Photonics Spectra

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OBERKOCHEN, Germany, Aug. 7, 2026 — ZEISS Ventures led a €2.2 million ($2.5M) investment in SeeTrue Technologies, a deep-tech company developing miniaturized eye-tracking technology. The investment will enable commercialization of SeeTrue’s ultra-low-power eye-sensing architecture, which is designed for interfaces for smart optical systems and eyewear, according to ZEISS.

CUPERTINO, Calif., Aug. 6, 2026 — Apple has acquired PlasmaSolve, a materials engineering company headquartered in Czechia. According to the European Commission’s Digital Markets Act database, the acquisition occurred in April. PlasmaSolve createsdigital twin models for plasma-powered technologies and materials science by synergizing physics simulation, chemistry simulation, machine learning, data mining, and material characterization.

BRISBANE, Australia, Aug. 6, 2026 — Silanna has united its operating companies, Silanna Semiconductor and Silanna UV, under a single corporate identity. The move brings together the company’s expertise in advanced semiconductor technologies and UV LED innovation under one brand.

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Aug. 5, 2026 — QED Technologies International has completed a planned expansion to its operations. The company, as previously announced, has added 20,000 sq ft to its University Avenue facility in the Rochester. The manufacturer of advanced capital equipment for precision optics fabrication and metrology has also established an R&D center and expanded its precision optics fabrication capabilities. The expansion carries a project cost of $18.7 million.

CHANDLER, Ariz., Aug. 5, 2026 — Microchip Technology, a provider of embedded control solutions, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Hailo, a provider of accelerated edge AI processors, advanced vision processing solutions, robotics processors, and comprehensive AI software flows. The transaction is expected to close before October.

STUTTGART, Germany, Aug. 5, 2026 — Organizers of VISION 2026, set to take place Oct. 6-8 in Stuttgart, have unveiled their shortlist for the VISION Award. The five companies will present their innovations during a 1-h session at the Industrial Vision Days on Oct. 7. Courtesy of Messe Stuttgart.

PREMSTAETTEN, Austria, Aug. 5, 2026 — ams OSRAM reappointed Aldo Kamper CEO, extending his contract to 2031. Kamper has served as CEO of ams OSRAM since 2023. He began his career at OSRAM in 1994 and has held various leadership positions in Europe and the U.S. in LED and specialty lighting. In 2010, he took on the role of CEO of the Opto Semiconductors business unit.

STUTTGART, Germany, Aug. 5, 2026 — Organizers of VISION 2026, set to take place Oct. 6-8 in Stuttgart, have unveiled their shortlist for the VISION Award. The five companies will present their innovations during a 1-h session at the Industrial Vision Days on Oct. 7. Courtesy of Messe Stuttgart.

STUTTGART, Germany, Aug. 5, 2026 — To meet a growing demand for optical applications that can be programmed and dynamically controlled, metasurfaces are transitioning from static elements to actively addressable metadevices. 1D routing strategies limit the number and scalability of independently addressable pixels in a metasurface, restricting the spatial degrees of freedom required for complex light control.