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World-Class Optical Networking and Communications Event, OFC 2015, Concludes in Los Angeles
[March 26, 2015]

World-Class Optical Networking and Communications Event, OFC 2015, Concludes in Los Angeles


The 2015 OFC Conference and Exposition concluded today at the Los Angeles Convention Center with 560 exhibitors, more than 1,100 presentations and 12,375 attendees from around the world. Marking a multi-year growth pattern, the exhibit floor grew 10 percent to 106,700 square feet year over year. Conference and exhibition programming provided attendees with valuable insights into the latest optical communications research (near- and long-term) and technology from more than a dozen topical areas (i.e. bandwidth demand, 100G/400G network design and optimization, 1 terabit (Tb) and beyond optical networking, and wavelength agile access networks). OFC 2015 took place 22-26 March at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California, USA.

In celebration of the International Year of Light, OFC hosted "Light the Future: A Community Outreac ...

In celebration of the International Year of Light, OFC hosted "Light the Future: A Community Outreach Event" in the exhibit hall at the Los Angeles Convention Center. This program featured light-focused demonstrations by university chapter members of The Optical Society and IEEE Photonics Society for local Los Angeles high school students and Girl Scouts of the USA. (Photo: Business Wire)

Hot Topics in Optics

Exhibiting companies made news with more than 100 news announcements highlighting technical advancements in 100G coherent modules, optical transceivers for data centers, and software-based solutions. This year's conference offered the insider's perspective on society's continued progression to constant connectedness and the Internet of Things, such as smart appliances and mobile apps. The diversity of the technical sessions indicated the convergence of the traditional telecom service providers and the data center. Exhibiting companies also provided technology insights through their participation in show floor programming with topics such as software defined networking, integrated photonics and intra-data center interconnects that encompass the complete landscape of optical convergence and network evolution.

"Each year, I look forward to OFC, as it's the place to come if you're working in optical fiber communication," said Seb Savory of UCL, United Kingdom and 2015 General Chair. "Not only can you catch up with the technical community and the latest research, but you can also see the industry trends and emerging technologies demonstrated on the exhibit floor."

Kathy Tse, AT&T (News - Alert) and 2015 and 2016 OFC General Chair, added, "OFC is the oneconference where I can learn about groundbreaking research from respected experts from academia and industry and to understand the latest business news and trends. This year we saw groups from around the world announcing the latest results in SDN, NFV, and silicon photonics, among others. I'm excited to keep this year's momentum going as we head to Anaheim for 2016."



Clint Schow, IBM (News - Alert) T.J. Watson Research Center and 2015 General Chair, said, "Organizing a successful OFC conference each year is an enormous task that is under-taken by many volunteers. The high quality of the OFC program is a direct result of the efforts of the technical program chairs, subcommittee chairs and committee members. We would like to thank these volunteers for making it possible for OFC to continue as the foremost optical communications conference."

Light the Future: A Community Outreach Event


In celebration of the International Year of Light, OFC hosted "Light the Future: A Community Outreach Event" today, Thursday, 26 March, in the exhibit hall at the Los Angeles Convention Center. This program featured light-focused demonstrations by university chapter members of The Optical Society and IEEE Photonics Society for local Los Angeles high school students and Girl Scouts of the USA. More than 100 students meet with representatives of the optics and photonics industry. The students also toured the exhibition floor.

Participating volunteers and chapters include:

Spectrobox; The Colors of Light
University of California, Irvine, USA
The Optical Society Student Chapter
Demonstration: Students will present a kit that they designed specifically for their own youth education outreach efforts. This kit provides lessons on the colors that make up white light as well as how light can be mixed as well as split.

Slinky Spring, Magic Balls, Color Mix Box (News - Alert) and Guiding Light
University of Aveiro, Portugal
The Optical Society Student Chapter
Demonstration: Students will conduct four demonstrations in the wave-like properties of light, transparency, how wavelengths interact and light propagation.

Telecommunications, EM Spectrum (News - Alert) and Lenses, Optical Illusions, Mirrors and Reflections, Music Transmission
University of Southampton, UK
The Optical Society Student Chapter
Demonstrations: Interactive topics to include optical illusions, holograms and telecommunications.

Music Transmission/Amplitude Modulation
IEEE Photonics Society
Demonstrations: Volunteers will use an interactive display to allow students to transmit sound from their smartphones with laser technology. A photodetector will capture the laser beam light and act as the receiver.

Solar Aid/Unite to Light
IEEE Photonics Society
Raising Awareness: Volunteers will how they are able to grow the efforts of Solar Aid and Unite to Light to bring access to safe, clean solar lights to Africa.

In addition to the demonstrations, all students will receive an International Year of Light "LIGHT BLOX" kit which features several optics-based projects which can be easily recreated at home or in the classroom.

Next year's OFC will be held in Anaheim, California, USA, 20 - 24 March 2016, at the Anaheim Convention Center. More than 80 percent of the exhibition space has been sold.

About OFC

OFC is the largest global conference and exposition for optical communications and networking professionals. For more than 40 years, The Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exposition (OFC) has drawn attendees from all corners of the globe to meet and greet, teach and learn, make connections and move business forward. OFC includes dynamic business programming, an exposition of more than 560 companies, and high impact peer-reviewed research that, combined, showcase the trends and pulse of the entire optical networking and communications industry. For more information, visit ofcconference.org.

OFC is managed by The Optical Society (OSA) and co-sponsored by OSA, the IEEE Communications (News - Alert) Society (IEEE/ComSoc), and the IEEE Photonics Society.


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