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30 June 2017
OSA Imaging & Applied Optics Congress Focuses on Breakthrough Imaging Innovations
30 June 2017
OSA Imaging and Applied Optics Congress 2017 Closes with Strong Attendance, Focus on Breakthrough Imaging innovations, Techniques and Evolving Industry
SAN FRANCISCO — The 2017 OSA Imaging and Applied Optics Congress (AIO/IS) concluded in San Francisco, California with nearly 350 attendees and more than 250 presentations from covering the diverse optical imaging industry. Research highlights included novel imaging optical imaging industry, innovative and collaborative applications and the future of imaging, as well as topical symposia highlighting advancements in 3D Image Acquisition and Display: Technology, Perception and Applications, Applied Industrial Optics, Computational Optical Sensing and Imaging, Imaging Systems and Applications, Mathematics in Imaging, Propagation Through and Characterization of Atmospheric and Oceanic Phenomena. Comprehensive, peer-reviewed technical sessions provided attendees an unparalleled opportunity to immerse themselves in a broad range of research, technologies and innovative new products.
“This year’s OSA Imaging and Applied Optics Congress highlighted the vast scope of imaging technologies today and how they impact everything from media, medicine, autonomous machines and robotics,” said Gisele Bennett, General Chair and Regents’ Researcher, Georgia Institute of Technology. “Next year’s Congress will be held in Orlando, Florida in which imaging technologies are embraced throughout the area from its theme parks to the local industry.”
Congress Keynotes
Highlighting the ever increasing role of optics in both intelligent systems and cinematography, the Congress plena were not to be missed. The plenary program was headlined by award-winning film and television cinematographer, John Schwartzman, and University of California San Diego’s head of the Computer Vision and Robotics Research laboratory, Mohan Trivedi. From autonomous vehicles to augmented reality, Tish Shute, AR/VR Director for Huawei USA, spoke to bringing AR to the masses.
John Schwartzman, whose work encompasses some of cinema’s biggest action and comedy blockbusters such as Pearl Harbor, Seabiscuit and Jurassic World, detailed his own experiences in advanced imaging in cinematography. Schwartzman issued a challenge to those in the audience working with high-resolution displays to ‘raise the game.’ Why this challenge? With current imaging technologies, he can record digital images in 8K (a horizontal resolution with 8000 pixels), but visualization and projection of this level of resolution in full screen is not available to movie goers. Therein lies the problem – will there still be movie theaters be available to the public when the projectors catch up to the resolution of the images he strives to capture? He is looking to the display community to fill the technology gap, sooner rather than later.
Mohan Trivedi’s presentation went onto detail a broad and holistic view of the autonomous vehicle industry today and the challenges that lie ahead. He noted a “trust factor” is needed to move the autonomous vehicle industry to a point where consumers have complete confidence in the technology, allowing themselves to take their hands off of the wheel. It is even more critical that the Imaging Congress community advance sensors used in autonomous vehicles. The reliability of the technology will help in the acceptance of autonomous vehicles over the next decade.
Noting that widespread consumer adoption of augmented reality will hinge on both photonics-driven advances and on ‘perception engineering’, Tish Shute, detailed her ‘moonshot’ goal of inspiring one billion active AR users by 2020. To get us there in the next three years, Shute looks to the bulky form factor of current AR glasses. She also looks to close collaboration of groups of neuroscientists, engineers and optics experts to move the technology and consumer applications forward.
The numerous invited and contributed presentations, tutorials, and panel discussions provided a forum for the community to learn and share advances in Optical Imaging Sciences.
New to this year’s Congress programming:
- The View from the Ladder: Perceptions on the Future of Photonics
- Start-ups, Incubators, Accelerators, Oh My!
- When Two Cameras Are Better Than One
Imaging and Applied Optics Congress provides a comprehensive view of the latest developments in imaging and applied optical sciences, covering the forefront advances in imaging and applied optics as well as the application of these technologies to important industrial, military and medical challenges. Watch the video interviews from the 2017 meeting and plan ahead for next year. The 2018 OSA Imaging and Applied Optics Congress will be held from 25-28 June, Orlando, Florida, USA.
About The Optical Society
Founded in 1916, The Optical Society (OSA) is the leading professional organization for scientists, engineers, students and business leaders who fuel discoveries, shape real-life applications and accelerate achievements in the science of light. Through world-renowned publications, meetings and membership initiatives, OSA provides quality research, inspired interactions and dedicated resources for its extensive global network of optics and photonics experts. For more information, visit osa.org.
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