Wednesday, October 31, 2012

LightPath Technologies Provides Quarterly Update on Infrared Initiatives


LightPath Logo

LightPath Technologies Provides Quarterly Update on Infrared Initiatives

LightPath Receives Orders to Provide Qualification Prototypes from Three OEMs for Thermal Imaging Systems
Raytheon Vision Systems Development Project Remains on Schedule
ORLANDO, FL - (PRNewswire – October 31, 2012) - LightPath Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: LPTH) ("LightPath", the "Company" or "we"), a global manufacturer, distributor and integrator of patented optical components and high-level assemblies, today provided an update to shareholders on its progress with its infrared lens initiatives.
LightPath continues to develop its thermal imaging business and is currently in the later stages of upgrading manufacturing capabilities at its Orlando factory to support the anticipated growth in its thermal infrared product lines. Sales and technical teams have been in contact with many large OEMs who purchase infrared optics in this space and LightPath has received initial orders from three such OEMs for prototypes of optical assemblies for their respective thermal imaging systems. LightPath’s optics provide significant material cost advantages for its customers through the use of chalcogenide glass compared to the materials that are currently in use today for such systems. LightPath continues to see significant growth opportunities for this business and expects significant orders from these and other customers in the second half of fiscal 2013.
In addition, the infrared development program with Raytheon Vision Systems continues to progress and work is now shifting from producing initial prototypes to developing the necessary production-scale cost reductions to meet the program’s cost and performance goals. With a substantial portion of the investment phase now completed, core manufacturing techniques and resources are now in place with significant improvements having been made in the protective coatings for the lenses. As the cost reductions are developed from this work, they are being implemented into LightPath’s proprietary process.
Jim Gaynor, President and Chief Executive Officer of LightPath, commented, "We are excited by the growing acceptance of the infrared products we offer as we continue to successfully penetrate this $150 million addressable market serving a diverse customer base. In particular, we see our infrared business being driven by demand for our quantum cascade laser lenses, with interest from customers in various subsectors, such as infrared countermeasures, gas analysis and spectroscopy."
About LightPath Technologies
LightPath manufactures optical products including precision molded aspheric optics, GRADIUM® glass products, proprietary collimator assemblies, laser components utilizing proprietary automation technology, higher-level assemblies and packing solutions. The Company's products are used in various markets, including industrial, medical, defense, test and measurement and telecommunications. LightPath has a strong patent portfolio that has been granted or licensed to it in these fields. For more information visit www.lightpath.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release includes statements that constitute forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding our ability to expand our presence in certain markets, future sales growth, continuing reductions in cash usage and implementation of new distribution channels. This information may involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, factors detailed by LightPath Technologies, Inc. in its public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required under the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, we do not have any intentio n or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. 

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

LightPath Technologies Provides Quarterly Update on Infrared Initiatives


LightPath Logo

LightPath Technologies Provides Quarterly Update on Infrared Initiatives

LightPath Receives Orders to Provide Qualification Prototypes from Three OEMs for Thermal Imaging Systems
Raytheon Vision Systems Development Project Remains on Schedule
ORLANDO, FL - (PRNewswire – October 30, 2012) - LightPath Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: LPTH) ("LightPath", the "Company" or "we"), a global manufacturer, distributor and integrator of patented optical components and high-level assemblies, today provided an update to shareholders on its progress with its infrared lens initiatives.
LightPath continues to develop its thermal imaging business and is currently in the later stages of upgrading manufacturing capabilities at its Orlando factory to support the anticipated growth in its thermal infrared product lines. Sales and technical teams have been in contact with many large OEMs who purchase infrared optics in this space and LightPath has received initial orders from three such OEMs for prototypes of optical assemblies for their respective thermal imaging systems. LightPath’s optics provide significant material cost advantages for its customers through the use of chalcogenide glass compared to the materials that are currently in use today for such systems. LightPath continues to see significant growth opportunities for this business and expects significant orders from these and other customers in the second half of fiscal 2013.
In addition, the infrared development program with Raytheon Vision Systems continues to progress and work is now shifting from producing initial prototypes to developing the necessary production-scale cost reductions to meet the program’s cost and performance goals. With a substantial portion of the investment phase now completed, core manufacturing techniques and resources are now in place with significant improvements having been made in the protective coatings for the lenses. As the cost reductions are developed from this work, they are being implemented into LightPath’s proprietary process.
Jim Gaynor, President and Chief Executive Officer of LightPath, commented, "We are excited by the growing acceptance of the infrared products we offer as we continue to successfully penetrate this $150 million addressable market serving a diverse customer base. In particular, we see our infrared business being driven by demand for our quantum cascade laser lenses, with interest from customers in various subsectors, such as infrared countermeasures, gas analysis and spectroscopy."
About LightPath Technologies
LightPath manufactures optical products including precision molded aspheric optics, GRADIUM® glass products, proprietary collimator assemblies, laser components utilizing proprietary automation technology, higher-level assemblies and packing solutions. The Company's products are used in various markets, including industrial, medical, defense, test and measurement and telecommunications. LightPath has a strong patent portfolio that has been granted or licensed to it in these fields. For more information visit www.lightpath.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release includes statements that constitute forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding our ability to expand our presence in certain markets, future sales growth, continuing reductions in cash usage and implementation of new distribution channels. This information may involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, factors detailed by LightPath Technologies, Inc. in its public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required under the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, we do not have any intentio n or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. 

