have identified proteins in saliva that appear more frequently in people with diabetes than in non-diabetics. Using these proteins, they are working to develop a test to monitor and perhaps diagnose the condition. (More)

Keeping an eye on Lasik, p.26

Fiber Lasers continue to attract users, p.76-77 - on y parle notamment de Coherent, Raydiance, IPG Photonics

Photonics Clusters: providing a common voice, p.97

Pour une copie scannee de ces news, nous contacter.

Source: optics.org

Innovation is the name of the game as laser diode makers strive to open up new markets for their products. Bookham’s Dominik Jaeggi and Christian Naumer explain that the trend towards higher powers must be matched by higher brightness and lower cost. As the global recession becomes a reality, technology companies of all shapes and sizes are under pressure to broaden their product portfolio to meet the needs of diverse markets. The photonics industry is fortunate that a myriad of applications exist for optical technologies, but the challenge for manufacturers is to deliver the performance required for each application while also lowering costs and maintaining margins. To know more click here.

Source: optics.org

Over the last two decades, the use of multiphoton microscopy has spread to all major areas of biological research. Marie Freebody speaks to John Girkin about the remarkable potential of this powerful technique and the innovations that have aided its growth. To know more, click here.

Source: Optics and Laser Europe

Preview de Photonics West

Les perspectives 2009 aux US: 5 interviews

Pour lire les articles, cliquer ici: http://www.ole-digital.com/ole/200901/?folio=29

Et on vous a vus, Imagine Optic en p. , la pub pour SL Sys neo en p.49!

Source: optics.org

As Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th president of the United States of America on 20 January, all eyes will turn to the White House to see how the photonics industry and science in general will fare. John Marburger, director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, describes the legacy that is being left by the Bush administration and what changes we can expect to see under the new leadership.

John Marburger is science adviser to President Bush and director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. He has led a distinguished career in science, including previous appointments as director of Brookhaven National Laboratory and co-founder of the University of Southern California’s Center for Laser Studies. On 20 January he will leave his position at the White House but will remain an active member of the science community.
To read the interview, click here.

Source: optics.org

Princeton researchers have discovered an entirely new mechanism of light emission from quantum cascade lasers.

Attempts to decrease the threshold current and improve the performance of a quantum cascade laser (QCL) have led Kale Franz and colleagues to stumble upon a surprising result. Instead of emitting just one beam, the team’s QCL overcomes conventional losses to emit a second beam. The discovery, say researchers, could be applied to enhance the performance of other lasers (Nature photonics doi:10.1038/nphoton.2008.250). To know more, click here.

Courtesy: Yahoo! News
Dutch and German researchers found that children with a subtype of acute lymphoblastic leukemia who have the BCR-ABL1 fusion gene are more prone to relapse than patients without the gene. The finding suggests that carriers of the gene should get more intensive treatment with medicines already on the market “or with new, more-targeted drugs for which the biology of the BCR-ABL1-like subtype needs further study,” the lead scientist said. (More…)

Source: Washington Technology

Federal market offers safe harbor

The worldwide economic turbulence has dealt only a glancing blow to the defense and federal government mergers and acquisitions market, with big, mid-size and small deals moving forward. The U.S. government gave its approval to Italian defense firm Finmeccancica SpA’s $5.2 billion acquisition of DRS Technologies Inc.; Serco Group plc stepped closer to closing its $423 million acquisition of SI International Inc.; and D.C. Capital Partners’ government platform, NationalInterest Security Co. (NISC) LLC, bought Multi-Threaded Inc. (MTI) for an undisclosed amount.Such continued action in the federal and defense market is not unusual.

“The federal and defense sector isn’t completely recession-proof, but it’s a more stable place to be than the commercial marketplace,” said Ray Bjorklund, senior vice president and chief knowledge officer at McLean, Va., market researcher FedSources Inc.

To know more, click here.

Source: optics.org

Imagine Optic - corporate partner

Imagine Optic is Europe’s leading manufacturer of Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensing and adaptive optics technologies for industrial and research applications. To learn more about our complete product line, visit www.imagine-optic.com http://optics.org/cws/company/B000013840

Source: optics.org

The optics of cylindrical lenses allow their use in applications for which spherical lenses are not suited. CVI Melles Griot has developed the technology for use in several markets.

Figure 1

Cylindrical lenses have a spherical radius in one axis only, and so magnify in just one direction. They will transform a point image into a line image, or change the height of an image without altering its width (figure 1).

Cylindrical lens surfaces are required in a variety of applications including barcode scanning, holography, optical information processing and computing, laser projection, slit and line detector array illumination, and cinemascope anamorphic lenses. Some of these applications will be discussed later. To know more, click here.

Source: optics.rog

The global laser market across diode and non-diode systems was worth an estimated $7.1 billion in sales during 2008, a growth of 3.7% over 2007, despite slowing sales in the second half of the year. These current trends will impact sales in 2009, which are forecast to show a decline of 11% from 2008. The downturn is expected to be longer than the last brief contraction in early 2007, and will mark the first annual decline in the overall market since 2000-2002. These findings will be presented at the Lasers & Photonics Marketplace Seminar in January 2009.

BUT

Despite recent turmoil in the economy, the photonics industry has reason to expect growth, according to SPIE. The Society’s CEO Eugene Arthurs said during a visit to Taiwan that photonics technologies in energy, medicine, genomics, imaging and defence were all expanding steadily. Arthurs also predicted strong expansion of the communications and datacom sectors, as the optically powered internet continues to grow.

Source: R&D magazine

The U.S. economy is reeling, the end of the Bush administration is in sight, and it’s a common believe that U.S. military spending is headed downward — after years of increases.

U.S. Rep. John Murtha, who chairs the House Appropriations subcommittee on defense, warned last week that incoming President Barack Obama faces an “enormity of challenges” in which Congress must “manage the current and future threats under a constrained defense budget.”

The real question seems to be not whether defense budgets will be reduced over the next several years, but whether U.S. military capability will be hurt substantially in the upcoming era of smaller federal defense allocations.

I’m not sure if defense capability will be hurt overall, but I think the kinds of traditional big-system military procurement that we have seen over the eight years of the Bush administration will see some big changes. We need to watch how the defense money will be spent. To know more, click here.