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PATENT NEWS: LASER PREPARES FIBER FOR TERMINATION
Years ago Tyco Electronics
began investigating the use of lasers for cleaving and shaping
fiber end faces. Last week, the company was awarded U.S. Patent
No. 6,246,026 on the Optimate Fibershape process.
The Optimate Fibershape process uses the power of a laser
beam to prepare fiber end-faces for termination in connector
assemblies and optical devices. According to Tyco Electronics,
this process provides new levels of accuracy and flexibility
for preparing fiber end-face configurations.
In addition to the US patent, Tyco Electronics has a number
of pending applications in the U.S., Europe, and the Far East.
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LASER VISION SENSOR FOR AUTOMATIC WELDING MACHINE APPLICATIONS
The laser vision sensor is a non-contact seam tracking system
for automatic welding machine applications. Using this vision
system allows one operator to control a complex welding system.
The laser vision sensor employs a visible (red) laser to
illuminate the weld joint. The laser is viewed through a narrow
band optical filter, which removes any light not at the laser
frequency, using a high resolution CCD camera.
The video signal is digitized in the sensor and sent through
a shielded cable to the vision controller where software processes
the signal to determine the weld joint's position.
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the complete report.
The Technology of the Month describes inventions offered
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$2.5 billion of licensable technologies at http://www.nasatech.com/techsearch.
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ENGINEERS CREATE STATIONARY LIGHT
A research team from the College
of Engineering at the University of Michigan recently
announced the successful generation of stationary light within
a random medium.
Unlike previous experiments that reported slowing and stopping
of propagating beams of light, the light in this experiment
was stationary from the beginning.
Possible applications include "laser" fluorescent lights,
incoherent laser lithography capable of producing computer
chips with improved circuit density, advanced displays, and
dynamic energy storage.
The technology is being commercialized by TAL Materials of
Ann Arbor, MI
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EXCIMER LASER PROMISES RELIEF FROM COMMON COSMETIC AILMENT
Laser technologies are already widely available for a host
of cosmetic procedures including the removal of tattoos, birthmarks,
age spots, and wrinkles. Get ready to add a new one to the
list -- stretch marks.
Clinical research using an excimer laser, manufactured by
Photomedex
(Radnor, PA), is underway for the re-pigmentation of mature
(white) stretch marks in the Department of Dermatology at
NYC's Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
According to a recent press announcement, this is the first
treatment that can promise to improve the look of old stretch
marks as well as white scars resulting from a face-lift.
With treatments expected to cost between $250-$750 a session
-- 3-10 sessions required -- you may want to prepare for stretch
marks to reappear on your wallet.
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