Olympus opened the Olympus Discovery Center at Texas A&M Health to support research focused on treating, alleviating, and preventing human diseases. The facility provides researchers with access to cutting-edge microscopy equipment, allowing them to perform advanced imaging tasks such as deep tissue imaging and high-speed live cell imaging. These leading-edge microscopy systems support a broad range of applications in basic sciences and human disease research at Texas A&M Health. EDINBURGH, Scotland — Researchers at the National Robotarium, a partnership between Heriot-Watt University, the University of Edinburgh, industry partners, and Edinburgh-based clinicians, have been awarded £1.25 million ($1.7 million) for the development of a robot-assisted surgery technique. The method uses advanced sensing technology to determine a surgical margin (the outer rim of tissue a surgeon chooses to remove) during laparoscopic, endoscopic, or robotic operations. The project team also includes IntelliPalp Dx, CMR Surgical, and leading clinicians from the Western General Hospital. It is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Council, part of UK Research and Innovation. MADRID — In the frame of the EU-funded LAMpAS project, New Infrared Technologies developed a high-speed uncooled IR camera specifically adapted to the requirements of LAMpAS processes. The camera will conduct in-line monitoring of the heat accumulated during laser surface structuring processes. It will be one of the two sensors/techniques integrated in the LAMpAS in-line monitoring system. LAMpAS high-speed IR camera setup used for measuring the heat accumulated during preliminary texturing test using polygon scanner. Courtesy of LAMpAS. ZURICH — Scrona AG, the additive manufacturer and record holder of the smallest color photo ever printed, closed a $9.6 million Series A financing round. The round was led by AM Ventures, with syndicate partners including TRUMPF Venture, Verve Ventures, and Manz GmbH Management Consulting and Investment. The $9.6 million includes $6.7 million from Series A funding and $2.9 million from a grant by Swiss Secretariat for Education Research and Innovation. KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. — The Air Force Research Laboratory’s Directed Energy Directorate hosted a collaborative wargame with the Munitions Directorate at Kirtland Air Force Base. The Directed Energy and Kinetic Energy Directed Energy Utility Concept Experiment, or DEKE DEUCE, explored synergies between directed energy and kinetic concepts in the future battlespace. The experiment placed pilots, weapon systems officers, and air battle managers in a series of virtual vignettes exploring mission sets that relate to the combined use of DE and KE systems, tying together previous studies and analysis focused on an airborne high-energy laser pod and two future kinetic concepts. Col. Matthew Crowell, Air Force Safety Center chief of aviation safety, and Capt. Phillip Butler, 314th Fighter Squadron, operate their virtual aircraft at Air Force Research Laboratory’s Directed Energy and Kinetic Energy Directed Energy Utility Concept Experiment (DEKE DEUCE) held at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., Jan. 24-28, 2022. The experiment explored synergies between directed energy and kinetic concepts in the future battlespace. Courtesy of Allen Winston, U.S. Air Force. OXFORD, England — OxDX, a University of Oxford spinout focused on instant pathogen tests using superresolution microscopy and machine learning, raised £2.6 million ($3.54 million) in pre-seed funding for its AI-powered diagnostic technology that can recognize and identify specific species and strains of viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens within a sample in seconds. The initial funding is co-led by IQ Capital and Ahren Innovation Capital with participation from Science Creates Ventures. The funding will be used to expand the team and further validate the technology with development partners. ST. PAUL, Minn. — Medical technology company Minnetronix Medical and INO Innovation Center, a Canada-based research center in optics and photonics, formed a strategic partnership to innovate and accelerate optical medical device technology. The partnership expands Minnetronix’s optics business and INO’s reach into the U.S. INO has implemented more than 6500 solutions, carried out 75 technology transfers, and contributed to the creation of 35 new companies. ZURICH — ABB was awarded a $30 million contract by Canadian data and analytics company EarthDaily Analytics Corp. to develop and manufacture next-generation multispectral imaging systems to be placed on 10 satellites (including an in-orbit spare) that will orbit Earth. ABB will collaborate with Xiphos Systems Corp. on high-performance processing electronics, and with Loft Orbital, the space infrastructure service provider for EarthDaily Constellation.