SAN DIEGO, July 31 -- SPIE's 46th Annual Meeting and International Symposium on Optical Science and Technology opened this week in San Diego. SPIE's Director of Corporate Services, Scott Walker, told Photonics.com that 5000 scientists, engineers and industry executives from more than 45 countries are expected to attend.
   The Annual Meeting and Symposium will be highlighted by 2500 technical papers, 70 engineering short courses and a technical exhibit in which more than 240 companies will be showcasing the latest photonics technology. According to Walker, the exhibit will feature products and technologies encompassing metrology, materials imaging, instrumentation and communications. Also on tap is a Career Center and a series of business workshops.
   Highlights of the first two days included a special showing of EROS the Movie: A New Approach to Imaging, which consisted of footage of the 100,000 images obtained from NEAR during its yearlong orbital mission to asteroid 433. Eros, which was shown first on Monday night, will also be shown on the exhibit floor on Wednesday.