Optics

Better LIDAR in Autonomous Systems Starts with MEMS

The global market for automotive LIDAR is expected to grow from $332 million in 2022 to more than $4.5 billion by 2028. We interviewed Eric Aguilar, co-founder and CEO of Omnitron Sensors, Los Angeles, CA, to learn about a new MEMS scanning mirror that could accelerate the market adoption of LIDAR.

A New Optical Metamaterial Makes True One-Way Glass Possible

A new approach has allowed researchers at Aalto University to design a kind of metamaterial that has so far been beyond the reach of existing technologies. Unlike natural materials, metamaterials and metasurfaces can be tailored to have specific electromagnetic properties, which means scientists can create materials with features desirable for industrial applications.

Advancements Make Laser-Based Imaging Simpler and Three-Dimensional

There are times when scientific progress comes in the form of discovering something completely new. Other times, progress boils down to doing something better, faster, or more easily. New research from the lab of Caltech’s Lihong Wang, the Bren Professor of Medical Engineering and Electrical Engineering, is the latter. Read on to learn more.

Optical Invention Mirrors the Image Processing Power of a Human Eye

Mimicking the easy, instantaneous image processing power of the human eye, Penn State electrical engineering researchers created a metasurface, an optical element akin to a glass slide that uses tiny nanostructures, placed at different angles to control light.

New Products

See the new products, including TRIOPTICS’ ATS alignment turning stations, VIAVI Solutions' expanded fiber optic test solutions portfolio, LumeDEL's fiberoptic collimating lenses, Teledyne FLIR's Neutrino LC OGI optical gas imaging camera module, and IDS' Sony sensor.

Liquid Crystals Hold the Key to Shapeshifting Robots

Robots and cameras of the future could be made of liquid crystals, thanks to a new discovery that significantly expands the potential of the chemicals already common in computer displays and digital watches. The findings are a simple and inexpensive way to manipulate the molecular properties of liquid crystals with light exposure.

Smart Contact Lenses to Diagnose Glaucoma

Usually developing slowly over time, many cases of glaucoma are only picked up during routine eye tests, by which time lasting damage may already have been caused. But this could change in the future as academics from the U.K. and Türkiye have developed a contact lens which can detect changes in eye pressure which signal possible glaucoma.

Light-Based Tech to Navigate the Moon

RMIT University’s Arnan Mitchell and University of Adelaide’s Dr. Andy Boes led an international team to review lithium niobate’s capabilities and potential applications in the journal Science. The team is working to make navigation systems that help rovers drive on the Moon — where GPS is unable to work — later this decade.

Restoring Sight to Euclid's Visible Instrument System

A newly devised procedure to de-ice Euclid's optics has performed significantly better than hoped. Light coming in to the visible ‘VIS’ instrument from distant stars was gradually...

Product of the Month

See the product of the month: 2Pi Optics' high-resolution fisheye sensor based on optical metalens technology.

Readers Select 2023 Products of the Year

See the products of the year: The Talaria TWO Module Ultra-Low Power Wi-Fi optimized solution for cloud-connected IP video IoT devices by InnoPhase IoT; Hexagon's Elements, simulation software to better understand the increasingly complex behavior of systems in modern products; and Nexa3D's highest throughput additive production system, the QLS 820.

New on the Market

See what's new on the market, including igus' two- and four-hole fixed flange bearings; FixtureBuilder 3D fixture-modelling software from Renishaw; XENON Corporation's X-1100/2x Pulsed Light Research System; Rad Source NDT's NDT 1000 X-ray Inspection System; and more.

NASA’s Ruggedized Video Camera Ready for Earth

A ruggedized video camera designed to withstand the shock, vibration, and extreme temperatures of space is now ready for extreme conditions on Earth.

High-Brightness Source of Coherent Light Spanning from the UV to THz

An international team of researchers reports on a compact high-brightness mid-IR-driven source combining a gas-filled anti-resonant-ring photonic crystal fiber with a novel nonlinear-crystal. The tabletop source provides a seven-octave coherent spectrum from 340 nm–40,000 nm with spectral brightness 2–5 orders of magnitude higher than one of the brightest synchrotron facilities.

Metasurfaces Control Polarized Light at Will

Researchers at SEAS have uncovered hidden potential in metasurfaces and demonstrated optical devices that manipulate light’s polarization state with an unprecedented degree of control. Read on to learn more.

Terahertz Energy Focused by Credit Card-Sized Device to Generate High-Resolution Images

Researchers have created a device that enables them to electronically steer and focus a beam of terahertz electromagnetic energy with extreme precision. This opens the door to high-resolution, real-time imaging devices that are hundredths the size of other radar systems and more robust than other optical systems.

AI-Powered Self-Driving Microscopy Technique

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory have developed an autonomous, or self-driving, microscopy technique. It uses AI to selectively target points of interest for scanning. Read on to learn more.

How Much Do You Know About the History of Space Telescopes?

How much do you know about the history of space telescopes? Test your knowledge with this quiz.

Photonics West 2024: 5 New Technologies on Display This Year

The largest optics and trade show in North America, SPIE Photonics West 2024, is just a few days away from its annual collection of exhibitions, conferences and courses at San...

5Ws of the Eye-Safe Laser

There is an urgent need for new technologies to improve the timeliness of traumatic brain injury diagnosis. Researchers from the University of Birmingham have a laser-based solution.

Blue Laser Power Beaming for Planetary Exploration

Any plan for the long-term exploration or habitation of the Moon and Mars will almost certainly entail the use of multiple habitats, vehicles and remotely located equipment, all of which will require power sources.

How to Innovate and Overcome the Challenges of Blue Laser Beam Shaping

The blue laser has become the ideal light source for high-reflective metal processing, offering substantial advantages in various industrial applications such as cutting and welding.

OPO Lasers Put Optical Components to the Test

Optical parametric oscillator (OPO) lasers have long been utilized in sophisticated test and measurement applications such as mass spectrometry, photoacoustic imaging, and spectroscopy.

How Corning’s Hyperspectral Imaging in the Sky Sees the Unseen

New satellites equipped with Corning’s advanced hyperspectral-imaging technology can detect pipeline leaks and other environmental issues, providing precise monitoring and exploration capabilities for businesses and governments.

Designing Optics for Lunar Rovers, Satellites and Other Space-Based Applications

The year 2024 will be full of new satellite manufacturing, launches and operations, with major players like Amazon expected to start full-scale deployment of Project Kuiper and strong demand for low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites driving development and launches from the likes of SpaceX and Telesat among others.

Can Harmful Gas Detection Improve With a New Way of Generating Powerful Lasers?

Scientists led by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed a novel method to produce intense and ultra-fast lasers that holds promise for making precise devices that can speed up how quickly trace amounts of pollutants and hazardous gases can be sniffed out.