XR technology has moved from a novelty to something more ubiquitous, with real applications in communication, training, entertainment, and much more. Helping propel these systems is the newly formed AR Alliance. This group recently became a division of SPIE, and together they elevated the advances in XR systems at the AR/VR/MR Expo during Photonics West. With so many industry leaders making the trip to San Francisco for the leading event in our industry, we decided to capitalize on this rare opportunity to bring together six of the brightest minds in XR for a conversation on the future of this market, the emerging tech driving innovation, and the importance of collaboration. In this very special episode of All Things Photonics, and with the assistance of the AR Alliance and SPIE, we’re bringing to the table: Stephan Bellosguardo, VP of Global Product Marketing with Luminus Devices Brian Chen, General Manager of Appotronics Theo Marescaux, Founder and CPO of Swave Jorg Rietterer, CTO of TriLite Technologies Robert Schultz, Vice President of Optics for Vuzix And Barry Silverstein, Director of the Center for Extended Reality at the University of Rochester and former chief technology officer and senior director of optics and display products at Meta Reality Labs All of our guests have unique backgrounds and differing areas of expertise, and they’re sharing their insights on the XR market and the technology at its core on this episode of All Things Photonics.

"All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays. Sponsored by: Hamamatsu – www.Hamamatsu.com

Online crooks commit what’s called “harvest-now-decrypt-later” attacks to record data in transit to later decode for all the valuable information. There is a way to stop it, but it takes more than some antivirus software. CyberRidge is a photonic encryption technology and security startup. Its flagship product is a plug-and-play photonic-layer transmission system that integrates with existing fiber to transform your data into encrypted noise as it travels to its destination. In this episode, we’ll chat with Dan Sadot, the founder and CEO of CyberRidge. He shares his thoughts on the crimes driving demand for this tech, the groups likely to use it, and the finer points of post-quantum optical security for data in transit. "All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays. Sponsored by: Hamamatsu – www.Hamamatsu.com

We are teaming up with the journal Optica to bring you insights into the latest studies driving breakthroughs in optics and photonics. Traditional magnetometers are big and can only operate in extremely cold temperatures. But a new chip-scale magnetometer could offer high-precision readings in an ultra-compact form, while still operating at room temperature. Paolo Pintus from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) and the University of Cagliari, Italy, joins us to talk about the silicon photonics and innovative materials behind this discovery. "All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays. Sponsored by: Hamamatsu – www.Hamamatsu.com

The interference with satellites actively in use for military operations is a real threat to security and civilian safety. But laser communication could provide a deployable solution to the front lines. Unlike radio-frequency links, laser terminals use narrowly focused optical beams that are difficult to jam or intercept. Pairing lasers with existing systems could prove to be unstoppable. Astrolight, a Lithuanian space and defense company, has already deployed terminals used by NATO forces. In this episode, Dalius Petrulionis, co-founder and CTO of Astrolight, discusses how lasers are advancing communication technology and the real-world turmoil that is driving demand for these systems. "All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays. Sponsored by: Hamamatsu – www.Hamamatsu.com

The start of the new year means the return of the biggest event in our industry, SPIE’s Photonics West. Returning to the Moscone Center in San Francisco for its 31st year, the showcase promises to be even bigger than ever with more than 1,500 exhibitors from around the world set to display their latest and greatest tech. In this Spotlight conversation, Bob Hainsey, Senior Director of Science, Technology, and Industry for SPIE, previews some of the biggest changes to this year’s event and offers some helpful tips for attendees. Spotlight from "All Things Photonics"® is a special series of intimate sit-down conversations with preeminent figures in our industry. Sponsored by: Hamamatsu – www.Hamamatsu.com

From TVs to AR/VR headsets, tech giants have always pushed for the highest picture resolution. That push may soon come to an end after researchers demonstrate the smallest pixels to date, reaching the very limits of the human eye. Using nanoparticles, those pixels reproduce colors whose dimensions and arrangement control how light is scattered, and its optical properties can be electrically tuned. A new retina e-paper has allowed researchers to create pixels so small that they can correspond to a single photon receptor in the eye. In this episode, Kunli Xiong, an assistant professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Uppsala University, explains how this technology could go beyond AR/VR systems and improve remote collaboration and even accelerate scientific research. "All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays. Sponsored by: Hamamatsu – www.Hamamatsu.com

We are teaming up with Optica to bring you insights into the latest studies that are leading to breakthroughs in optics and photonics. In this episode, we’re joined by, Jannick Rolland, the Brian J. Thompson Professor in Optical Engineering at the University of Rochester, to explore how freeform optics are reshaping modern optical design. Following her work in a study published in the journal Optica, Rolland discusses her successes and setbacks in her early works with freeform optics and talks about the potential for this technology in a range of applications. "All Things Photonics"® is produced by Photonics Media and airs biweekly, on Tuesdays. Sponsored by: Hamamatsu – www.Hamamatsu.com

PhotonDelta CEO Eelko Brinkhoff joins the podcast to discuss the recently concluded PIC Summit Europe. It is no secret that the present need to upscale in the PICs sector is top of mind for industry leaders. But do stakeholders at different reaches of the value chain perceive this bottleneck in the same light? Brinkhoff discusses this dynamic challenge and recaps this year’s summit. Spotlight from "All Things Photonics"® is a special series of intimate sit-down conversations with preeminent figures in our industry. Sponsored by: Hamamatsu – www.Hamamatsu.com