LightPath Technologies Schedules Fiscal First Quarter 2013 Conference Call



LightPath Technologies Schedules
Fiscal First Quarter 2013 Conference Call
Company Will Announce First Quarter 2013 Results on November 8, 2012
Conference Call Slated for 4:30 pm
ORLANDO, FL - (PRNewswire – October 29, 2012) - LightPath Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: LPTH) ("LightPath", the "Company" or "we"), a global manufacturer, distributor and integrator of patented optical components and high-level assemblies, announced today it will host a conference call to discuss the Company's financial and operational results for the fiscal first quarter of 2013, the period ended September 30, 2012.
Details of the call are as follows:
Conference Call:
Date: Thursday, November 8, 2012
Time: 4:30 PM (ET)
Dial-in Number: 1-800-860-2442
International Dial-in Number: 1-412-858-4600
Webcast: http://www.videonewswire.com/event.asp?id=89915
Participants are recommended to dial-in approximately 5 to 10 minutes prior to the start of the call. A replay of the call will be available approximately one hour after completion through November 22, 2012. To listen to the replay, dial 1-877-344-7529 (within the U.S.) and 1-412-317-1088 (international calls), and enter conference ID # 10019518.
About LightPath Technologies
LightPath manufactures optical products including precision molded aspheric optics, GRADIUM® glass products, proprietary collimator assemblies, laser components utilizing proprietary automation technology, higher-level assemblies and packing solutions. The Company's products are used in various markets, including industrial, medical, defense, test and measurement and telecommunications. LightPath has a strong patent portfolio that has been granted or licensed to it in these fields. For more information visit www.lightpath.com.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012


OptiGrate Moves to New Manufacturing Facility
Orlando, FL (October 15, 2012) – OptiGrate Corp is proud to announce that we have completed our move to the new manufacturing and corporate offices. The new 10,000 sqft state-of-the art facility was specially designed and engineered for volume Bragg grating (VBG) production and is the only vertically integrated VBG production plant in the world. The facility includes photo-thermo-refractive glass production unit, VBG holographic production unit, and VBG laser application development lab. The new offices are located in Oviedo, FL, in the industrial park next to the University of Central Florida, the second largest university in the US. 

 “The move is a significant achievement for OptiGrate and its team and gives us a great foundation for further growth,” says OptiGrate’s CEO Dr. Alexei Glebov.  “With the increased capacity and streamlined production we will be able to deliver better products faster and more cost efficient, meeting an ever growing demand and expectations from our customers”.  
About OptiGrate Corp

OptiGrate Corp, founded in 1999, pioneered and successfully brought to market the innovative technology of volume Bragg grating based optical filters. The unique micro-optic components made by OptiGrate enable dramatic performance improvement of laser systems, vast miniaturization and cost reduction of analytical instruments and ultrafast lasers for medical, pharmaceutical, defense, nanotech, and other applications. OptiGrate supplies holographic optical components to more than 300 customers on 5 continents. Additional information about the company can be obtained at www.OptiGrate.com. (Contact: Dr. Alexei Glebov, aglebov@optigrate.com, (407) 542-7704 ext. 222) 

Monday, October 22, 2012

Date Change: Lunch & Learn Seminar/ 11.9.12 / CREOL 102 / 11-2pm / “Meeting Measurement Challenges for Low-Power, Pulsed, or Modulated Light Sources”, Jay Jeong


