Background
MRSI Systems is a community member of AIM (American Institute of Manufacturing) Photonics and the local Photonics ecosystem. AIM Academy launched its premiere Lab for Education & Application Prototypes (LEAP) on MIT’s campus in the spring of 2017. On January 11th, 2018 Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Quinsigamond Community College announced they would receive $4 million dollars for a second LEAP facility on WPI’s campus. MIT and WPI/QCC’s LEAPs are the first of many that will be set up along the I-90 corridor, from Boston to Rochester, NY. This I-90 corridor partnership is a broad coalition that includes AIM Photonics Academy, MassTech Collaborative, several community colleges and universities, the Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program (MASS MEP), industry, Massachusetts state legislators and governor Charlie Baker’s office.
This second LEAP will support integrated photonics design and testing initiatives including the following applications:
- autonomous vehicles
- data storage
- telecommunications
These LEAP facilities will expand R&D opportunities, develop the local workforce, and build educational programs.
MRSI
As part of the Jan 11th WPI/LEAP announcement, MRSI Systems’ Vice President of Product Management, Dr. Yi Qian was invited to give a presentation on Industry Applications for Integrated Photonics and was one of the panelists invited to discuss the implications for the semiconductor industry. Dr. Qian talked about the unique challenges that the integrated photonics industry is currently facing, due to increasingly higher volume in manufacturing and how the LEAP can support local small manufacturing enterprises to capitalize on this trend. MRSI is pleased to be involved in the growth of the LEAP network to help advance innovation in photonics.
Learn more about AIM Photonics.
Read the press release Integrated Photonics R&D Facility.
Watch the Photonics Media Video Supporting the Photonics Industry from the Laboratory – LIGHT MATTERS 01.2018.