Ocean Optics - a Halma PR news blog

High output, low wattage long bulb life with color engine for stage and architectural lighting design
Largo, FL (November 17, 2008) – Lighting design efficiency has taken a giant step forward with the Nemo, now available from SeaChanger by Ocean Optics.  This new class of high-intensity lighting reduces energy costs with a solid state, energy efficient LIFI® plasma source to reduce consumption and heat load.  Available with all SeaChanger novel color engines, the Nemo uses all existing ETC Source Four front-end barrels and an assortment of ETC FOV optics. 

The Nemo’s LIFI® plasma source delivers 15,000 lumens on a modest 180 watts of power–over 6 times the efficiency of comparable color engines.  This translates to 83 Lumens per Watt out of the Nemo, as compared to 12 Lumens per Watt out of conventional incandescent fixtures.  With over 15,000 hours of lamp life, the Nemo is ideal for installations like domes, worship ceilings and atriums where lighting position makes regular maintenance a challenge.

The SeaChanger Nemo is convection cooled and totally silent–no noisy cooling fans, with smooth, swipe-free color transitions.  The dichroic filters provide higher transmission efficiency than gels and other filter materials; their resistance to temperature and humidity assures color consistency for the life of the fixture.  The Nemo is now available in an indoor profile fixture.  An outdoor profile fixture for landscape and open-air venue lighting will be available in April 2009.

For more information about the SeaChanger Nemo, call 727.545.0741, send an e-mail to SeaChanger@OceanOptics.com, or visit the SeaChanger website at www.SeaChangerOnline.com. 

Tom Stanziano to develop presence in worship markets for dichroic color changers
Dunedin, FL (October 7, 2008) – Ocean Optics, a global leader in optical sensing solutions, has appointed Tom Stanziano to the position of Sales Specialist for its Thin Films Divisions’ SeaChanger products.

A veteran lighting designer and consultant, Stanziano will guide customers in choosing SeaChanger lighting products suited to their production needs.  The CYMG color changer attaches to the reflector housing of any Source Four Ellipsoidal to create dramatic lighting effects.  The robust dichroic filter enhances standard lighting everywhere-from theater and church productions to Broadway musicals, clubs and corporate events.  Profile, wash and studio versions are available.  Stanziano will provide sales and service support for the entire line of SeaChanger products, and be responsible for expanding the company’s presence in the worship market.

Prior to joining Ocean Optics, Stanziano owned Lumen-Essence, LLC-Lighting Design and Consultation, designing lighting systems for churches across the country.  He has also served as Lighting Director for Joel Osteen Ministries at the Lakewood Church in Houston, TX., managing lighting for broadcast, ministry touring, and the main 16,000 seat venue.  Before that, he gained experience in lighting for the entertainment market during two years with Opryland USA, and four years with Celebrity Cruises and Disney Cruise Line.

“Tom’s experience as both a lighting director and consultant will be invaluable in working with our SeaChanger customers,” said Phil Buchsbaum, Vice President of the Thin Films division of Ocean Optics. “Not only does he understand the product from a technical standpoint, he’s experienced in working with architects, contractors and end users to meet specification, installation and budgeting needs.”

Worldwide production supplies and services supplier to distribute SeaChanger Color Engine products in Pacific Rim
Dunedin, FL (October 3, 2008) – Ocean Optics has reached an agreement with TMB for distribution of the Ocean Optics’ line of SeaChanger Color Engine products in the Pacific Rim. Under terms of the arrangement, TMB will have exclusive distribution rights in relation to SeaChanger Dichroic Color Changers in Australia, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

The ESTA Award-winning SeaChanger is a CYMG color changer that attaches to the reflector housing of any Source Four Ellipsoidal and uses robust dichroic filter technology to create a virtually endless palette of stable, reproducible colors.  Profile, wash and studio versions of SeaChanger are available. Installations have included the Royal Opera House in London, Disney’s Broadway production of TARZAN® and the restoration of the Salt Lake Tabernacle of the LDS Church.

