Jim Pomager

The last decade has witnessed a virtual explosion in the development and global adoption of communications and information technology. While this era of swift, unprecedented technological advancement has conveyed innumerable benefits to civilian society, it also has ushered in a brand new set of challenges for the United States and other established military powers.  Continue Reading..

At some point in the not-so-distant future, you’ll be able to recharge your smartphone by waving it about in the air for a few moments or (less conspicuously) by simply holding it out in a stiff breeze.What does this have to do with medical device design, you ask? Quite a lot, as it turns out.  Continue Reading..

We've pulled together four lists, each presenting the top five most popular pieces of content — editorials, news, tutorials, and new products — from Photonics Online in 2013. My hope is that these lists will provide you with a quick, informative, and enjoyable look back at the year that was in optics and photonics technology, as we prepare to enter 2014.  Continue Reading..

Earlier this month, NASA pumped a second infusion of cash into the research of Dr. Young K. Bae, a physicist with 25 years' experience in advanced propulsion concepts. The $500,000 award will support further development of Bae’s patented Photonic Laser Thruster (PLT) technology, which the inventor believes will one day transport humans to other solar systems. This article explores how PLTs work and how they could enable the...  Continue Reading..

Builders in South Korea will soon begin construction on Tower Inifinity, a 1500-foot-high skyscraper that will periodically vanish from sight. Learn about the optical technology behind its disappearing act, and how it is representative of a growing trend in cloaking technology.  Continue Reading..

Researchers have developed the world’s first tunable diamond-based Raman laser, capable of producing a broad range of output wavelengths. The device — also the first-ever continuously operating diamond Raman laser — could lead to more targeted treatments for skin and eye disorders, as well as improvements in pollution monitoring and aeronautical engineering.  Continue Reading..

The coming years are sure to be challenging ones for the U.S. military, defense contractors, and the OEMs that support them. But by designing technology that addresses these four trends, the industry can ride out the storm and be well positioned for the upturn that will inevitably come.  Continue Reading..

The FAA announced has issued restricted category type certificates to the Insitu ScanEagle X200 and the AeroVironment Puma AE drones, making them the first UAVs authorized for commercial operations in the U.S. The approvals are a major step toward expanded use of drones in U.S. airspace and should further accelerate growth in an already dynamic sector and generate new opportunities in RF/MW and EO/IR design.  Continue Reading..

Researchers at MIT and the Vienna University of Technology are claiming novel breakthroughs in the development of optical transistors, which use light rather than electricity to carry information. Theoretically, such optical transistors could improve heat/power management and processing speeds in conventional computers, and even facilitate the development of more effective quantum computers — the holy grail of computing.  Continue Reading..

You’ve worked really hard on the design and development of your latest [insert your medical electronics technology here]. You’ve put in long hours. You’ve invested a ton of intellectual and emotional energy in it. You’ve obsessed over its every detail. You’ve neglected other important priorities: family, friends, pets, health, yard, etc. You’ve done everything in your power to ensure its performance and...  Continue Reading..