Daily News Briefs

The global market for nanophotonic devices is projected to grow from $420.7 million in 2004 to $9.33 billion in 2009, with an AAGR (average annual growth rate) of 85.8 percent between 2004 and 2009, according to an upcoming report (RGB-314 Nanotechnology for Photonics) from Business Communications Co. Inc., of Norwalk, Conn. The most important applications of nanophotonics devices over the next five years, in terms of sales, are expected to be displays and monitors, bioassays and computing and electronics, according to the company. Other applications, such as lighting, account for a much smaller share of the market, it said. For more information, visit: bccresearch.com. . . . Kuka Robotics Corp., a Michigan manufacturer of industrial robots, has appointed John Nelson key technology manager, plastics, for North America. Kuka Robotics is a subsidiary of Kuka Roboter GmbH, of Augsburg, Germany. Kuka robots are used in the appliance, automotive, aerospace, consumer goods, logistics, food, pharmaceutical, medical and plastics industries and in applications including material handling, machine loading, assembly, packaging, palletizing, welding, bending, joining and surface finishing.