Lunch & Learn Seminar: “Meeting Measurement Challenges for Low-Power, Pulsed, or Modulated Light Sources”, Jay Jeong
CREOL 102
Friday, November 9, 2012 / 11-2pm

Jay Jeong
Newport

Abstract:
Traditionally, optical power meters have been used for continuous-wave (CW) light sources to measure average power. Recent advancements in photonics technologies have broadened the applications horizon into many different areas. An increasingly larger number of complex and diverse forms of light sources are designed into various systems and experimental setups. These complex light sources drive the need for more sensitive and versatile power measurement capabilities with unprecedented accuracy.
It is particularly challenging to measure a low-average-power pulsed light source, such as an LED or a low-power laser diode, especially when the electrical designers do not know the detailed optical characteristics of the light source. In addition to average optical power, many other parameters about the light source are important to obtain. For instance, what does the optical signal look like? Key information such as shape, frequency, and power level is needed to determine the system power budget and the overall system performance, as well as to validate the effectiveness of lower cost components. It is also important to identify which signal characteristics the detector or the detection system will measure. Researchers and engineers are interested in the pulse width and pulse shape of the signal.

Biography:
Jay Jeong received his Ph.D. at Cornell University.  He started working at Newport as a process engineer for fiber alignment systems.  After taking various responsibilities in optical engineering, system engineering, and customer service, he was promoted to product marketing manager for Oriel Instrument.  He is currently senior product marketing manager responsible for photonics instruments.



Pizza and Soda will be provided!


For More Information:
Mike Flores
Mike.flores @ newport. com

Monday, October 8, 2012

FSI Seminar Announcement - Next Seminar: Wednesday, October 10, 2012


Florida Space Institute Seminar Announcement
Speaker:   Stephen M. Fiore
Affiliation: UCF, Institute for Simulation and Training
Day and Date: Wednesday - October 10, 2012

Time: 11:00 - 12:00

Location: Research Park
12354 Research Parkway
Partnership 1 Bldg. Suite 209
Orlando, FL 32826

Title: An Examination Of Collaborative Problem Solving In NASA’s Mission Control Center

Abstract: Problem solving for NASA’s Mission Control Center (MCC) specialists often requires large, multidisciplinary, and distributed teams to work collaboratively to solve complex problems. This research effort was conducted in order to provide some insight into the team problem solving processes occurring in ISS Mission Control. Transcripts of collaborative problem solving were analyzed in the context of a model of macrocognition in teams. This presentation first describes the theoretical foundation upon which our analysis is based. It then details the methods of analyzing the transcripts, results found from the analysis, and several notional training approaches directed towards Mission Control Specialists in training team level problem solving processes.


For further information please the click below:

Contact:
Todd Bradley
Department of Physics
Phone: 407-823-0631
Email: tbradley @ physics. ucf. edu


FSI web page: http://fsi.ucf.edu/
FSI is on Twitter at: ucfFSI


SID Student Chapter Seminar: 10.18.12 / CREOL 102 / 3-4pm / “Waveguide Application in Flat Panel Display Technology – Focus Backlight”, Tong Li


SID Student Chapter Seminar: “Waveguide Application in Flat Panel Display Technology – Focus Backlight”, Tong Li
CREOL102
Thursday, October 18, 2012 / 3:00pm-4:00pm

Tong Li
Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics (Sinano)
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), China

Abstract:
Conventional backlight for liquid crystal flat panel displays normally exhibits a larger divergence (±60°).  This divergence is detrimental for some applications where collimation and efficiency along with uniformity are essential qualities for required backlight.  This talk presents an approach that utilizes the waveguide technique to assemble edge-lit widely spread light into a collimated beam profile.  In this talk, a module consists of two key components will be analyzed in theory, schematic and simulation, which is verified by the experimental result where an edge-lit backlight with collimation £±2° is demonstrated.  Furthermore, applications of this kind of backlight will be briefly discussed.

Biography:
Dr. Li received his Ph. D. in Microelectronics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (1999), M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Wayne State University (1993), and B.S. in Optical Engineering from Shanghai Institute of Mechanical Engineering (1983).
In 2008, Dr. Li joined the Division of Nano Devices and Materials, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics (Sinano), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), as a “Hundred Elite” professor.  Prior to Sinano, Dr. Li founded Starley Tech Co. at Ningbo, China in 2004 and served as CEO and president.  From 2000 to 2004, Dr. Li was a senior process engineer at Chorum Technologies, Richardson, Texas.  Prior to Chorum, Dr. Li was a senior device engineer and project manager at Ball Semiconductor Inc., Allen, Texas.  Before coming to United States, he was a research engineer at National Center (Northwest) for Metrology and Testing, Xian, China for 7 years.

