Photonics & Imaging

3 Robotic Technologies Looking to Change Life on Earth and the Moon

Watch this video to learn more about three new robotic technologies: A soft robot developed at NC State University; a pair of wearable robotic limbs developed by MIT engineers; and a camera inspired by the human eye developed at the University of Maryland.

7 Finalists for SPIE Startup Challenge at Photonics West 2025

Seven early-stage startup companies have been selected to compete for a top prize of $10,000 at the 15th annual SPIE Startup Challenge at Photonics West Tuesday, January 28.

New Product Launches and Technologies to See at Photonics West 2025

The SPIE Photonics West 2025 technical conference and exhibition returns to San Francisco's Moscone Center, January 25 to 30, providing attendees the opportunity to learn...

A More Responsive Infrared Photodiode

Researchers have developed a new type of infrared photodiode that is 35 percent more responsive at 1.55 µm, the key wavelength for telecommunications, compared to other germanium-based components.

Smallest Walking Robot Makes Microscale Measurements

Cornell researchers in physics and engineering have created the smallest walking robot yet. Its mission: to be tiny enough to interact with waves of visible light and still move...

Integrating and Testing the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

In this video, we provide an overview of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’s mission, capabilities and timeline to launch.

How AiSee Can Make the Blind ‘See’

AiSee is a smart headphone equipped with an integrated camera, microphone, and an AI-powered software architecture. It “sees” what’s in front of the user, “hears” what the user says, and is able “speak” to the user.

Videos of the Month

See the videos of month, including one on UW researchers developing a flexible, durable electronic prototype that can harvest energy from body heat and turn it into electricity that can be used to power small electronics; one on Purdue University researchers using both ultrasonic waves and X-ray CT to “see inside” manufactured objects nondestructively; one on Rotograb, a robotic hand that merges the dexterity of human hands with the strength and efficiency of industrial grippers; and more.

Camera Inspired by the Human Eye Can Improve How Robots See, React

A team led by University of Maryland computer scientists invented a camera mechanism that improves how robots see and react to the world around them. Inspired by how the human eye works, their innovative camera system mimics the tiny involuntary movements used by the eye to maintain clear and stable vision over time. Read on to learn more.

Designing and Testing the Optics for NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

When it launches no later than May 2027, the NASA Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will serve as a powerful eye on deep space, capturing images of billions of distant galaxies and exploring the mysteries of dark matter, supernovae and other cosmic phenomena. Read on to learn about what it takes to make it a success.

Photonic Processor Could Enable Ultrafast AI Computations

Scientists from MIT and elsewhere have demonstrated a fully integrated photonic processor that can perform all the key computations of a deep neural network optically on a chip. Read on to learn more about it.

New Products

See the new products, including TRIOPTICS' compact and retrofittable solution for processing laser diodes on the ATS 100 alignment turning station; TRUMPF's VCSELs and photodiodes; Edmund Optics’ TECHSPEC® UV Fused Silica Plano-Convex (PCX) Lenses MgF2 Coated feature precision specifications; Imperx' two new Cheetah cameras: the CXP-C1941 and the SFP-C1941; and more.

Researchers Develop a Wide-Bandwidth, Low-Polarization Semiconductor Optical Amplifier

Researchers have successfully developed a wide-bandwidth, low-polarization semiconductor optical amplifier based on tensile-strained quantum wells. The study, published in the journal Sensors, presents a significant advancement in optical communication technology, addressing the growing demand for higher bandwidth and lower polarization sensitivity. Read on to learn more.

A Methodology to Read QR Codes on Uneven Surfaces

A team from the University of Barcelona and the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya has designed a methodology that facilitates the recognition of QR codes in these physical environments, where reading is more complicated. Read on to learn more.

Spiral Ladder-Inspired Tool That Allows Precision Control of Light Direction and Polarization

Researchers have designed a spiral ladder-inspired tool that allows precision control of light direction and polarization to control the direction of the emitted beam and the polarization of the light, while using a precisely engineered resonance of the structure. Read on to learn more.

Ultra-Compact Camera Technology Optimized for VR/AR Devices

Researchers have developed an optical design technology that dramatically reduces the volume of cameras with a folded lens system utilizing “metasurfaces,” a next-generation nano-optical device. Read on to learn more.

A New Method Makes High-Resolution Imaging More Accessible

Researchers have made it possible to expand tissue twentyfold in a single step. This simple, inexpensive method could pave the way for nearly any biology lab to perform nanoscale imaging. Read on to learn more.

On-Chip Spectral Imaging for Earth Observation

Today, companies are building small satellite constellations with tens to hundreds of units, far exceeding the scale of traditional space operations. Read on to learn more.

Large Format Windows: From Material to Mission

Defense applications, in particular, are always tasked with the balancing act that optimizes size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) efficiencies when specifying new equipment. The challenge is how to balance beneficial trade-offs for optimal performance. Read on to learn more.

How Double-Sided Polishing Can Revolutionize Optical Manufacturing

In optical manufacturing, precision polishing is vital to achieving the required flatness, surface quality, and angular precision that many applications demand. Traditionally, single-sided polishing has been the go-to method, particularly for complex components where one-sided control is critical. Read on to learn more about double-sided polishing.

Top 5 Tech Briefs Quizzes of 2024

Learn which of our quizzes were the most popular this year. Read on to find out which five quizzes topped our 2024 list.

Product of the Month

Read about the product of the month, Synopsys' ImSym — Imaging System Simulator, a virtual prototyping platform for imaging systems, encompassing lenses, sensors, and image signal processors (ISPs).

New on the Market

See what's new on the market, including Nikon Metrology NV's Scatter Correction CT; Emerson's next-generation Rosemount™ 3490 Controller; Fischer Connectors' USB 3.2 connectors and cable assembly solutions; Renesas Electronics' R-Car Family of system-on-chips for entry-level Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS); and much more.

Enabling High-Capacity Space Communication

Researchers have achieved data rates as high as 424Gbit/s across a 53-km turbulent free-space optical link using plasmonic modulators — devices that uses special light waves called surface plasmon polaritons to control and change optical signals. The new research lays the groundwork for high-speed optical communication links that transmit data over open air or space. Read on to learn more.

Nanoscale Device Points the Way to Future Wireless Communication Channels

In a paper published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, a team of Caltech engineers reports building a metasurface patterned with miniscule tunable antennas capable of reflecting an incoming beam of optical light to create many sidebands, or channels, of different optical frequencies. Read on to learn more.

Can a Breakthrough in Photonic Time Crystals Change How We Use and Control Light?

An international research team has for the first time designed realistic photonic time crystals – exotic materials that exponentially amplify light. The...

Self-Propelled Nanorobots

The “nanoswimmers” could be used to remediate contaminated soil, improve water filtration, or even deliver drugs to targeted areas of the body.

Coating Hides Temperature Change from Infrared Cameras

If the outside of clothing or a vehicle were covered with the coating, an infrared camera would have a harder time distinguishing what is underneath. Read on to learn what this means.