Location:	Optikos Corporation, 107 Audubon Road, Bldg. 3, Wakefield, MA 01880
	Dinner Reservation Deadline:	Monday, May 14, 2018 @ 6pm

World Metrology Day Short-Talks

As World Metrology Day approaches, please join us for a series of short talks by Optikos engineers that both address a diverse set of optical metrology topics and support the original aim of the Metre Convention on the worldwide uniformity of measurement.

A Beginner’s Guide to MTF Measurements, Hillary Balonek
In any metrology field, it’s easy to get an answer, but it’s far more challenging to get a correct and meaningful answer.  Measuring MTF is no exception, and there are many factors that need to be considered to ensure that the MTF data is useful in solving a problem or answering a question about lens image quality and characteristics.  In this discussion, we’ll stay away from the complicated math and Fourier analysis, and focus on the practical considerations that go into MTF lens measurements.

Rethinking Head Mounted Display Specifications, Brett Sternfield
The AR/VR resurgence has thrust head-mounted displays (HMD’s) back into the spotlight, however, current consumer HMD optical specifications are limited to field of view and display resolution. Both parameters are poorly defined and do not inform the consumer about the visual quality and feeling of immersion that a headset provides. Instead, we propose a revised list of specifications and measurement methods that are more technically accurate, more relevant to the consumer’s VR/AR experience, and more easily understood.    

Lens Shades, Apertures and Stray Light, Peter Clark
Inspired by Irving Abel, we’ll discuss how the extremely effective stray light suppression achieved by coronagraph systems relates to the photographer’s ordinary lens shade, and how an engineer may become confused by terminology.  Then, relating to the coronagraph, we will show how a very simple expression can estimate the diffracted stray light from an arbitrarily shaped aperture, which is interesting and may even be a useful thing to know!

Jim Baker’s Distortion Measurement Apparatus, David Imrie
During the Cold War, aerial reconnaissance film cameras were at the forefront of optical engineering.  Lens designs had to meet extraordinary performance goals, but without the modern day conveniences of precision motorized stages, CCDs, and Excel spreadsheets, devising instrumentation to characterize these remarkable lenses was no less challenging than their actual design.  We reach into the Optikos Museum for an appreciation of a distortion metrology fixture devised by the legendary Jim Baker over 50 years ago.

MEETING SPONSORED BY

Speakers:

Hillary Balonek, Optikos

Hillary graduated from the University of Rochester with a BS in Optics in 2010.  After working at BAE Systems for several years as a laser engineer on various IR counter measure systems for aircraft, Hillary then returned to UR to pursue an MS in Optics, which she completed in 2014.  Hillary then joined Optikos Corporation and is currently the manager of the IQ Lab™ Testing Services department.

Brett Sternfield, Optikos

Brett graduated from the University of Rochester with a BS in Biomedical Engineering and an MS in Optical Engineering. There he developed a passion for lens design and won the Hilbert Memorial Optical Design Competition. Brett began his career at Optikos Corporation and has engineered optical systems ranging from consumer products to medical devices. For the last three years, Brett has specialized in optical design and metrology for virtual reality systems and leads the Company’s efforts in this sector.

Peter Clark, Optikos

Peter Clark is an Optical Engineering Fellow at Optikos Corporation. Before Optikos, he did optical system design for Lensvector, Polaroid, Honeywell, and American Optical. He is a past President of NESOSA, and past member of the board of OSA.

David Imrie, Optikos

David Imrie started his career in optics at the CSIR in Pretoria, South Africa, before joining Optikos over twenty years ago.  A physicist by training, he dabbles in all engineering disciplines that are essential to developing the Company’s new metrology instruments, a function for which he has responsibility in his role as CTO.