With long-standing conferences, training courses, and an exhibition in optics, infrared imaging, and lasers, SPIE DSS has earned the reputation as a valuable opportunity for mission-critical interactions among government researchers and suppliers. The event, sponsored by SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, has expanded its scope this year to advance the drive to commercialize sensing technologies and increase applications opportunities.

Bellingham, Washington April 07, 2014

SPIE DSS, well established as the industry's most important engineering and scientific conference and exhibition covering optics, infrared (IR) imaging, lasers, and sensing for defense, security, industrial, and commercial applications, is back with more in 2014.

The event will run 5-9 May in the Baltimore (Maryland) Convention Center, with expanded emphasis on sensor applications and technology transfer. SPIE DSS is presented by SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics.

SPIE DSS has re-organized into two technical symposia ―Sensing Technology + Applications (STA) and Defense + Security (DS) ― to provide concentration in each area while providing participants with access to the full scope of technologies.

Conferences in the new STA symposium serve the drive to commercialize sensing technologies and expand applications development opportunities, with sessions on biochemistry, industry, automobiles, food safety, noninvasive diagnostics for disease, and environmental monitoring.

"This is an exciting opportunity to see talks and exhibits covering the entire scope of the sensor product development cycle, from academic research to industrial deployment," said steering committee member Robert Lieberman (Intelligent Optical Systems).

Conferences on the DS side underscore the event's importance for government, academic, and industry researchers, engineers, and program managers, with long-standing sessions on topics such as IR technology and applications, micro- and nanotechnology, military medicine, signal processing, and information fusion.

"In an environment of increasing budget constraints, new technologies can provide affordable solutions to critical defense and security problems," said DS symposium co-chair Nils Sandell (DARPA). "With its comprehensive technology coverage, SPIE DSS is a must-attend event for engineers and program managers."

Registered technical attendees may hear papers in any of the event's 55 conferences.

Among new topics are:

*Dimensional optical metrology for practical applications such as industrial manufacturing, materials characterization, hydrocarbon transport, 3D semiconductor package processing, and LED manufacturing

*Image sensing and thermal imaging technologies for security cameras, firefighting, law enforcement, and military systems

*Sensors for next-generation robotics applications in microsurgery, micro-assembly, and pollutant control

*Fiber sensing for oil and gas

*Spectral imaging sensor technologies for monitoring climate change, forestry management, mining exploration, and ensuring food quality

*Sensors for extreme harsh environments including exposure to high radiation doses and temperature and pressure extremes, for applications in industry, oil and gas exploration, and space exploration.

Alongside the technical talks are programs on technology transfer for commercialization; professional development and training courses on topics such as IR sensors and systems, optical and optomechanical engineering, imaging and sensing, and laser sensors and systems; and panel discussions about the future of sensing, emerging requirements, and new business opportunities.

Conveniently located for federal labs and their suppliers and partners, SPIE DSS includes the East Coast's largest exhibition in the field, with more than 450 companies showing the latest systems, applications, and devices. The three-day SPIE DSS Expo (6-8 May) will include suppliers of precision optics, lasers, sensors, optical materials, thermal imaging, optoelectronics, instrumentation, data analysis, and related applications, with numerous new product announcements and daily product demonstrations.

SPIE DSS has earned the reputation of being a highly effective and efficient forum enabling mission-critical interactions between government scientist and engineers with their colleagues in industry and academia, noted SPIE Senior Director Andrew Brown. "Bringing all the players together to share ideas, needs and opportunities is a vital force in advancing progress and avoiding an innovation deficit. These technologies provide first-responders with clear information in crises, help soldiers avoid harm in the battlefield, and protect internet-based commerce and communication."

Among highlights are:

*DS plenary speaker Troy Meink, Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for Space Staff

*STA plenary speaker Ludger Overmeyer, Head of the Institute of Transport and Automation Technology, Leibniz Universität Hannover

*STA plenary speaker William Ruh Vice President, GE Global Software Headquarters

*Executive panel on The Future of Sensing

*Thermosense "IR Applications" vendor session

*Presentation on SPIE's analysis of the global core photonics marketplace

*Two-day Job Fair with representatives from companies looking for qualified applicants.

Workshops on commercialization will be presented by the MIRTHE (Mid-IR Technologies for Health and the Environment) NSF Engineering Research Center, and by the Maryland technology transfer organization TEDCO.

Technical sessions organized by the Directed Energy Professional Society and the Penn State's Electro-Optics Alliance annual meeting will be co-located with SPIE DSS.

SPIE DSS conference proceedings papers will be published individually in the SPIE Digital Library as soon as approved after the meeting, and also in collected print and digital volumes.

About SPIE

SPIE is the international society for optics and photonics, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1955 to advance light-based technologies. The Society serves nearly 256,000 constituents from approximately 155 countries, offering conferences, continuing education, books, journals, and a digital library in support of interdisciplinary information exchange, professional networking, and patent precedent. SPIE provided $3.2 million in support of education and outreach programs in 2013.