“We are excited by this new partnership with TMB in the Pacific Rim, where growth in China and other countries is robust and SeaChanger has such great potential,” said Phil Buchsbaum, Vice President of the Thin Films division of Ocean Optics. “We have collaborated with TMB in North America, and are impressed by their experience, knowledge of the market and commitment to innovative entertainment technologies such as SeaChanger.”

Founded in 1983, TMB provides a range of products and services for the entertainment production and architectural lighting industries. The company has offices in Los Angeles, London, New York, Toronto and Beijing.  Contacts for TMB are Tommy Stephenson (ts@tmb.com) for: China; Hong Kong; Korea; and Japan, Lucky Ludlow (ll@tmb.com) for: Singapore; Malaysia; Vietnam; Thailand; Cambodia; and Indonesia, and Chris Curran (ck@tmb.com) for Australia and New Zealand working out of the UK office.

To learn more, call 727.545.0741, send an e-mail to SeaChanger@OceanOptics.com, or visit the SeaChanger website at www.SeaChangerOnline.com.  Find out more about TMB at www.tmb.com.

New probe virtually eliminates back reflection from excitation radiation
Dunedin, FL (September 29, 2008) – Ocean Optics (www.oceanoptics.com), the industry leader in miniature photonics, has added the novel QF600-8-VIS/NIR Fiber Optic Fluorescence Probe to its line of spectroscopy and optical sensing technologies.

 
The new probe is designed to eliminate the back reflection from excitation radiation, resulting in a greater fluorescence signal than can be achieved using more traditional fluorescence probe design parameters. Depending on experiment conditions, order-of-magnitude fluorescence signal improvement is possible.

The QF600-8-VIS/NIR uses one flat fiber for detection and seven angled fibers that direct excitation energy to the region in front of the detection fiber. Depending on the excitation wavelength, an adjustable window can facilitate choosing the depth of overlap.

Custom options for the QF600-8-VIS/NIR are available at additional cost, including different fiber wavelength range versions, various connectors and jacketing options, and custom lengths (two meters is standard). Solarization-resistant fiber is also available.

More information is available at www.oceanoptics.com, by calling Ocean Optics World Headquarters at +1 727-733-2447, or by e-mailing Info@OceanOptics.com.

New compact colorimeter that measures to human eye standard
Dunedin, FL (August 26, 2008) – Ocean Optics (www.oceanoptics.com), the industry leader in miniature photonics, has announced its partnership with Admesy (www.admesy.nl) to provide the Brontes Colorimeter for color measurement in online applications.

The Brontes features 5,500 color measurement per second and 18,000 luminance measurements per second in burst mode. Color is measured using photodiode sensors and an XYZ interference filter. It has 8 selectable luminance ranges with a lowest luminance level of 0.05cd/m². Supported color spaces include XYZ, Yxy, L*a*b*, Y’u'v’, LCH. Also supported are color temperature and dominant wavelength measurements. The Brontes is especially useful in situations where speed and stability are key demands.

The device interfaces with a PC using USB2.0 or RS232 and can be interfaced with embedded systems using either the same connections or I²C, available via a GPIO connector. Besides connection to PCs or embedded systems, the Brontes can also operate as a stand-alone unit for Go/NoGO measurements. In stand-alone mode it recognizes color or luminance/transmission, which are teachable by the end user.

The colorimeter comes with standard software applications for measuring and storing data. Additional developer source code is also included for LabVIEW, C++, C# and VB for end users who prefer to design their own applications. The unit also features the USBTMC class, which ensures it operates directly in Test & Measurement environments, such as National Instruments LabVIEW, through the VISA USB device drivers. Drivers are available for Microsoft Windows, Apple OSX and Linux.

More information is available at http://www.oceanoptics.com/Products/colorimeter.asp, by calling Ocean Optics’ World Headquarters at +1 727-733-2447, or e-mailing Info@OceanOptics.com.

CMYG color changers illuminate stunning “Tree of Prosperity” show
Dunedin, Florida (August 22, 2008) – Nearly 100 SeaChanger Color Engines from Ocean Optics were chosen to create the dramatic lighting effects of the spectacular “Tree of Prosperity” installation at the Wynn Macau Resort and Casino (www.wynnmacau.com), a lavish 600-room casino hotel on the thriving Macau island off of China’s southeastern coast.

