SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 23, 2006 -- Technologists, engineers and scientists will unveil 2800 photonics-related research papers at Photonics West 2006, being held this week through Thursday at the San Jose Convention Center. The event also features an exhibition of products from global photonics-related companies, technical courses, plenary sessions and symposiums on trends in optics, lasers, biomedical optics, optoelectronic components and imaging technologies. Photonics West 2006 kicked off Saturday and Sunday with The BiOS 2006 Symposium, which showcased the use of light, lasers and imaging for biomedical applications. About 135 companies -- including JDSU, Newport, Coherent and Photonic Inc. -- presented products for photonic therapeutics and diagnostics, clinical technologies using optics and devices for biomedical research. According to SPIE organizers, the number of BiOS 2006 exhibitors was up 50 percent from last year -- reflecting the increasing use of light and lasers in medicine and biology. More than 2000 people were expected to attend BiOS 2006, during 1200 technical papers were presented on research and innovations in biomedical optics and photonics. Applications include cancer detection and treatment, photon-triggered drug delivery, laser surgery, artificial eyes and nanostructured fiber-optic sensors that detect disease signals in breath samples. Other symposiums being held in conjunction with Photonics West 2006 are LASE 2006, on lasers and applications in science and engineering; OPTO 2006, on integrated optoelectronic devices; and MOEMS-MEMS 2006, on micro- and nanofabrication. The Photonics West 2006 Exhibition, which begins Tuesday, will showcase products involving optics, photonics and imaging technologies. For example, Shimadzu Scientific Instruments Inc. of Columbia, Md., a developer of analytical instrumentation, is exhibiting its Hyper Vision HPV-1 ultrahigh-speed video camera, capable of recording up to a million frames per second while producing high-definition images at a resolution of 312 x 260 –- up to 80,000 pixels per image. San Jose-based Bookham Inc., a maker of optical components, modules and subsystems, will launch a high-power, uncooled multimode pump laser module; it said it will also unveil an expanded high-power laser diode portfolio to industrial and defense markets, including vertical stacks, linear arrays and fiber-pigtailed modules, for the first time in the US. New Focus, a division of Bookham, will debut GuideStar OEM beam-alignment systems and Granite OEM light-management solutions. Canada-based digital camera maker Lumenera Corp. will introduce two digital camera lines at the show: high-speed USB 2.0 cameras designed for industrial markets and a cooled CCD camera aimed at the scientific market. Photonics West 2006 runs through Thursday at the San Jose Convention Center. For more information, visit: www.spie.orgSee Photonics.com's Photonics West 2006 coverage and Photonics West 2006 Product Showcase