Anticipating the “green revolution,” Laser Focus World published in September 2006 a staff-written Special Report highlighting the role that photonics and optoelectronics can play in efforts to mitigate the global energy crisis (see www.laserfocusworld.com/articles/272166). Since then, the “greening of photonics” has gained momentum and scope.
Driven by the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the sky-high crude-oil prices of late, investments in “going green” are at an all-time high. From efficient solid-state lighting to clean manufacturing with lasers, and from new low-power display and communications technologies to photovoltaic energy generation, the photonics industry is gearing up to deliver solutions that enable greater efficiency and smaller carbon footprints, and promote economic growth. No surprise then, that the “green” theme was prominent recently at the Society for Information Display’s Display Week 2008 in Los Angeles, CA (www.sid.org). With a strong emphasis on making displays “green,” the event was dominated by energy-saving, environmentally sustainable displays—especially highlighting the growing appeal of organic-light-emitting-diode devices (see page 40). Elsewhere, advances in remote sensing are benefiting both resource and environmental management and leading to a growing demand for the imaging technology and the images themselves (see pages 105 and 71).
Recognition of this “green revolution” in photonics, its importance, and its rapid development is what led up to the recent announcement of a new conference and exhibition hosted by Laser Focus World in conjunction with the Optoelectronics Industry Development Association (www.oida.org). To be held next May in Santa Clara, CA, OPTOmism: Photonics for the Green Revolution brings increased focus to the growing role that photonics and optoelectronics is playing in global efforts to “live green.” A broad range of speakers from industry, government, and academia, will enable attendees to find out about the technology, business, and regulatory aspects of this fast-growing field (see www.OPTOmismshow.com).