Manufacturing Innovation Institutes Roundtable

Since the 1950’s, the U.S. Department of Defense has made investing in emerging and advanced manufacturing technologies a top priority. And today, it’s become more evident than ever that America’s continued development in domestic manufacturing of advanced technologies is nothing short of imperative for our national and economic security.

Join us for a roundtable discussion to find out how AIM Photonics and other DoD Manufacturing Innovation Institutes are transforming U.S. leadership in manufacturing innovation from a DoD mission into a new national imperative.

Tuesday, December 14, 2021
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Concurrent Technical Session

AIM Photonics Process Design Kit: A Unique Design Enablement Platform

Although silicon photonics (SiP) has been identified as a strategic technology for both defense and future commercial applications, the design process for this promising technology is currently limited to foundries that offer only their own in-house design components targeted specifically for high-volume applications and typically involves a single enablement platform.

Dr. David Harame, AIM Photonics’ Chief Operating Officer, will demonstrate how AIM Photonics Process Design Kits (PDKs), which include multiple component libraries developed by a range of domain experts from industry, academia and government organizations, can reduce the entry barriers for small and medium enterprises by offering them low-cost design and development opportunities that will drive further innovation in the field of silicon photonics.

Tuesday, December 14, 2021
4:45 PM - 5:10 PM
Session: Electronics – ElectroOptics

Workforce Training Using Interactive Simulations and Games

It’s no secret that interactive simulations and games have long been shown to increase engagement and motivate learning at all levels, so why not use that same approach to address the severe lack of advanced manufacturing technicians and engineers in the photonic integrated circuit industry as well?

In his talk, Dr. Erik Verlage of MIT’s Virtual ManufacturingLab shows that by developing digital workforce training tools that use a combination of application-focused games, novel data visualization software, and desktop-VR tool-training simulations to promote and enhance online learning curricula such as that offered through AIM Academy, students can build the necessary intuition and procedural skills that transfer to the real-world technology workforce skills and abilities needed to drive the industry’s success.

Wednesday, December 15, 2021
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Session: Poster Session

An Integrated Photonics Manufacturing Approach to Profiling Covid-19 Immunity

Networks of DNA, RNA, proteins, and other molecules govern human health and disease, and our interactions with the outside world. This has become particularly apparent in recent months, as concepts of viral and antibody testing have become common conversation in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In order to detect molecules of interest, measure their concentrations, and convert those measurements into data that can be accessed digitally, we need the appropriate interface: a sensor. And integrated photonics has proven to be a particularly attractive option for building broadly useful sensor platforms.

In his talk, Prof. Benjamin Miller of the University of Rochester will detail the progress being made in AIM Photonics’ fabrication capabilities in chemical and biological sensing, with a particular focus on rapid assays for SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19 disease.

Thursday, December 16, 2021
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Session: Biomanufacturing, Biofabrication, and Biotechnology for the Defense Industrial Base

See the full agenda for DMC 2021