Computer company establishes imaging arm

Marcelo Lima, the president of Visage Imaging. Credit: VISAGE IMAGING

Mercury Computer Systems, Massachusetts, USA, which specializes in signal and image processing, has established a subsidiary called Visage Imaging to target the growing market of digital diagnostic imaging in hospitals. Visage has its US and European headquarters in Carlsbad, California, and Fürth, Germany, respectively. Products offered by Visage include tools to interpret two-, three- and four-dimensional medical images. The company already has a partnership with the Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine at Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin. The company and the university are working together to improve the use of medical-imaging data for modern procedures, such as computed-tomography angiography and whole-body magnetic resonance imaging. Other projects are aimed at research, such as the visualization and simulation of molecular models, and virtual reality systems to provide a new way to interact with and present scientific data.

DALSA shuts down Colorado imaging operation

In an effort to improve profits, DALSA, a Canadian manufacturer of digital imaging and semiconductor products, is shutting down its X-ray imaging operations in Colorado Springs, USA. The company said it would be discontinuing “only certain camera products that combine non-strategic X-ray detection with certain complex and costly optics components”. DALSA said it would transfer production and research and development of industrial products to other facilities. The motivation behind the closure is to cut costs with the aim of reaching net earnings of greater than 10% for its imaging and semiconductor businesses in 2008. DALSA has announced that it plans to reduce its workforce in the imaging and semiconductor areas of the company business by 8–9%. Chief Executive Officer, Brian Doody, blamed the move on a dip in sales, which he attributed mainly to foreign exchange rates. Profits for the second quarter of this year in the digital imaging division were $2.3 million, down from $3.2 million the year before.

FLIR buys into Cedip

FLIR Systems, a thermal imaging specialist based in Portland, USA, is acquiring the French infrared-camera maker Cedip Infrared Systems. FLIR said it will initially buy at least 67.8% of Cedip's shares for €41.4 million (about $58.5 million). If FLIR decides to purchase all outstanding shares, the total price will be €62.7 million ($88.6 million). FLIR said the acquisition would improve its international distribution network in the scientific camera market; bring it new technology, including cooled mid-wave infrared cameras; and provide a technology and manufacturing base in Europe. FLIR will also gain access to Cedip's Swedish subsidiary, Polytech, and its line of mid-sized, highly stabilized gimbal systems.

In addition, FLIR announced it had received an order worth $22.9 million for stabilized multisensor systems from the US Army Space and Missile Defense Command, and another worth $20 million from the US Navy for similar systems.

Olympus invests in imaging in Bangalore

India's National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) in Bangalore has opened a new laboratory dedicated to imaging. The Micro-Imaging Centre, which became operational in September, has been established thanks to support from the Japanese camera maker Olympus. The deal is the first time NCBS has collaborated with a private company to establish a laboratory. Olympus is installing advanced, high-resolution optical imaging systems for use in bio-imaging. The centre will give researchers and students access to state-of-the-art imaging equipment and help drive the development of biotechnology in India. It will host training programmes, workshops and seminars. The Indian government is pursuing a National Biotechnology Development Strategy, and hopes to build a biotech industry that will produce $5 billion and one million jobs by 2010. The NCBS is housed on the campus of the University of Agricultural Sciences, and part of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.

Companies cooperate on high-resolution imaging

Four subsidiaries of Roper Industries, USA, have teamed up to form the Microimaging Applications Group (MAG) — an alliance that specializes in high-resolution imaging. The companies involved in the initiative are: Gatan, which provides software and instrumentation for scanning-electron and transmission-electron microscopes; Photometrics, which makes standard and electron-multiplying CCD cameras for life-sciences applications; QImaging, which supplies digital CMOS and CCD cameras for life sciences and industrial uses; and Media Cybernetics, which develops image-analysis and control software.

The group, led by Tom Connelly, plans to share expertise among the four subsidiaries to develop instruments, systems and software for what it says will provide a diverse range of life science, materials science and industrial imaging applications. Products developed through the alliance will be marketed under the MAG Biosystems brand and address applications, such as spectral imaging and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching.

Photon Dynamics acquires Salvador Imaging

Photon Dynamics of San Jose, USA, which makes equipment to improve the production of flat-panel displays, has completed its acquisition of Salvador Imaging of Colorado, USA. Salvador makes digital imaging sensors and cameras for medical, industrial and military applications. The acquisition price was valued at about $20 million, of which $8 million was cash and the rest shares of Photon Dynamics stock. Photon Dynamics said the acquisition would expand its business into new areas and provide immediate revenue in visible and near-infrared imaging applications in defence, surveillance, industrial machine vision, and the medical and dental markets. The deal means that a joint venture that the two firms previously established, Salvador Systems LLC, will now be absorbed by Photon Dynamics. Salvador Systems LLC was formed in April 2007 to provide highly sensitive monochrome and colour cameras for military surveillance in low-light conditions.