In This Issue
- RRPC Annual Meeting
- Homeland Security & Imaging
- Conferences
- Open Houses
- New Products
Geospatial Systems
 Geospatial
Systems, Inc. (GSI) Chief Technology Officer, Kevin Kearney discussed
precision imaging technology for next-generation UAVs (Unmanned Airborne
Vehicles) at the (Institute for Defense & Government Advancement)
IDGA UAV Summit in Herndon, VA on February 28, 2008. The UAV Summit presents
the latest developments in unmanned aviation capabilities and technologies
for Defense and Homeland Security. Kearney discussed Highly Capable UAV
(HCUAV) Payloads. GSI has been collaborating with Rochester
Institute of Technology and Penn
State Electro-Optics Center on research to greatly enhance the capabilities
of Tactical UAVs by allowing semi-autonomous operation of the aircraft,
coupled with real time georeferenced imaging sensors and image processing.
Based on this collaborative effort, GSI recently announced a joint product
offering with Leica: Geosystems
Geospatial Imaging (LGGI). The TerraPix Tactical AMS (Airborne Mapping
and Surveillance) System is a multisensor payload designed to produce
National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) SDI 1.0 compliant imagery
& metadata supporting Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition
(RSTA).
“GSI is pleased to participate in the IDGA UAV Summit. The outcome
of these collaborative efforts will continue to advance capabilities in
the real time collection and dissemination of geospatial information to
support the Defense and Homeland Security decision making processes”
said Maxime
Elbaz, CEO, Geospatial Systems, Inc.
Angstrom Supplying Ge Components
Angstrom Precision Optics Inc. (Rochester, NY) announced that they are
now offering precision plano polished Germanium windows. The Ge components
are servicing the defense, aerospace and commercial infrared industry
sectors. APO has worked with partners during the past year to refine the
production process to supply ultra flat and parallel discs as well as
shaped windows of any configuration. " We have set aside a significant
portion of our manufacturing space to accommodate the recent influx of
new orders for the germanium windows" said Ron Schulmerich, President
of APO. "The addition of the Ge products accentuates Angstrom's position
in the photonics industry as one of the premier suppliers of precision
plano and parallel optical components."
For additional information (including sample windows), contact Ron at
info[at]apoptics.com
Albany Region
SUNY CAT Hosting Dinner /Showcase
Rensselaer Polytech's Center for Automation Technologies and Systems
(CATS) will host its annual Technology Showcase and Dinner
Wednesday, April 30
4:00pm - 8:00pm
Russell Sage Dining Hall
RPI Campus, Troy, NY.
A technical poster session and reception will be held from 4:00-6:00
p.m. featuring a broad range of Center activities and technologies. 
The dinner will start at 6:30 p.m. Edward Reinfurt, Executive Director
of the New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation
(NYSTAR), will be the speaker.
Dinner choices are grilled beef tenderloin, potato herb crusted cod,
or sun dried tomato ravioli.
RSVP by March 28, 2008.
Attendees call or e-mail Jeanette Young
(youngj4[at]rpi.edu, 518-276-874
Call for Papers
Technical Conference: October 19–23, 2008
OSA's Annual Meeting: Frontiers in Optics (FiO) 2008, the longest-standing
meeting in optics and photonics, will once again be held in Rochester,
New York this year. Colocated with the meeting is the American Physical
Society's (APS) annual meeting, Laser Science XXIV.
The meeting is also the occasion of OSA's Fall Optics & Photonics
Congress. Submission deadline for papers is May 19th for all three segments
of the Congress:
8th Annual Golf Tourney
Spread the word! The 8th annual WNY Photonics Golf Tournament will be
held on July 17th at Shadow Lake and Shadow Pines Golf Clubs in Penfield
NY.
Last year's event raised $14,500 for a total thusfar of $43K to benefit
the Golisano Children's Hospital at Strong. 
