February 2, 2006, Washington, DC--The 2006 PhAST/Laser Focus World Innovation Awards Program, which honors the most timely, ground-breaking products in the field of laser science, is announcing a call for entrants. One winner and four honorable mentions will be chosen from the entries. The deadline for submission is Friday, March 17 at noon.
The PhAST/Laser Focus World Innovation Award will be presented at the CLEO/QELS and PhAST Plenary Session on Monday, May 22, 2006. The winning company will also participate in the CLEO/QELS and PhAST press luncheon.
Potential submissions must meet several criteria:
* The application, service, or product must have been launched within the period between March 2005 and March 2006;
* The entry must be provided by the manufacturer (distributors and representatives are not eligible);
* If selected as a winner, the presentation must be made by an employee of the submitting company;
* Winners are required to be a 2006 CLEO exhibitor;
* All entries must include a one-page cover letter including the primary contact, company name, email address (for correspondence purposes only), and the presentation title.
The entries must also include a short description of the presentation that addresses the following questions:
* Impact - How much does this product, application, or service benefit or stand to benefit the industry in the future in a unique way?
* Functionality - How functional is this product, application or service? How well does it utilize an existing technology?
* Life Expectancy Before it's Replaced with Something Bigger/Better - What is the potential for long-term viability of this product, application or service?
* Impact on the Optics Industry - What is the long-term impact expected on the industry from this product, application, or service?
* Innovation - To what degree does this product, application, or service replace or improve an older or existing one?
* Patents/Trademarks - Do you or your company hold, have you applied for, or have you been approved for a patent or trademark in relationship to this product, application or service?
For more information on the PhAST/Laser Focus World Innovation Award, visit http://www.phastconference.org/innovation/.