Mahr Group Acquires OptoSurf GmbH: Week in Brief: 7/19/24

The Mahr Group, an industrial technologies business, has acquired OptoSurf GmbH, a developer of optical surface measuring devices. The acquisition expands the company's portfolio in optical surface metrology. According to Mahr Group CEO Manuel Hüsken, OptoSurf's scattered light technology is complementary to its existing portfolio and will provide its customers with greater functionalities and application potential in surface analysis. OptoSurf is a developer and manufacturer of optical surface measurement technology for electromobility, mechanical engineering, aerospace technology, medical technology, and semiconductor technology applications.

The Mahr Group’s headquarters in Göttingen, Germany is pictured. Courtesy of the Mahr Group.

ENSCHEDE, Netherlands — Vertically integrated photonic chip foundry LioniX International has secured approval for short-term bridge financing. The funds serve to bolster the company's financial position in the wake of 2023's negative financial results. The financing, worth a total €1.5 million ($1.6 million), has been secured via the East Netherlands Development Agency and will enable LioniX to further develop its TriPleX waveguide photonic integrated circuit platform.

WATERLOO, Ontario — VueReal, a micro-pixel manufacturing company, has made plans to double its manufacturing space to include a production line that will enable the scale-up of its proprietary MicroSolid Printing solutions for established display manufacturers and smaller, custom-focused companies. The company has also entered into a partnership with semiconductor tool manufacturer Toray International to support its growth.

ideaForge’s NETRA/Q6 class UAV is shown. Courtesy of Inertial Labs.

PAEONIAN SPRINGS, Va. — Drone technology company ideaForge Technology Limited has entered into a partnership with inertial sensors and integrated GPS systems company Inertial Labs. Under the partnership, Inertial Labs’ RESEPI LiDAR solution will be integrated into ideaForge’s unmanned aerial vehicles. The collaboration will focus the integration on collection and 3D mapping capabilities across surveying, mapping, mining, construction, forestry, power line inspection, and search and rescue applications.

DUBLIN — Trinity College Dublin has launched its €1.3 million ($1.4 million) ‘Twilight’ project, aiming to develop optical networks with digital twin technology. The project, titled 'Twilight: Twin Lightpaths, A Digital Twin Framework For Full Automation Of Disaggregated Optical Networks', will be headed by Trinity College professor and principal investigator in the CONNECT Centre Marco Ruffini. According to Ruffini, the project will ensure safe and rapid advancements supporting increased internet usage without network disruption. The college will be collaborating with HEAnet, Ireland’s National Education and Research Network, along with European network collaboration organization GÉANT. The project is funded by Ireland's Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

EDMONTON, Alberta — PulseMedica Corp, a life sciences startup, has raised an aggregate of 12 million CAD ($8.8 million) to date in investment as part of their pre-Series A financing round. The investment has allowed PulseMedica to generate initial results from their preclinical and clinical studies and will continue to accelerate the clinical validation of PulseMedica’s floater imaging device. Additionally, the investment supports ongoing laser safety and feasibility studies essential for the first in-human clinical trial for floater treatment, as well as the expansion of the company’s technical and business teams in preparation for commercialization and regulatory approvals.

Staff celebrate the grand opening of Renishaw’s Chennai site in the site’s technical demonstration area. Courtesy of Renishaw.

DUNDEE, Ill. — Engineering and scientific technology company Renishaw has opened technology centers in Chennai, India and Nagoya, Japan. The Chennai site will serve as a training hub for students, machine builders, end user customers, channel partners, and Renishaw employees, as well as a testing hub for potential buyers in the region. The Nagoya center will house demonstration and office spaces, calibration laboratory, warehouse, and dispatch areas. Earlier in the year, the company opened new offices in Brazil and established its first subsidiary in the United Arab Emirates.

WESTBOROUGH, Mass. — Kopin Corporation, a developer of optical solutions and micro-displays, has entered into a collaboration with Wilcox Industries, a mounting and electro-optical solutions manufacturer, on the development of the FUSION CLAW head-born information system for military applications. The FUSION CLAW integrates night vision, communications equipment, friend-foe identification, AI-informed power prioritization, multi-spectral forward illumination, mission recording, and day/night heads-up display in a single package. The companies said that the accessories will be compatible with legacy fielded systems.

ALBANY, N.Y. — Test and measurement instrument provider Industrial Physics has acquired U.K.-based quality control measurement systems and metrology company Torus Group. Following the acquisition, Industrial Physics customers will have access to Torus Group’s portfolio including measurement solutions for metal and rigid packaging in the food and beverage industries, as well as plastic packaging and medical devices.