SeaChanger xG (Extreme Green) Profile version color engines were added as part of a major expansion completed in December 2007, ringing the lobby rotunda of the resort to form an integral part of the Tree of Prosperity show.  In the show – an explosion of light, video, music and art — the ceiling opens up to reveal a spectacular, descending chandelier.  As a 24-carat gold-covered tree emerges from the floor, it is illuminated by the SeaChangers in a dazzling array of colors that convey the passing of the seasons.  The show runs twice an hour for about five minutes, and can be viewed at YouTube.com (search “Wynn Macau Tree of Prosperity”).

The four-filter CYMG SeaChanger attaches to the reflector housing of any Source Four Ellipsoidal and uses robust dichroic filter technology to create a virtually endless palette of stable, reproducible colors.  Color transitions from clear to 100% saturation are possible in less than one second.  The filters have a higher transmission efficiency than gels and other filter materials, and their resistance to temperature and humidity eliminates the need for noisy fans that may interfere with production audio.

The SeaChangers were specified by lighting designer Patrick Woodroffe (www.patrickwoodroffe.com) and installed by Ocean Optics distributor Peter Chong of Prosperity Lamps & Components Limited (www.prosperitylamps.com).  Woodroffe’s work spans the worlds of music, theater, events and architectural installations ranging from The Millennium Dome in London, England, to Prague Castle for the president of the Czech Republic.

To learn more, call 727.545.0741, send an e-mail to SeaChanger@OceanOptics.com, or visit the SeaChanger website at www.SeaChangerOnline.com.

Spectroscopy Leader Rolls Out Online Video Instruction for Use with Ocean Optics Spectrometers and Software
Dunedin, Florida (July 24, 2008) – Ocean Optics, the industry leader in miniature photonics, has just introduced a new line of video tutorials as a learning companion to its extensive range of spectrometers and spectroscopy software.

Nicknamed “Spectroscopy TV”, the tutorials are designed to help new Ocean Optics customers set up, calibrate and use their spectrometers in a variety of applications. Episodes are also dedicated to demonstrating SpectraSuite, the company’s spectroscopy software.

“We are excited to introduce this new learning tool to our customers,” said Director of Marketing and Customer Relations, Rob Morris. “We are confident that these videos will complement our documentation and website by giving customers another tool for getting to know their spectrometer and software.”

The videos are published to the company’s website at www.oceanoptics.com/tv.asp and viewers are encouraged to submit suggestions for content to marketing@oceanoptics.com .

Simple, elegant system measures ophthalmic lenses, glass and optical filters
Dunedin, Florida (July 17, 2008) – For accurate, repeatable real-time transmittance measurement of optical lenses and other optical components, Ocean Optics has introduced the Optical Transmittance Spectrometer (OTS).  The compact system measures tint color, photopic transmittance and UV cutoff of ophthalmic lenses, optical coatings, windows and filters, as well as characterizing photochromic, electrochromic and sun lens materials.

The OTS is built on a high-resolution miniature linear CCD-array spectrometer configured for the 380-780 nm wavelength range. The system accepts samples from 10-76 mm diameter and 15 mm thickness for use in lab applications where transmittance accuracy (to +/- 1.0%) and precision (+/- 0.1%) are critical.

A high-power, 20-watt tungsten halogen light source provides stable, continuous output. High resolution optics provide beam collimation. The sample fixture (z-stage) holds the sample in place and excludes ambient light.

Windows-based software calculates %T, color, and other critical optical measurements to meet CE, UL, RoHS, WEEE requirements. Ocean Optics Applications Engineers are available to customize the software with the modules required for application needs.

The Jaz brings harmony to applications where multi-channel spectral analysis is necessary
Dunedin, Florida (June 18, 2008) – Now available from Ocean Optics is a modular optical sensing platform that easily integrates multi-point spectral sampling and reference monitoring into process streams and other sample environments. 

Jaz is a family of stackable, modular and autonomous components that share common electronics and communications. At its heart is a miniature CCD-array spectrometer, available with user-selected grating and slit options optimized for a variety of application needs, in a design that accommodates up to 8 spectrometer channels.

