Daily News Briefs

Awaiba LDA, a Portuguese developer of CMOS image sensors, has received an Idea Five award, given annually by the Portuguese Agency for Innovation. Awaiba, based in Funchal, Madeira, specializes in high-speed and high-dynamic area- and line-scan image sensors for machine-vision applications such as quality control, high-speed video analysis and automotive manufacturing. . . . Lumenis Ltd., an Israel-based developer of laser and light-based devices for medical, aesthetic, ophthalmic, dental and veterinary applications, announced an agreement with a former US distributor, Eclipse Medical Ltd., to begin direct sales and service operations in Eclipse's former region, which comprises Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas. . . . Vermont Photonics, of Brattelboro, Vt., has been awarded a $3.15-million contract by the Army Research Laboratory to develop a novel spectroscopy system incorporating terahertz laser technology. The spectroscopy system will be built by Vermont Photonics and the Optical & Space Systems division of Goodrich Corp. as a prototype system for use in defense applications to detect agents of bioterrorism.