Daily News Briefs

Phasebridge Inc. of Pasadena, Calif., has been awarded a contract to develop and manufacture integrated fiber optic transmitters and receivers for the AN/ALR-95 system on the P-3C Maritime Patrol Aircraft. The contract was awarded by EDO Corp., which is providing the AN/ALR-95 system to the Naval Air Systems Command Maritime Patrol Aircraft Program. Phasebridge specializes in advanced photonic integration technologies, including optical devices and subsystems for analog radio frequency signal processing and optical fiber transmission. Phasebridge will develop these modules using its proprietary hybrid integration technology. The photonic modules developed under this contract are expected to deliver high-bandwidth electronic support measures (ESM) in challenging environmental conditions. . . . Foresight Nanotech Institute of Palo Alto, Calif., a nanotechnology think tank, has appointed three executives to its board of directors, effective immediately. They are commercial space flight pioneer Peter Diamandis, CEO of the X Prize Foundation, a nonprofit organization using competitions to create breakthroughs in space technologies, and Zero Gravity Corp., a space entertainment and tourism business; Ed Niehaus, a partner in venture capital firm Cypress Ventures; and James Von Ehr II, founder and CEO of Zyvex Corp., a supplier of nanotechnology to the aerospace, defense, health care, medical, semiconductor and telecommunications markets. The new board members are expected to guide Foresight's new mission, which is to promote the beneficial use of nanotechnology.