Resolve Optics Opens Test Center: Week in Review: 07/07/23

Resolve Optics installed and commissioned a new vibration test center adding to the suite of in-house lens-testing equipment the company is able to offer. Lenses used in harsh industrial inspection and military and space applications are often exposed to vibrations, shocks, temperature changes, radiation, and contaminants. The company’s new ETS MPA101-L215M Shaker, coupled with a DTC Venzo 880 controller, is certified and calibrated in accordance with ISO standards, which enables Resolve Optics to not only carry out all the common forms of vibration testing, but also undertake specialist vibration/shock qualification tests in accordance with customer requirements.

Resolve Optics’ new ETS MPA101-L215M vibratory shaker coupled with a DTC Venzo 880 controller is certified and calibrated to ISO standards. Courtesy of Resolve Optics.

WESTBOROUGH, Mass. — Kopin Corp., a provider of optical systems and microdisplays, joined MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) Alliances Program. According to Kopin CEO Michael Murray, participation in MIT’s CSAIL program will help augment the company’s product development efforts and keep the company on the cutting edge of AI. Kopin is focused on solving the human centric and human-computer ergonomic, situational awareness, and visual issues surrounding the use cases of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) headsets, head-up displays, and see-through optical solutions that will enable and accelerate the adoption of AR and VR products.

MADISON, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Madison Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) received $18 million from the National Science Foundation for interdisciplinary exploration of fundamental questions in materials science. The grant will provide six years of funding for MRSEC, which includes more than 30 affiliated faculty across nine university departments, as well as collaborators at other institutions and in industry.

Associate professor Jason Kawasaki is co-lead of a MRSEC research thrust investigating magnetic states in strained membranes, which could lead to new types of ultrafast data transmission and storage. Courtesy of Steph Precourt, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

PITTSBURGH — Coherent Corp. and TriEye, a developer of SWIR sensing technology, jointly demonstrated a laser-illuminated SWIR imaging system for automotive and robotic applications. The companies leveraged TriEye’s spectrum enhanced detection and ranging (SEDAR) product platform and Coherent’s SWIR semiconductor laser to jointly design a laser-illuminated SWIR imaging system that is able to reach lower cost points while achieving high performance over a wide range of environmental conditions.

Laser-illuminated SWIR imaging system jointly developed by Coherent and TriEye. Courtesy of Coherent Corp.

CALGARY, Alberta — GeologicAI raised a $20 million series A funding investment from Breakthrough Energy Ventures. The financing will further development and global scaling of the company’s AI-powered robot geologists. GeologicAI’s proprietary core-scanning robot uses a unique blend of high-resolution imaging, XRF, and hyperspectral data to analyze rock samples to identify resources hidden beneath Earth’s surface. By leveraging advanced machine vision and AI to analyze high-resolution, multisensor rock sample data, GeologicAI can offer faster and more accurate results than traditional core logging methods.

RICHARDSON, Texas — Optex Systems Holdings, a manufacturer of precision optical sighting systems for domestic and worldwide military and commercial applications, received an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) order from the U.S. government for five different optical assemblies with a maximum value of $5.3 million.

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, England — Scientists from Northumbria University’s Solar and Space Physics research group were awarded £1.29 million ($1.64 million) to carry out research that will further understanding of the sun and its impact on Earth. The grant will fund four research projects, each exploring a different element of the sun’s activity and the sun-Earth connection.

From left: Professor James McLaughlin, professor Clare Watt, Dr. Natasha Jeffrey, and professor Jonathan Rae. Courtesy of Northumbria University.

OTTAWA, Ontario — Enablence Technologies proposed private placement of 11 million CAD ($8.2 million) of unsecured convertible debentures of the company with Pinnacle Island LP. Concurrent with the closing of the private placement, the company will also amend and restate the terms of its existing term loan facility dated Dec. 31, 2021, with Vortex ENA LP. Both moves are designed to support acceleration of the company’s strategic growth plan.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. — Subsequent to the purchase agreement announced on June 12 that raised approximately $8.0 million, laser technology company NUBURU on June 16 entered into an additional note and warrant purchase agreement with certain investors including existing investors, for the sale of convertible promissory notes in the aggregate principal amount of $1.3 million, and warrants to purchase up to 1,889,535 shares of the company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share. The total amount of the cash infusion raised from these two purchase agreements, prior to deducting transaction and issuance costs, is approximately $9.2 million. The shares underlying the convertible notes and the warrants are subject to a one-year lockup and are expected to be registered for resale after Feb. 6, 2024.

PARIS — Outsight and GridMatrix established a partnership for traffic analytics and smart city development. The alliance brings together Outsight's lidar-based perception software with GridMatrix’s software-as-a-service traffic analytics solutions, establishing a new standard in smart city infrastructure and traffic management. The combined offering will empower local and state governments with insights into their road networks, particularly through surrogate safety metrics and analysis.

MINNEAPOLIS — 3D printing technology company Stratasys’ board of directors unanimously determined that the June 27 revised acquisition proposal from 3D Systems Corp. does not constitute a superior proposal and does not provide a basis upon which to enter into discussions with 3D Systems, pursuant to the terms of the merger agreement with Desktop Metal Inc. On May 25, Stratasys entered into a merger agreement with Desktop Metal, pursuant to which Desktop Metal agreed to combine with Stratasys in an all-stock transaction. The Stratasys board has not changed its unanimous approval, recommendation, and declaration of advisability of the previously announced transaction with Desktop Metal.

JENA, Germany — The European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and ZEISS have entered a long-term strategic partnership. The collaboration aims to close the gap between early-stage imaging technology development and its application in life science research. Through this collaborative approach, users of the EMBL Imaging Centre and related EMBL imaging services will have access to the latest microscopy technologies and expertise from ZEISS. At the same time, the research carried out at EMBL and projects by Imaging Centre users will provide ZEISS with insights into new applications and opportunities for market-testing its most recent technology developments.

Front row, left to right: Michael Albiez (head of ZEISS Research Microscopy Solutions) and Edith Heard (director general EMBL); Back row: Herbert Schaden (head of Global Academia Key Account Management at ZEISS Research Microscopy Solutions), Horst Wolff (head of Light Microscopy at ZEISS Research Microscopy Solutions), Stephanie Alexander (research and service coordinator, EMBL IC and Cell Biology & Biophysics), Jan Ellenberg (head of Cell EMBL IC and Cell Biology & Biophysics), Rainer Pepperkok (director of Scientific Core Facilities and Services at EMBL), and Jürgen Bauer (deputy managing director EMBLEM). Courtesy of ZEISS.

SINGAPORE — Quantum computing companies Entropica Labs and Atom Computing established a strategic partnership to accelerate development of commercially useful quantum computing technologies. The companies will explore opportunities for collaboration in areas such as joint experimentation and research and ensure integration of their quantum software and hardware technologies.

KYOTO, Japan — EneCoat Technologies and Toyota Motor Corp. have partnered to develop and commercialize automotive perovskite solar cells. The collaboration seeks to develop practical application of in-vehicle solar power generation systems using crystalline silicon cells to further improve power generation efficiency and lower costs. EneCoat is a startup company established in 2018 based on research results from Atsushi Wakamiya’s laboratory at the Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University.