The participation from WNY photonics companies, their suppliers and and
friends, as well as companies from as far away as Opto Sigma in California
made the event another rousing success. Ron and Diane Schulmerich are
looking for volunteer committee members to help organize this year's event.
The organization of the tourney has become more challenging each year
with the increasing participation. They are in of a need of a little help
from their friends!! We also want to get an early start on soliciting
larger corporate sponsors this year.
Contact them at wnyoptics@rochester.rr.com or
585-663-7230 if you are interested in volunteering for the Optics Industry's
largest networking event of the year.
Speaking of Golf:
New Photonics Golf League!
Carol Corey of Sydor Optics and Ron Schulmerich of Angstrom Precision
Optics are organizing a Photonics Golf League at Shadow Lake. After contacting
the area courses, there were limited options for time slots. As a result,
they've selected Friday nights after 5:00 and are looking for people who
would be interested in participating.
The league season will last from May 9 to August 22, however with the
Friday night slot, we'll be able to golf longer if we desire. We will
also be alternating between the front and back nine each week. Those of
you who have participated in the annual WNY Optics/Photonics Golf Tournament
at Shadow Lake, know what a great facility it is. It would be a wonderful
opportunity to come out and golf as well as get to know other folks from
the local industry.
The cost per person is $23 per week per person; $6 extra per week for
a cart
Those amounts include a $5.00/week charge which will be applied towards
an end of the season tournament and dinner.
If you are interested please contact Carol at 585-271-7300 or Ron at
585-663-7230. Sign-ups will be based upon a first-come, first-serve basis
with full payment due by no later than April 18.
Events and Conferences
Defense
& Security
16 - 20 March, 2008
Marriott World Center
Orlando, Florida, USA
Conference
Optatec 2008
17 - 20 June, 2008
Frankfurt, Germany
Conference
OSA Annual Frontiers in Optics
2008
19 - 23 October, 2008
Rochester, NY
Riverside Convention Center
Optifab
11 - 14 May, 2009
Early Bird Contract, due February 15
here.
Rochester, NY
Riverside Convention Center
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Save the Date!
RRPC Annual Meeting
Wednesday, April 23rd
Rochester Museum & Science Center
3:30pm - 7:30pm
Special Guest panel,
Entrepreneurship and Optics
3:30pm - 5:30pm
featuring:
- John Bruning, Corning Corporation
(Tropel, Rochester, NY)
- Stephen Fantone, President & CEO - Optikos
(Wakefield, MA)
- N. Darius Sankey, Managing Partner - Zone Ventures (L.A., CA)
- Dick Kaplan, President & CEO - Pictometry International (Rochester, NY)
Panel Moderated by Duncan Moore,
Rudolf & Hilda Kingslake Professor of Optical Engineering
Professor of Optics, Biomedical Engineering and Business Administration
Vice Provost for Entrepreneurship
University of Rochester
This year's Annnual Meeting includes a late afternoon
panel discussion with entrepreneurs from the Optics and Imaging fields,
moderated by Duncan Moore (University of Rochester). The combined events with your support, will
also be a fundraiser.
Here is how it works:
As a New York Photonics / RRPC member, each company
gets one free ticket. Additonally, we are encouraging all members to purchase
tickets and invite colleagues from outside the industry; and we are sending
out a suggested list of invitees just in case you need suggestions. This event will have broad
appeal to people from the tech, finance and economic development communities
and we'd like your help in making sure that we are on their radar screen. So invite as many as you can and help us build the case for better business support for the Photonics Industry in New York State.
One Ticket is $45, a book of five is $195. And of course,
the tickets can be business-expensed because you are also wining and dining
your guests: from 5:30 - 6:15 and again from 7:00 - 7:30, we offer hors d'ouerves and wine, beer, soft drinks.
- Host business colleagues
- Show off the industry
- Make a donation to the RRPC fundraiser
Entrepreneurship & Optics Panel
3:00pm - 5:30pm
Networking reception and
Annual Meeting:
5:30pm - 7:30pm
including:
Announcement of new RRPC Board
RRPC Business
Panel Recap
Print and mail the registration form here.