Each Jaz stack includes a powerful microprocessor and display, so that full spectra data can be acquired, processed and stored onboard the unit — without the need for a PC. Spectral data also can be transferred to a laptop or desktop PC for additional post-acquisition processing, such as displaying x-axis values in wavenumbers or nanometers or combining data from multiple spectrometer channels in a single graph.

“Smaller, lower-cost optical sensing systems like Jaz make feasible some spectral applications that were previously cost-prohibitive,” says Mike Kayat, Ocean Optics Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “For example, instead of using expensive laboratory spectrophotometers to monitor the chemical composition of a finished product, a series of less expensive Jaz modules can be installed into process lines or used as rugged handheld instruments in the field.”

In addition, Jaz systems can be rapidly configured for a variety of absorbance, reflectance and emission measurements, with potential applications as far-ranging as monitoring of dye baths for carpeting, verification of color and appearance of food, and analysis of chemical dissolution processes for pharmaceuticals production.

Jaz is also available with an Ethernet module that allows users to connect to the Jaz unit via the Internet, making remote measurements possible and enabling the creation of networked sensing modules. The Ethernet module also has data storage capability via an SD card slot.

The Jaz Lithium-Ion battery module is rechargeable in the field via a solar cell, or in the QC lab or process stream using the Power over Ethernet connection (100 Mbps, IEEE 802.3-compliant 10/100 single-cable), the USB 2.0 port or an external power supply. The battery module also has a power-conserving sleep mode for long-term measurements and two additional SD card slots for storing data. Additional Jaz modules include VIS/NIR or LED light sources.

Jaz can be connected to a variety of fiber optic sampling accessories, including process-ready optical multiplexers, transmission dip probes and flow cells, and temperature-regulated cuvette holders. An add-on holster accessory makes the Jaz wearable, freeing hands to manipulate sampling devices.

Unlike traditional light meters, Jaz provides full spectral analysis in a simple, handheld unit
Dunedin, Florida (June 17, 2008) – The Jaz from Ocean Optics is a modular, handheld optical-sensing instrument now available for radiometric analysis of LEDs, flat panel displays, lamps and other radiant sources. With its small footprint and convenient onboard display, Jaz is ideal for relative intensity measurements of incandescent, high-intensity discharge, UV curing and fluorescent lamps, as well as low-power sources such as LEDs and OLEDs. 

Jaz is family of stackable, modular and autonomous components that share common electronics and communications. Included in the Jaz stack is a CCD-array spectrometer that can be optimized for a variety of radiometric measurements and a microprocessor with onboard display. Unlike traditional light meters, Jaz allows users to capture, process and store full spectra without the need for a PC.  Spectral data can be transferred to a laptop or desktop PC for additional post-acquisition processing, such as calculating color temperature, spectral intensity and color space values.

Jaz’s Ethernet and battery modules offer unmatched portability. The Ethernet module has data storage capability via an SD card slot and allows users to connect to the Jaz unit via the Internet — making remote measurements such as solar irradiance possible and enabling the creation of networked sensing modules. The Lithium-Ion battery module is rechargeable in the field via a solar cell or in the QC lab using the Power over Ethernet connection (100 Mbps, IEEE 802.3-compliant 10/100 single-cable), the USB 2.0 port or an external power supply. The battery module also has a power-conserving sleep mode for long-term measurements and two additional SD card slots for storing data.

“Jaz offers an attractive combination of spectral sensing power and handheld portability for all sorts of lighting measurements,” says Mike Kayat, Ocean Optics Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “As energy savings and cost concerns help drive demand for more efficient LEDs and other types of lighting, the value of simple, convenient diagnostic instrumentation is magnified.”

The Jaz platform also expands to include light sources (VIS-NIR or LED) and additional spectrometer channels. Jaz can be connected to fiber optic sampling accessories such as integrating spheres (for collecting emission with a 360-degree Field of View), cosine correctors (collecting with 180-degree Field of View) and optical fibers. An add-on holster accessory makes the Jaz wearable, freeing hands to manipulate sampling devices.