Daily News Briefs

Eastman Kodak Co. and The University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) have announced two collaboration agreements: a four-year research and development agreement that will focus on innovations in digital medical imaging and healthcare information technology (HCIT), and a purchase agreement under which URMC will acquire advanced digital medical imaging and HCIT solutions from Kodak's Health Imaging Group, to support the growing demand for radiology services. . . . Essex Corp., a Columbia, Md., developer of signal and image processing technology, is opening a new 50,000-square-foot facility Sept. 27 in Annapolis Junction as a result of an expanded contract with the National Security Agency for defense-related system integration services. The facility, which will be fully operational later this year, will house over 170 personnel from Essex and its subcontractors working on the contract, which was awarded in October 2003 under the National Security Agency Set-Aside for Small Business program. . . . Iridex Corp., a Mountain View, Calif., provider of semiconductor-based laser systems for the ophthalmology and dermatology markets, has elected Garrett A. Garrettson to its board of directors. Garrettson was recently president and CEO of ClairVoyante Laboratories, which develops and licenses proprietary intellectual property to flat-panel display manufacturers.