Register on the web through our website here.
G-S PLASTIC OPTICS
G-S PLASTIC OPTICS Beefs Up with New Diamond Turning Machine
G-S PLASTIC OPTICS has once again expanded its precision manufacturing
capabilities with the latest diamond turning technology. The company announced
the recent integration of a Precitech Nanoform(r) 200 machine. This two-axis
aspheric contouring machine with real-time operating system will be used
for single point diamond turning. The work center is also equipped with
a slow tool servo that enables the company to rapidly manufacture large
departure freeform optics.
By bringing this capability in-house, G-SPO can offer its customers
improved operational efficiency and delivery times, specifically in the
realm of rapid prototyping and limited production runs of polymer optics.
CCMR Facilities Open to Visitors
Facilities Overview for Regional Businesses
The Cornell Center for Materials Research (CCMR) will host "Facilities
101."
Tuesday, April 8
9:30am - 4:00pm
701 Clark Hall, Cornell campus
Cost: $100
To register or access further information visit the CCMR website here.
Attendees will learn how to access CCMR's extensive materials testing
resources to help solve problems and increase competitiveness.
Henry Gysling of Airflow Catalyst Systems (Rochester, NY), found that
"for smaller companies like ours without in-house R&D capabilities,
Cornell facilities are a cost-effective way to access an outstanding group
of materials experts and a broad array of materials synthesis and characterization
equipment."
Attendees will also learn how to apply for matching funds via the JumpStart
program to start a collaborative project with a university faculty member.
The NYSTAR-funded program helps small businesses address technical gaps
in product development, particularly where the Center's research equipment
or a faculty member's expertise can be brought to bear.
Of the twenty-two JumpStart projects initiated since 2005, twelve projects
have led to an ongoing relationship with the university. In 2007, four
JumpStart participants were further assisted to submit six applications
for additional external funding, of which two were successful. Additionally,
funding of over $2 million from additional grants or awards was announced
by JumpStart "alumni" in 2007. These 22 projects demonstrate
a wide range of diverse technical services accessed by small NYS businesses
through JumpStart:
-
new product development (9 projects)
-
improving or replacing materials (7 projects)
-
measurement or characterization of materials (4 projects)
-
solving materials-related problems (2 projects)
Applications for Fall 2008 semester projects will be accepted through
June 21.
Semrock Announces New Imaging Filters
 Semrock announced the addition of a newvalue-based line of optical edge filters forRaman spectroscopy and fluorescence imaging, thus significantly expanding its industry-leading product offerings. The new EdgeBasic™ long-wave-pass filters are hard-coated optical filters that share all the high transmission (98% typical) and laser-line blocking (optical density > 6) performance of Semrock’s popular ultrasteep RazorEdge® filters, but with edge steepness that is tailored for cost-sensitive “application-specific” Raman systems that do not require measurement of the smallest possible Raman shifts, as well as for sensitive fluorescence imaging systems that demand maximum signal capture.
Like all of Semrock’s thin-film optical filters, the new EdgeBasic filters are hard-coated using Semrock’s ion-beam sputtering deposition process for permanent “no burn-out” optical durability and lasting reliability even in harsh environmental conditions, and are backed by an industry-leading five year warranty. These new filters also have extended blocking of light from the laser wavelength deep into the ultraviolet to enhance their suitability for fluorescence applications.
Contact RRPC
New York Photonics and the Rochester Regional Photonics
Cluster are active and growing collaborative organizations. Efforts are
under way on joint training events, workforce development, collaborative
advertising opportunities, promoting the commercialization of I.P., and
the development of our website to further facillitate business development.
Join us! There are advantages to working together, and
we are interested in working with you. Send an email to us at membership@rrpc-ny.org.
To subscribe, to unsubscribe, to submit a news item or upcoming event,
to suggest a feature or column, or to offer feedback, contact Tom
Battley, at 585-329-4029. |
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