Specialty lighting applications in the entertainment and architectural sectors often require high-luminance sources. Vehicle lighting and projection displays require precise beam shaping and spatial beam modulation. The first choice for these applications is often high-intensity discharge (HID) light sources and, to a lesser extent, LEDs, given their small form factor and effectiveness. There is a third option. InGaN laser diodes based on semi-polar orientations of GaN operate at a significantly higher gain compared to more conventional c-plane InGaN diodes. This advance makes them an attractive option over legacy light sources such as halogen and metal halide. This month’s cover story, “Laser Light Source Delivers Superior Optical Control,” by Julian Carey and Paul Rudy of SoraaLaser (read article). Mention the word “wearables” and consumer goods like smartwatches and glasses come to mind. But wearables play a critical role in industries such as field services, maintenance and energy. For wearable displays, there are two options: see-through displays such as smart glasses from Google or see-around displays that are placed near the eye. For either, there are trade-offs in durability, power efficiency and resolution. Be sure to read “Wearables for Work,” by Contributing Editor Hank Hogan (read article). Elsewhere in this edition: • Ground-based near-IR reflectance measurements — combined with chemometric calibrations — offer unique insights into the Earth’s canopy, from trees to tea leaves. Don’t miss “NIRS and Chemometrics Offer Insights Into Earth’s Surface,” by Brian Curtiss of ASD (read article). • Silicone immersion objectives offer advantages in 3D imaging over prolonged periods compared to their water and glycerol-based counterparts. Olympus’ Andrew Samuelsson’s “Silicone Immersion Objectives Answer the Call for Higher Resolution” (read article). • The THz region occupies a small portion of the magnetic spectrum and is suited for medical imaging, security screening and space science. Contributing Editor Marie Freebody investigates whether or not a “killer app” is on the horizon in “Terahertz Window Offers Untapped Potential,” (read article). We round out the issue with Senior Editor Justine Murphy’s examination of the rapidly evolving imaging market in Europe. An increasing demand for health and wellness treatments and noninvasive medical procedures, coupled with the rise of industrial automation, is spurring demand for imaging systems and technology. See “Europe Emerges as Major Player in Imaging” (read article). Enjoy the issue!