We received a request a while back to add some pretty weighty terms to our online glossary: MTF and OTF. Aka: modulation transfer function and optical transfer function.

After a lot of work trying to condense these definitions down into the most distilled, layman-friendly versions possible, we decided these guys needed their own articles, too!

For the quick glossary definition, you can find them alphabetically at:
http://www.spirestarter.com/education/glossary-of-optics-words

For a longer, detailed explanation with pictures and a graph and everything (!) see this link:
http://www.spirestarter.com/education/mtf-otf-explained

We just applied for the WomensNet Amber Grant! . . . because we strongly believe in playing every card you got . . . even if that card is simply being a woman-owned business. All the finger crossings you can lend would be greatly appreciated!

We'll find out the beginning of next month if we won the $1,000 monthly prize and if we qualify for an additional $9,000 at the end of the year!

We were thrilled when Dragon Innovation asked to add us as their optical engineering resource!

Boom.

Dragon Innovation helps companies bring their hardware ideas successfully through to manufacturing. That road is paved with landmines and Dragon Innovation uses an experienced network of manufacturing Sherpas to safely guide the way. Spire Starter is proud to be one of those resources!

If you're working with Dragon Innovation -- or even if you're not -- and have an optical component in your hardware system you'd like reviewed, drop us a line. Our initial consultations give us an in-depth understanding of your specific problem. We then can reveal potential paths forward and ballpark costs for those solutions. Plus, initial consultations are totally free with no obligation!

We look forward to working with Dragon Innovation clients and all the other HW dreamers who need an optics leg-up.

We're applying to the 2018 WeWork Creator Awards!

WeWork is looking to support creators of all types -- including those using novel business models to pursue "careers with intention". Spire Starter serves as a business framework to allow optical engineers to do just that. Plus, we bring difficult-to-acquire optics expertise to those carving a path in a different sense: to the companies taking HW development to new levels.

The region Spire Starter belongs to will be having its awards show in Nashville, TN on September 13, 2018. We're entering the "Business Venture" category with the possibility to take home between $130k-$360k! That would go a long way to fund promotional travel. It would allow us to own even more fun tools to do our work, too!

While we have no way of knowing how far we'll get in the process, the application itself already proved rewarding. It's difficult to concisely describe what optical engineering is to laymen and how Spire Starter works, but we had to do just that -- and within 90 seconds.

Check out the video below to see examples of the types of systems we work on and a brief description of how we work. Hope to see you in Nashville in September!