| Credit: Getty Images |
| Limited infrastructure, scarce educational resources and unreliable internet access hinder physics and photonics education in under-resourced regions. A feature article in the September issue of Optica’s magazine Optics & Photonics News (OPN) looks at how small language models (SLMs)—compact, AI-powered tools capable of running offline on low-power devices—could offer a scalable and practical solution to some of these educational inequities. By functioning as virtual tutors, supporting native-language instruction and enabling interactive learning experiences, SLMs can help mitigate the shortage of trained educators and lack of access to laboratory facilities. |
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The top row shows uncompensated raw imaging results for eight consecutive frames from a video sequence, while the bottom row shows the compensated images processed with the new method. In the enlarged view, moving objects in the raw images, such as buses and cars, exhibit blurred contours and prominent imaging artifacts due to motion.
Image Credit: Yuanjin Yu, Beijing Institute of Technology |
| In a recent article published in Optics Express, researchers describe how they developed a motion-compensation method that allows single-pixel imaging to capture sharp images of complex dynamic scenes. This new method enables the use of single-pixel imaging for monitoring in challenging environments, such as underwater scenes or through fog. It could also eventually enable more precise imaging in fields like medical diagnostics and remote sensing. |
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Researchers developed a new microscope that combines diffractive optics with 25 tiny cameras (pictured) to simultaneously image at multiple depths.
Image Credit: Eduardo Hirata Miyasaki |
| In a new study published in Optica, learn how researchers developed a high-speed 3D imaging microscope capable of capturing detailed cell dynamics of an entire small organism at once. The new microscope, called M25, can be used for both fluorescence and label-free modalities, such as brightfield and polarization microscopy, which are especially useful for imaging sensitive biological systems without introducing dyes or labels. This compatibility with minimally invasive techniques makes the M25 well-suited for applications like embryology, where preserving native physiology is critical. |
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Researchers use laser light to form a tiny “optical pinhole” inside a nonlinear crystal, which also turns the infrared image into a visible image that a traditional silicon-based camera sensor can detect. With this setup, the researchers captured clear, wide-depth images without using any lenses, even in very low light.
Image Credit: Kun Huang, East China Normal University |
| In a recent article from Optica, researchers describe how they used pinhole imaging to create a high-performance mid-infrared imaging system without lenses. This approach has the potential to enhance night-time safety, industrial quality control, and environmental monitoring, while making infrared imaging systems more affordable, portable, and energy efficient in the long run. |
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| Take advantage of this opportunity to celebrate the outstanding achievements of your colleagues. Nominees for 2026 Awards and Medals that reflect and support an inclusive community of scientists, engineers, and professionals across all areas are especially encouraged. The deadline is 1 October 2025. |
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| Optica |
| Have you cast your ballot in the 2025 Optica Elections? Members have until 19 September 2025 to vote for the 2026 Vice President and two Directors at Large for 2026-2028. Instructions for your ballot were sent via email from Survey and Ballot Systems (SBS). Join us at the Optica Annual Business Meeting on 28 October in Denver, Colorado, USA, for the announcement of the election results. |
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| Photo courtesy of Simin Feng |
| Throughout her career, Simin Feng believes that curiosity and self-learning have contributed significantly to her success. Without a mentor, she learns from everyone around her. She shares, “Everyone is a unique individual from whom I can learn a unique talent or perspective.” She is also very interested in how one piece of science connects with another. Simin has a lot of respect for optics because it has such a wide and varied network of applications. |
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| Optica |
Join us for the Pivot Point Webinar featuring Milton and Rosalind Chang Pivoting Fellows, Elvin Chizenga and Fabian Ruf. They will share their personal stories about how optics and photonics is making the world a better place for those in underserved communities.
This webinar is a unique opportunity to learn what motivated their career pivots, the non-technical skills they had to develop, insight into navigating career shifts, and an opportunity to participate in a live Q&A session. |
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| FiO LS Virtual Day awaits. |
| Join global colleagues online 22 October for FiO LS Virtual Day. Registration includes ePosters, Technical Digest Papers, recorded content from Virtual Day and the in-person meeting. |
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| Prepare your OFC research. |
| Share your research at OFC 2026 and gain global visibility. Accepted papers are published in IEEE Xplore, the Optica Publishing Group's platform, and indexed in top databases. |
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