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13 May 2005
Including news from Toshiba, FLIR Systems, NP Photonics, UDC and more.
General company news
• Toshiba of Japan has unveiled a triple-layer HD DVD-ROM (read-only) disc with a capacity of 45 GB, enough to record twelve hours of high definition content. The company has also released a double-sided, dual-layer hybrid ROM disc comprised of a dual-layer 30 GB HD DVD-ROM side and a dual-layer 8.5 GB DVD-ROM side.
• Texas Photonics, a division of Texas Prototypes of the US, will commence operations at its Gwangju facility late Q3 / early Q4 this year, according to On Target Media. Operations were originally scheduled to begin this spring. The company plans to develop MEMS-based fiber alignment technology and transceiver products at its new facility.
• Cognex, a maker of machine-vision systems, has acquired fellow US imaging specialist DVT for $115 million in cash. Cognex plans to maintain operations at DVT's current facility in Georgia, US, and continue selling and supporting DVT's vision products through existing distribution channels.
• NanoOpto of the US has closed an additional $2.5 million of venture financing onto its oversubscribed $12 million C-round. This brings the total investment in the company to $46 million. NanoOpto applies its nano-fabrication technology to the manufacture of nano-optic devices such as cut-off filters, waveplates and optical isolators.
• The Observatoire de Haute-Provence in France has purchased a series of high-precision optics from Optical Surfaces of the UK. The components, including a spherical mirror, Schmidt plate and a cross dispersing prism, will be used on the Schmidt camera that forms part of the observatory's 1.93 meter telescope.
Orders and awards
• Universal Display Corporation (UDC), US, has been awarded a two-year $1.7 million SBIR Phase 3 contract by the US Department of Defense. In this phase, UDC will develop a wireless communication device that fits around a soldier's wrist enabling them to view video and graphics in real time. The device will use a full-color active matrix OLED display built on a thin metal foil.
• e2v Technologies, UK, has received a $5.7 million order for customised CCD sensors from US-based Dentrix Dental Systems. Delivery will commence in June 2005. Dentrix will incorporate the CCDs into its digital dental X-ray imaging system.
• NP Photonics, US, has won a two-year $750,000 SBIR Phase 2 contract from the US AirForce to develop a fiber-optic image amplifier. The company says the award will allow it to develop an image amplifier that combines the high gain and efficiency of cladding-pumped optical amplifiers with the imaging properties of coherent fiber bundles.
• FLIR Systems of the US has received a $4 million contract from the Japanese national police agency (JNPA) for airborne camera systems. Deployed on rotary wing aircraft, the cameras will be used throughout Japan to support local operations and counter-terrorism missions.
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