The Open XR Forum’s first specification defining a paradigm for enhanced network management of pluggable coherent optical technology has been approved. The specification, developed through collaboration with global service providers, establishes the framework for solving challenges associated with managing advanced coherent optical engines and features as they are deployed in a wider variety of networking devices such as routers, servers, and mobile radios. WASHINGTON, D.C. — To advance quantum network capabilities and leadership, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory announced work with five U.S. government agencies to establish the Washington Metropolitan Quantum Network Research Consortium (DC-QNet). The consortium will create, demonstrate, and operate a quantum network as a regional testbed. The DC-QNet testbed will perform entanglement distribution of qubits at multikilometer distances over a well-characterized and controlled quantum network. KINGSTON UPON HULL, England — Laser manufacturer Luxinar opened its U.S. office, near Detroit. The office provides customer support, demonstrations of local application capabilities to potential and existing customers, and a warehouse of strategic stock for exchange purposes throughout the U.S. Luxinar USA ribbon-cutting ceremony. Courtesy of Luxinar. GREENSBORO, N.C. — Process Insights, a Union Park Capital portfolio company, acquired the assets of the Process Analyzers business from Schneider Electric. The acquired Fourier transform infrared/Fourier transform near-infrared (FTIR/FT-NIR) analyzers and process mass spectrometers expand Process Insights’ core gas and liquid-phase analysis and measurement capabilities. TEL AVIV, Israel — Tel Aviv University and Fraunhofer EMFT opened the Fraunhofer Innovation Platform for Sensors and Applied Systems at Tel Aviv University (FIP-SENS@TAU). FIP-SENS@TAU is a Fraunhofer-like research unit, embedded in the legal structure of TAU, with the mission to promote top-level multi- and interdisciplinary sensor-related research and development. FIP-SENS@TAU aims to create a dialogue with relevant industries in Israel, Germany, and beyond for promoting development and technology transfer for hardware, software, data processing algorithms, and networking to human-machine interface for sensor systems. CHICAGO — Duality, a yearlong accelerator program exclusively for quantum companies, named the five startups comprising its second cohort. Accepted into the second cohort are Icosa Computing, a U.S.-based startup building quantum computing and physics-enhanced optimizers for financial institutions; memQ, a U.S.-based company building technology to enable the quantum internet; Quantescence, a France- and U.S.-based quantum computing software startup that has created a quantum emulator platform; SCALINQ, a Sweden-based startup developing unique packaging solutions for superconducting quantum chips; and Wave Photonics, a U.K.-based startup using computational techniques to accelerate integrated photonics design. XI’AN, China — LONGi set an efficiency of 26.5% for its silicon heterojunction photovoltaic cells, which it reports is a record. The record, validated in testing carried out by the Institute for Solar Energy Research in Hamelin, Germany, was achieved on M6 (274.4 cm2) full-size monocrystalline silicon wafers, marking a new breakthrough in efficiency for large-size monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic cells. HOKKAIDO, Japan — Hokkaido University and NEC Corp. concluded an agreement to promote the realization of a “safe and secure society through spatial sensing” that helps to prevent the spread of illness. The collaborators plan to establish technologies for the detection of known viruses and efficient aerosol collection, aiming to conduct demonstration tests and implement these technologies by next year.