The photonics industry-focused awards honor innovations in technology areas such as lasers, biomedical, quantum, AR/VR/MR, sensors, and imaging, as well as the first-ever Catalyst Award
BELLINGHAM, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Yesterday, SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, recognized the most innovative new optics and photonics products with the industry-focused Prism Awards. The gala evening, held during SPIE Photonics West, also marked the Prism Awards’ 16th anniversary.
Each year, the SPIE Prism Awards reflect the rapidly growing trajectory of photonics products and photonics-enabled solutions. This year, the annual ceremony honored a range of established and emerging companies applying groundbreaking and creative solutions to critical problems in areas such as augmented and virtual reality, sensors, lasers, quantum technology, and biomedical optics solutions. Award presenters included Meta’s Leo Baldwin, Ansys’ Sanjay Gangadhara, NIST’s Marla Dowell, Orbis Diagnostics’ Cather Simpson, and Constantin Haefner of the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology.
Finalists and winners were selected by a panel of international judges who leveraged their knowledge and acumen from across the technology commercialization and funding sectors. The distinguished judges’ roster included the FDA’s Zane Arp, Nextcorps Luminate’s Damon Diehl, AXA XL’s Simi George, BOS Photonics’ Bo Gu, Coherent’s Qiongying Hu, Photon Fund’s Zhenlin Li, Teledyne Princeton Instruments’ Jason McClure, Technology Scotland’s Alison McLeod, Notal Vision’s Nishant Mohan, ICFO’s Robert Sewell, Orbis Diagnostics’ Cather Simpson, CERES Technology Advisors’ Linda Smith, TOPTICA’s Mark A. Tolbert, and Nanovation SARL’s Ferechteh Teherani.
“We’re always excited to showcase the wealth of innovative optics- and photonics-based technologies during the SPIE Prism Awards,” said SPIE CEO Kent Rochford. “By creating products powered by photonics and bringing those products to market, all these companies — the finalists as well as tonight’s winners — are impacting our lives in truly transformative ways. And, with the addition of the Catalyst Award, we are also recognizing companies in our community doing tremendous engagement and outreach work that improves our society through their diversity and sustainability programs. I am delighted to be here tonight to congratulate all of our participants in person.”
Below is the complete list of the 2024 SPIE Prism Award categories, the winners, and their winning products:
- AR VR MR: Porotech, DPT® (DynamicPixelTuning®)
- Autonomy: ANELLO Photonics, SiPhOG™ (Silicon Photonics Optical Gyroscope)
- Biomedical: JenLab GmbH, MPTcompact: Multiphoton Tomograph with Femtosecond Fiber Laser
- Cameras and Imaging: Thorlabs, Inc., Prelude® Functional Imaging Microscope
- Lasers: EKSPLA, FemtoLux 30
- Quantum Tech: Qunnect, QU-APC: Auto Polarization Compensator
- Sensors: Scantinel Photonics GmbH, Scantinel X-One
- Software: Frenel Imaging, TPiCore©
- Test and Measurement: Persistence Data Mining, Inc., Soilytics®
This year, in addition to the regular slate of application-focused awards, SPIE is showcasing the inaugural SPIE Catalyst Award. This new recognition honors for-profit companies with specific social or environmentally focused programs that have had significant positive impact, either within their workplace, on society at large, or on the environment. The winner of the first-ever SPIE Catalyst Award is Intel Corporation with their innovative and inclusive Semiconductor Workforce Development programs: Quick Start, the semiconductor-technician-training program, and the Returnships career-returning program.
About SPIE
SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, brings engineers, scientists, students, and business professionals together to advance light-based science and technology. The Society, founded in 1955, connects and engages with our global constituency through industry-leading conferences and exhibitions; publications of conference proceedings, books, and journals in the SPIE Digital Library; and career-building opportunities. Over the past five years, SPIE has contributed more than $24 million to the international optics community through our advocacy and support, including scholarships, educational resources, travel grants, endowed gifts, and public-policy development. www.spie.org.
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