For More Information:
SID UCF Student Branch Chair: Jin Yan, jyan @ creol. ucf. edu
Student chapter advisor: Shin-Tson Wu (407-823-4763)

Friday, October 5, 2012

HOSTS NEEDED FOR UCF EXTERNSHIP PROGRAM


The UCF Externship program has grown and is now offered during all three academic semesters (Summer, Winter, Spring). The online registration form (see link below) allows you the option to register for multiple programs at once, or register for one now and another later. 
The purpose of the Externship Program is to give students an opportunity to explore specific career fields and industries while networking with local employers. We are currently in the process of recruiting companies within and outside of the Central Florida community to serve as host employers.  Companies participating in the externship program are able to brand their organization at the second largest university in the country while identifying top talent for possible internship or professional positions.
This free program is open to all majors and class levels and is a one day to five day (8 hours to 40 hours) job shadowing experience. Because you know your business, industry and organization best, you determine what types of experiences UCF student externs matched with your company will have, from hands-on activities to strictly observational options, and how long they will last. Also, you can choose to host multiple externs in various career focus areas.
The online registration form to participate in the Externship program will be active throughout the year. You can register now for both the Winter 2012 and Spring 2013 program or register for Winter 2012 now and Spring 2013 at a later date.
The established dates for each semester's externship programs are:
Winter 2012: December 17 - 21                     Deadline to register: October 12, 2012
Spring 2013: March 4 - 8                                Deadline to register: January 28, 2013
Remember, there are no costs to participate in this program and the only paperwork required is the completion of a quick online registration form, found at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/EmployerExternshipRegistration12-13.
Thank you in advance for your consideration. Career Services looks forward to working with you on this exciting and beneficial program.
If you have further questions regarding the Job Shadowing/Externship Program please contact myself or my graduate assistant, Molly Koozer at 407-823-6689 or Molly . Koozer @ ucf. edu.
For those partners who have already registered - THANK YOU! 
Sincerely,
Heather Engelking, Assistant Director                      
407-823-1726  Heather. Engelking @ ucf. edu  

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Event Announcement: Space Florida ISS Research Competition - October 5, 2012


~ Event Announcement ~

SpaceFL IST competition

Workshop – Florida Solar Energy Center, Cocoa, Florida


Friday October 5th 2012 (10am – 4pm).
(Check-In 9am - Lunch Provided)

Space Florida and NanoRacks have partnered to provide a Competition in which up to 8 Winners will have an opportunity to fly their payloads to the International Space Station (ISS) and have scientific research conducted on board the U.S. National Lab.  It is intended that the winning payloads will fly on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket inside the Dragon spacecraft, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

If you plan to attend this Informational Workshop,
you must RSVP by email by TODAY (10/3) to info@spaceflorida.gov

Space Florida & NanoRacks personnel will attend the Workshop to:
     1.     Explain the Rules & Regulations of the Competition and how as a competition winner, your payload may fly to the ISS.
     2.     Provide technical expertise and a payload development timetable.
     3.     Provide valuable assistance to you to develop your Competition application.
     4.     Q&A time with NanoRacks, NASA-KSC, CASIS and FSGC personnel.


If you can’t make the Workshop, check our Live-Stream

Go to YouTube afterwards and View Workshop Highlights

Competition Website Link
-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
  FL-CAN program links Florida-based universities, incubation networks, investors and industry resources together to create a network of Proof of Concept centers to accelerate the creation and commercialization of innovative clean technology research into new technology companies or to license into existing firms. FL-CAN is administered via a partnership between the University of Central Florida, The Technological Research and Development Authority, and the Florida Energy Systems Consortium.
U. S. Economic Development Administration
U. S. Department of Energy
The FL-CAN project is funded by a grant from the Economic Development Administration and the Department of Energy as part of the i6 Challenge. For more info on the i6 Challenge please refer to the Fact Sheet at energy.gov or the article at doe.gov.

