Sensor maker Flir Systems Inc. has acquired DigitalOptics Corp.'s Charlotte, N.C.-based micro-optics business for $14.9 million, the company announced Monday. Included in the purchase are fabrication equipment and more than 200 patents and pending applications associated with the design and production of complex optical surfaces, substrates and low-cost components, Flir said. DigitalOptics is a subsidiary of Tessera Technologies Inc. The micro-optics business fabricates high-volume, low-cost wafer-scale specialty optics products, including lenses, lens arrays, optical receivers and transceivers, and infrared optical components for applications used in security, surveillance, photolithography, data communications, laser-based medical equipment and 3-D gesture recognition. "Bringing this low-cost wafer-scale micro-optics technology to our operations provides us significant capability and cost advantages as we move into high-volume markets for thermal imaging," said Flir President and CEO Andy Teich. "We look forward to adding these proprietary processes, manufacturing capabilities, and experienced engineering and production personnel to Flir." For more information, visit: www.flir.com