SPIE and Photonics Media reveal 2020 Prism Award finalists

10 Dec 2019

The best of photonics innovation will be recognized on 5 February at SPIE Photonics West grand finale.

Winners of the 2019 Prism Awards at Photonics West in San Francisco.

Established industry stalwarts and disruptive startups will be honored at the 2020 Prism Awards ceremony and banquet during SPIE Photonics West in San Francisco (1 - 6 February 2020).

The black-tie awards ceremony, now celebrating its 12th year, recognizes industrial innovation in photonics in multiple categories. For the consideration of the 2020 Prism Awards, SPIE and media partner Photonics Media received 105 applications from 18 countries.

Notable exciting trends in manufacturing, displays, spectroscopy, and food safety mark this year's entries and finalists. Emerging companies like LetinAR and WaveOptics will share the finalists' stage alongside photonics stalwarts such as Leica, Trumpf, and Hamamatsu, and public companies such as IPG Photonics and Osram.

Nine categories

With categories ranging from communication, vision technology, and life sciences to transportation, quality control, and healthcare, the Prism Awards showcase the latest developments and technical innovations across optics and photonics. Presenters include such industry leaders as newly appointed Fraunhofer ILT Director Constantin Häfner, President and CEO of Spectrum Scientific Daphnie Chakran, and PI Vice President and General Manager Dave Rego.

"The finalists for the 2020 Prism Awards represent the most exciting innovations in today's thriving optics and photonics industry," said SPIE CEO Kent Rochford. "From data centers and 5G networks, to reducing CO2 and imaging our brains, photonics continues to impact and enhance our daily lives, and it's been thrilling to see the variety of products and technologies currently being cultivated and created.

"We congratulate all the applicants for the many years of research, development, and perseverance necessary to bring a sellable technology to market and look forward to recognizing the winners at SPIE Photonics West in February."

"The Prism Award finalists are the standard-bearers of innovation for the photonics industry. This year's honorees all share one thing in common: They are shaping the world of tomorrow in ways that would seem unfathomable a decade ago," said Laurin Publishing CEO and Photonics Media President Tom Laurin.

"In communications, transportation, quality control, health care, and all of the categories, these companies are true innovators. We are proud to support their accomplishments, and we extend our congratulations to this year's finalists."

Finalists and technologies

Communications