Boston Micromachines
Corporation (BMC), a leading provider of MEMS-based deformable mirror (DM)
products for adaptive optics (AO) systems, today announced it has
manufactured an enhanced DM capable of meeting the criteria for ultra-high
resolution retinal imaging, which is necessary for early detection of
ocular diseases. The new mirror will meet the demanding requirements of
both OEM retinal imaging systems as well as vision science and microscopy
researchers who use AO for biological imaging.
“This new deformable mirror represents a significant scientific
advancement in the field of biological imaging, specifically vision
science. Until now doctors were limited in their ability to gain a clear
view of the human retina due to image distortion caused by tissue-induced
wavefront aberration. Our deformable mirror corrects for that wavefront
aberration,” said Paul Bierden, president of Boston Micromachines. “This
marked improvement in retinal imaging will provide doctors the technology
necessary to detect the leading diseases of the eye: glaucoma, diabetic
retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration years earlier than
previously possible. Earlier detection will result in earlier diagnosis and
earlier treatment.”
The new mirror, which is an enhanced version of Boston Micromachines’
flagship product the Multi-DM, delivers increased stroke while maintaining
the high resolution afforded by its 140 independently controlled actuators.
The mirror’s 3 kilohertz frequency capability allow for high speed
real-time imaging with a 6mm aperture perfectly suited for a dilated pupil.
In addition, the new Multi-DM also provides the wavefront amplitude
correction needed for older eyes by offering 6 microns of stroke. This
translates to 12 microns of wavefront correction, the most wavefront
correction demonstrated by any MEMS DM on the market today. The development
work on this MEMS device was partially funded by the Center for Adaptive
Optics, a NSF Science and Technology Center, and by a National Eye
Institute Phase I SBIR.
The improved Multi-DM will also enable enhancements in other biological
imaging areas. Biological imaging instruments often suffer from resolution
limitations, constraining the ability of researchers and clinicians to
detect critical detail. This loss in resolution is due to the wavefront
aberrations induced by the tissue media through which light passes to reach
the object of interest, such as a cell, retina, or tumor. The Multi-DM’s
ability to actively correct for these aberrations will restore resolution
and enable the extracting of vital information from biological specimens.
“The ever increasing strokes in deformable mirrors, such as the 6um
achieved with BMC’s new Multi-DM, will allow for deeper AO corrected
imaging in biological specimens, more effective correction when used at
longer wavelengths, and improved performance specifications in systems such
as the Adaptive Scanning Optical Microscope (ASOM) and other AO based
imaging systems,” said Ben Potsaid, Research Scientist at the Center for
Automation Technologies and Systems (CATS) located at Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute (RPI).
“Commercial systems require low cost DMs. Never before has there been a
compact, affordable DM available with this magnitude of resolution. Ours is
the only technology that meets the criteria of resolution, speed, size,
stroke,” said Bierden. “This will enable adaptive optics to become a
reality for commercial instruments.”
About the Multi-DM
The Multi-DM is the flagship product in Boston Micromachines’ award-
winning suite of MEMS deformable mirrors, which are used to improve
resolution in microscopes, telescopes, and ophthalmic instruments. The
popular and versatile Multi-DM offers sophisticated aberration compensation
in an easy-to- use package. Typical applications include advanced retinal
imaging systems, laser communication and beam forming.
At Photonics West
Boston Micromachines will be demonstrating the new Multi-DM at
Photonics West 2007 (January 20-25) in San Jose, California, at Booth 6180.
Availability
The new Multi-DM is available immediately.
About Boston Micromachines Corporation
Founded in 1999, Boston Micromachines Corporation (BMC) is the leading
provider of advanced MEMS-based mirror products for use in commercial AO
systems, applying wavefront correction to produce high resolution images of
the human retina and enhance images blurred by the Earth’s atmosphere. The
company’s suite of award-winning compact DM products are the most
economical high-performance mirrors in the market today. They are widely
used in vision science applications such as advanced optic retinal imaging,
long range laser communications and astronomy, including NASA’s search for
planets in other solar systems. Customers include leading manufacturers of
optical imaging and communication systems, governmental agencies and
contractors and vision science research laboratories worldwide, such as
NASA, UCal Berkeley, Lockheed Martin and Boston University. Located in
Watertown, Mass., BMC is privately held and also offers custom
design-manufacturing services. For more information on BMC, please visit
bostonmicromachines.
Boston Micromachines Corporation
bostonmicromachines