Top executives, representing different aspects of the marketplace, shared their insight and hard-fought lessons regarding trends and opportunities in optics and photonics. Optimax CEO, Rick Plympton shared 2013 experiences, including strong orders from laser systems, particularly HPL’s, and significant medical and semiconductor business. Plympton shared optimism about what he sees as necessary pruning (sequestration) of...Continue Reading

Five years ago the Monroe Community College (MCC) Optical Systems Technology Program graduated two people and had a total of six enrollments. Today, the program has new labs, new laboratory equipment, dual-credit relationships with three area high schools and an annual optical systems immersion program for high schoolers with the Optics Summer Sizzler.  There are...Continue Reading

Once again fielding an impressive roster of Optics, Photonics and Imaging (OPI) companies at the largest and most influential international laser and photonics conference of the year, New York Photonics will be representing New York State at Photonics West 2014. No state (or nation) at the annual conference matches that number of exhibitors.  New York...Continue Reading

Tornado Spectral Systems, Ithaca, NY   has been nominated for the SPIE Prism Awards for Photonics Innovation in the category of Detectors, Sensing, Imaging and Cameras for their OCTANE-860 “spectrometer on a chip” nanophotonics spectrometer. The OCTANE-860 turn-key fully integrated package never requires alignment and can be customized for high-resolution or broad-bandwidth preferences. Standard fabrication processes...Continue Reading

Mr. Cuomo will seek to reduce the state’s corporate tax rate to 6.5% from 7.1% while also offering a 20% property-tax credit to manufacturers. For manufacturers upstate, that relief package will be augmented by an elimination of the corporate income tax. Mr. Cuomo estimated that these reforms could save New York’s manufacturing industry $161 million...Continue Reading

James Sydor, President and CEO of Sydor Optics. MCC Class of ’71Continue Reading

Founded by Scott Cahall (Moondog Optics) and Julie Gerstenberger. Anamorphic lenses for phones.  Cool concept! http://www.moondoglabs.com/blog/welcome-to-moondog-labs.htmlContinue Reading

Began at RIT’s Venture Creations and currently moving from Henrietta to Downtown Rochester. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY5ycbMp1oY&w=420&h=315]Continue Reading

OLEDWorks LLC in Rochester was awarded $491,000 and R-Display & Lighting LLC in Webster was awarded $100,000 for energy efficiency initiatives, officials announced Tuesday. The funding is part of $4.8 million awarded statewide through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s Advanced Buildings Program, which will provide $25 million over three years. http://www.rbj.net/article.asp?aID=202684Continue Reading

A Free Webinar offered by Photonics Spectra Magazine Jannick P. Rolland The Institute of Optics, University of Rochester The emerging, transformative area of freeform optics could allow for a wider range of lens and mirror shapes than strictly spherical, and for more targeted applications. Although the production of freeform surfaces became possible just a few...Continue Reading