Daily News Briefs

Researchers at Ball State University, in McLean, Va., will soon deploy fSONA Systems' point-to-point laser communications system to send broadband communications between campus buildings. Faculty and students from Ball State's Institute for Wireless Innovation are installing free space optics (FSO) communications equipment provided by fSONA, a British Columbia developer of optical wireless solutions for the military, homeland security and service provider markets. The project will allow students to determine the viability of using lasers to transmit broadband communications among area businesses. FSO, also known as optical wireless, refers to the transmission of modulated visible or infrared beams for the purpose of wireless communications. Like fiber optics, FSO uses lasers to transmit data, but instead of enclosing the data stream in a fiber optic band, it is transmitted through the air. . . . Fusion UV Systems Inc., of Gaithersburg, Md., has announced new distributors for its Southeast Asia market: Inzpect Technologies Inc. for the Philippines and DNIV International Pte. Ltd., based in Singapore, for Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Fusion UV Systems, a member company of Spectris plc, of Surrey, England, is a supplier of ultraviolet (UV) curing systems used in manufacturing, printing and coating applications. . . . Pictometry International Corp., a Rochester, N.Y., imaging and software company, said local law enforcement agencies used its measuring software and aerial imaging database of Monroe County to plan security for President Bush's visit to Rochester last week. The Monroe County sheriff's office and the Greece, N.Y., police department used the high-resolution visual information system to assess route planning, tactical placement and other tasks. Pictometry's software enables users to access oblique views buildings, highway and other features, to obtain measurements such as distance, height, elevation and area and to insert GIS content and other data. The President was in western New York to promote his plan to overhaul Social Security.