Leica Microsystems Wins PRODEX AWARD for FusionOptics^TM

Leica Microsystems has won a PRODEX AWARD 2008 for the development of FusionOptics^TM. The innovative approach in optics has helped stereomicroscopy to hitherto unknown resolution and field depth and was used for the first time in 2007 in the Leica M205 C. The jury of the Swiss industry award found the simple yet ingenious concept of FusionOptics so convincing that it gave it second prize.

"We are terrifically proud to have won this award in the face of such high-class competition," said Dr. Harald Schnitzler of Leica Microsystems' Industry Division, who played a key role in the development of the patented FusionOptics. "In many industrial applications, stereomicroscopes with FusionOptics provide new and better possibilities of examining and evaluating microstructures of materials, components, and products."

The award was presented for the first time in Basel at the PRODEX international fair for machine tools, tools, and production measurement on 20th November 2008. It was organized by the exhibition company Exhibit & More AG and Vogel Business Media AG with its trade journals SMM Schweizer Maschinenmarkt and MSM Le Mensuel de l’industrie. Over 30 of the 325 exhibitors had entered a product or service, ten of which had been nominated for the final round to choose the top three prizewinners.

FusionOptics makes advantageous use of a neurophysiological phenomenon: The left beam path provides high field depth, while the right beam path delivers high resolution. The human brain combines the best information from both channels to form an image displaying higher resolution and field depth than ever before in a stereomicroscope.