Scanning, Sensing & Imaging
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Scanning and sensory devices are used in several application areas, usually to measure physical quantities and convert them to signals that can be read by observers and instruments. They deal with the capturing of 1, 2 and 3 dimensional images and the processing of information. Indicative examples vary from small sensors for temperature, chemical composition, to large systems that are used for medical scanning, lithographic production systems and astronomy.
Within manufacturing, scanning and sensing are often crucial elements to the production process especially in quality control, marking and positioning. Examples are the imaging systems for robotized manufacturing and scanning systems for detection of production errors. These systems are used both in high tech manufacturing industries such as microelectronics production and increasingly in traditionally lower technology areas such as food production. The use in final markets is diverse.
For Medical & Healthcare activities scanning & imaging is a critical component of diagnostics in locating diseased areas. Within Defense & Security, remote threat identification is just one of the examples of the use of these devices and systems. Transport many imaging devices are used with the infrastructure to e.g. enhance safety with speed and traffic monitoring cameras as well as automatic toll and congesting charging. Sensing devices are also increasingly deployed in cars to monitor the surrounding environment to increase safety and comfort.
Also the use of sensors in Science has become crucial to conducting research, specially to make the invisible visible (e.g. microscopy and astronomy) and to assess material and process characteristics. Last, but not least, scanning and sensing is increasingly important in ICT based consumer devices such as camera’s, mobile phones and home automation.
Source:¨The leverage effect of Photonics technologies: the European perspective¨ Photonics21 ETP
Keywords: Imaging Sector, Thin Film Sensing & Methology, Optical Fibre Sensing, Biomedical Imaging, LIDAR Sensing
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