Civan Lasers Expands to Europe; VoxelSonors Acquires EyeWay’s IP: Week in Brief: 2/23/24

Civan Lasers, a developer of laser technology, has opened its first European office in Hannover, Germany. The office will function as a central hub for sales, service, and R&D, with a focus on welding process innovation. It includes a demonstration room equipped with a 14kW laser with a galvo scanner and a fast axis XY table. The office serves to meet growing demand in Europe.

Civan Lasers has opened its first office in Euope, in Hannover, Germany. The office features a demonstration room equipped with a 14kW laser (shown). Courtesy of Civan Lasers.

BRUSSELS — Sensing technologies company VoxelSensors has acquired the intellectual and industrial property of XR glasses developer EyeWay Vision. The acquisition strengthens VoxelSensors' position in spatial and empathic computing for mobile and XR. EyeWay's technology includes a novel gaze-contingent projection architecture including underlying technology, such as dynamic exit pupil shifter, varifocal foveated projection, laser-based gaze tracker, and efficient sequential graphical pipeline.

An artist’s representation of VoxelSensors’ gaze tracking technology. Courtesy of VoxelSensors.

TORUN, Poland — Noctiluca, a developer of OLEDs, has expanded its business to encompass chemical contract research organization services, sublimation, and a broader range of chemical materials. According to Noctiluca, the company already has customers in these areas.

OLED technology developer Noctiluca credits its business expansion to its recently opened laboratory, which the company unveiled in 2023. Courtesy of Noctiluca.

MUNICH — Semiconductor developer Infineon Technologies has agreed to sell two of its backend manufacturing sites in Cavite, Philippines and Cheonan, South Korea to two fully owned subsidiaries of semiconductor manufacturer ASE Technology Holding. The plants currently run under the entity names Infineon Technologies Manufacturing Ltd. – Philippine Branch and Infineon Technologies Power Semitech Co., Ltd. and will be acquired by ASE Inc. and ASE Korea Inc., respectively. Post transaction, ASE will assume operations with current employees, with plans to further develop both sites to support multiple customers. ASE and Infineon have also concluded long-term supply agreements under which Infineon will continue to receive previously established services, as well as services for new products to support its customers and fulfill existing commitments.

CALGARY, Alberta — The University of Calgary (UCalgary) has entered into a partnership with neutral atoms quantum computing company PASQAL through its quantum hub Quantum City. The partnership aims to establish an experimental data center and promote bilateral exchanges between France, Quebec, and Alberta's quantum ecosystems. Additionally, a suite of educational programs, workshops, and industry exposure opportunities will be curated for students and researchers. Through the partnership, PASQAL will fund research programs and aid in faculty recruitment, and UCalgary will provide access to its planned Quantum City qHub and qLab facilities to facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration and quantum technology commercialization.

ORLANDO, Fla. — NUVIEW, an Earth observation and geospatial technology company, has acquired Astræa, Inc., a software-as-a-service platform. The acquisition of Astræa will allow NUVIEW to diversify and strengthen its position across multiple markets. The company will utilize Astræa's AI-driven distribution and analysis tools to bolster its lidar-based Earth observation platform by interpreting changes in data and providing insights based on those changes.

OTTAWA, Ontario — The Canadian government has given industrial laser systems developer LaserX a repayable contribution of $1 million CAD ($741,755) through the Canada Economic Development of Quebec Regions (CED). The CED assistance will facilitate the business's efforts to commercialize new laser welding equipment that will make it possible to produce electric vehicle batteries more quickly.