The Photonics West Exhibition

Beginning this week, the Photonics West Exhibition is going to be held in San Jose, California.  From their website:

“SPIE Photonics West is the most important North American exhibition on optics, lasers, biomedical optics, optoelectronic components, and imaging technologies. Located at the center of the world’s hottest technology market, Silicon Valley, Photonics West is a can’t-miss exhibition.”

I truly wish I could attend, but prior committments prevent me from doing so.  Though I won’t be there, I’m going to do a series of postings about the show, some of the exhibitors and some of the attendees (long-distance blogging as it were).  Ben Shelef of the Spaceward Foundation will be attending and will hopefully send me some photos which I can post too.

Several of the teams who have registered for this year’s Space Elevator Games will be in attendance, visiting the various laser vendors (and other suppliers), looking for a leg-up in this year’s competition.  They will certainly be visiting DILAS, the laser vendor for the two laser-powered teams in last year’s Games (USST and Lasermotive).  They will also be visiting TRUMPF, another laser vendor.  Both vendors are trying to entice teams into using their equipment this year by “stepping-up” with offers of help and support.

The Space Elevator Games have come a long way in just a few short years.  Starting in 2004, running a 25m racecourse with Spaceward-provided, hand-aimed searchlights as a power source, it has now evolved to a competition where the competitors must complete a 1km racecourse using lasers as their power source and with an automated tracking system.

I love it!

Skronk, Greezle and Commander Skippy have much to be concerned with 🙂

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