FL-CAN at the University of Central Florida
(407) 882-0345 | ian. grant @ ucf. edu

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

TODAY: SID Student Chapter Seminar: 10.2.12 / 11-12 / “zSpace: Description & Demo of a New Type of Stereoscopic Display”, Mark Flynn


SID Student Chapter Seminar: “zSpace: Description & Demo of a New Type of Stereoscopic Display”, Mark Flynn

CREOL 102
Tuesday, October 02, 2012 / 11:00 - 12:00
Mark Flynn
Director of Displays & Hardware Engineering, Infinite Z

Abstract: zSpace provides a highly realistic 3D visualization experience that enables designers and engineers to work with product designs in a way not previously possible in a traditional 2D computing environment. Using a proprietary stereoscopic display, trackable eyewear, a new type of direct interaction stylus and an innovative software platform, objects in zSpace appear “solid” in open space, with full color and high resolution, and can be directly manipulated as if they were real physical objects. This capability gives users a natural way to navigate, grab, slice, carve, zoom and explore models as never before possible. Initially focused towards the digital/product design, scientific, medical, GIS/geospatial and government markets, zSpace is a completely new model for experiencing and communicating design ideas and significantly advancing the way people solve problems, learn, teach and communicate in today’s world.
We will bring several of these systems to the seminar for attendees to try out.

Features and Benefits:
• High-definition stereoscopic display with full images rendered for each eye for ultra-high realism
• Lightweight, passive, trackable eyewear for viewing comfort
• Full motion parallax, with sensors tracking the viewing angle, enabling the user to look around objects and visualize multiple perspectives with simple head movements
• Uniquely designed stylus for managing direct and natural interactions with virtually-holographic images in 3D space
• Innovative development platform for creating new applications and integrating new input devices

Product Specifications:
• zStation monitor, 24-inch HD LCD (1080p @ 120Hz) with tracking sensors
• Direct interaction stylus with three buttons and integrated infrared LED and accelerometer design
• Polarized passive eyewear with trackable markers
• SDK for application developers
• zSpace Maya Plug-in (available to licensed users of Autodesk Maya)

Biography: Mark Flynn obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in physics at Cleveland State University in 1979, and his Ph.D. in physics at Washington University in St. Louis in 1986. From 1986 to 1991 he worked on computational physics problems in the field of condensed-matter physics, specializing in the general area of very dense, low-temperature quantum systems, at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, and at the Universities of Granada and Valencia. Since 1991 he has worked in the display technology field, beginning at the Liquid Crystal Institute at Kent State University, where he worked in liquid crystal display simulation and optimization. Work at Kaiser Electronics from 1994 to 2000 centered on headmounted display systems using flat-panel displays. From 2000 to 2001 Mark worked at Inviso on the optimization of LCOS displays for commercial headmounted systems. From 2001 to 2009 he worked at Aurora Systems, in San Jose, CA, where he was Director of Display Technologies. Since 2009 he has been Director of Displays & Hardware Engineering at Infinite Z, a startup building new and innovative 3D display systems.

For More Information:
Yuan (Esther) Chen
yuanucf @ knights. ucf. edu

Monday, October 1, 2012

Help Update the National Precision Optics Skill Standard for Technicians


OP-TEC

Help Update the National Precision Optics
Skill Standards for Technicians

 

The National Center for Optics and Photonics Education (OP-TEC) (www.op-tec.org) has the responsibility for maintaining the relevancy and currency of the National Precision Optics Skill Standards for Technicians (NPOSST). Through this e-mail, we are requesting that you assist us in meeting this responsibility.

If you are a Precision Optics professional, please go to our NPOSST technical review page
http://www.op-tec.org/2012potreview. At this link, the NPOSST is presented along with a secure survey where you can review and comment on the standards accuracy in defining the required skills technicians must possess to successfully work in today's precision optics industry. This survey should not take more than 15 minutes to complete.

If you are not a Precision Optics professional, but know of professionals in this industry, please forward this communication to them.

OP-TEC originally developed the NPOSST in 2009 and received endorsements from the American Precision Optics Manufacturers Association (APOMA), Florida Photonics Cluster, and Rochester Regional Photonics Cluster. These standards are being used throughout the U.S. to establish curriculum for educating precision optics technicians and for assisting precision optics companies in hiring and evaluating these technicians. 

Your input is very important to keeping these standards on target and ensuring the U.S. technician workforce in the precision optics industry stays competitive with its world competitors.  Your input will be reviewed and used in developing the next generation of these standards.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. John Souders, souders@op-tec.org

NSFNSF/ATE National Center of Excellence