Photonics in the Polish Industry

PCO S.A., in cooperation with the Military University of Technology, Polish Technological Platform on Photonics, and the Warsaw University of Technology, has organized the first conference which covered the area of the Optronic devices. The main tagline which was associated with the event was: “Optronics as a key to the safety and better lives of the citizens”. The event made it possible to discuss and present the role played by photonics in everyday lives. Due to that role and the tasks which are being completed by the optoelectronic industry, when implementing the strategy pursued by the Polish Ministry of Defence, and due to the numerous R&D development programmes in that very field, applications of the technology in the armed forces were the main subject of the conference.

As it was stressed by the representatives of the PCO S.A company in the summary of the event, a wider presentation of the potential possessed by the Polish companies utilizing the photonic technologies, as well as discussion about the development of private entities using this type of technology, were also a subject of the meeting. Moreover, some specific data has been referred to, pertaining to the increased income and expanded production ratios, when it comes to the companies which base their activities on photonics, confirming the hypothesis that optronics market in Poland is quite dynamic.

Among the presented fields of use, the example of making use of thermography for the purpose of carrying out rescue/firefighting operations was discussed, by a representative of the Main School of Fire Service. Representatives of the Airoptic company have showcased laser-borne GasEye systems which may be used to detect dangerous substances, the presence of which may occur during the industrial processes or within the atmosphere. Thanks to the fact that such systems are used, it is possible to effectively measure the concentration of substances, in case of which even a trace quantity could pose a threat and be hazardous for the personnel. During the conference, a presentation of the issues related to use of the optronic systems in the smart-agriculture also took place. Due to the multidimensional character of this field of application, the area is very complex. Tantamount importance of photonics is also seen in road traffic safety, and within the concept of smart transport systems.

Presentation of research results and interesting projects pursued in the field of optronics became a pretext for starting a discussion about practical application of the technology in the areas of market such as security, forestry, agriculture, timber industry or industry in general.Polish achievements in the field of photonics are appreciated around the world, thus it is so important to skillfully utilize this potential domestically, and to establish an effective cooperation between the scientific entities, the army and the industry, in the field of optronics - as it was stated by Ryszard Kardasz, President of the Board – PCO S.A.

Photonics is an interdisciplinary domain, interconnecting the achievements in the fields of optics, electronics and information technology. The sample applications of photonic equipment, showcased and demonstrated during the second edition of the conference, point to the new needs and new fields of application for the aforesaid solutions, inspiring the researchers to develop new designs and devices. The related technologies are being used by the energy industry, precision robotic systems and space technologies.