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Instructional Webinars

SPIE Instructional Webinar Series provide an introduction to various optics and photonics topics while also offering a preview of some of our most popular courses. New recordings are added regularly.

Interested in continuing to learn from the experts?

See our catalog of course offerings for courses offered at SPIE events, online, and in-company group training.

Be sure to register for upcoming instructional webinars announced on this page.

Upcoming Webinar

Stay tuned for information about our next session.

Coming soon.

Optical Systems Design: Understanding the Impact of your Specifications

Watch this discussion of the potential impact of an optical system’s specifications on an optical design project and the importance of checking your specifications for conflicts before moving into the design phase.

Julie Bentley provides an introduction to her in-person course, Understanding Optical System Specifications: Identifying and Managing Hidden Conflicts (SC1131), scheduled at Photonics West 2024. Preview the content by watching the webinar below recorded on 30 November 2023.

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Head Mounted Requirements and Displays for Augmented and Virtual Reality Applications

Watch this survey of important optical and system design parameters as well as key human factors requirements that must be met to ensure successful product design.

Michael Browne and James Melzer provide an introduction to their in-person course, Head-Mounted Display Requirements and Designs for Augmented Reality Applications (SC1096), scheduled at AR | VR | MR 2024 and Photonics West 2024. Preview the content by watching the webinar below recorded on 16 November 2023.

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Practical Aspects of Diamond Point Turning

Gain valuable insight into all aspects of the diamond turning process, including cutting mechanics, metrology-based troubleshooting, component specifications and tolerances, and the history and current state-of-the-art in diamond turning technology.

John Schaefer provides an introduction to his in-person course, Fundamentals of Single Point Diamond Turning (SC848), scheduled at Optifab 2023. Preview the content by watching the webinar below recorded on 19 September 2023.

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Optics of the Human Eye

It is important for the optical engineer working in areas such as VR/displays, etc. to understand the eye as an optical system. Various aspects of the optical performance eye will be discussed.

Vasudevan Lakshminarayan, University of Waterloo, provides an introduction to his in-person course, Optics of the Eye for Engineers (SC1330), scheduled at Optics + Photonics 2023. Preview the content by watching the webinar below recorded on 12 July 2023.

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Polarized Light and Optical Systems

Polarization critical systems are simulated by polarization ray tracing and tested with imaging spectropolarimeters. Control of polarization aberrations is tied to many performance metrics for polarization and image performance.

Russell Chipman, Meta, provides and introduction to his in-person course, Polarized Light and Optical Design (SC1247), scheduled at Optics + Photonics 2023. Preview the content by watching the webinar below, recorded 13 June 2023.

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Multiple Radar Sensor Data Fusion: Target Tracking and State Estimation Methods

This presentation provides an overview of the target tracking and state estimation methods associated with multisensor data fusions.

Lawrence Klein, Consultant -- Traffic Mgmt, Sensor and Data Fusion at Klein & Associates, provides and introduction to his in-person course, Target tracking and state estimation methods associated with multisensor data fusion (SC1243), scheduled at Defense + Commercial Sensing 2023. Preview the content by watching the webinar below, recorded 22 March 2023.

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Industrial Ultrafast Lasers and Applications

This presentation provides an overview of the industrial ultrafast laser market, review the fundamentals of the laser-material interaction for ultrafast pulses and discuss the main industrial applications.

Norman Hodgson, Chief Technology Officer Lasers at Coherent, provides and introduction to his in-person course, Industrial Ultrafast Lasers for Micro-Processing and Applications (SC1285), scheduled at Photonics West 2023. Preview the content by watching the webinar below, recorded 15 November 2022.

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A Concise Introduction to Quantum Computing

In this webinar, we shall address several key aspects of quantum computing, including foundational ideas and most famous quantum algorithms. Furthermore, we shall talk about the state-of-the-art in current quantum computer technology (hardware and programming platforms) as well as the quantum technology business ecosystem.

Salvador Venegas-Andraca, Head of the Computer Science Department, Tecnológico de Monterrey Campus Santa Fe, provides and introduction to his in-person course, Quantum Comptuing: A Concise Introduction (SC1319), scheduled at Photonics West 2023. Preview the content by watching the webinar below, recorded 11 October 2022.

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AR VR MIR and Smart Glasses Display Architectures and Latest HMD Product on the Market

In this webinar, we review the various display architectures used today in AR VR MR and smart glasses, and list the latest HMD on the market which incorporate such architectures.

Bernard Kress, Director, XR Hardware, Google, provides and introduction to his in-person course, Optical Technologies and Architectures for Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR) Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs) (SC1218), scheduled at Photonics West and AR VR MR 2023. Preview the content by watching the webinar below, recorded 13 September 2022.

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Fundamentals of Optical Manufacturing

To fashion precision optical elements in a successful business, we need to understand the materials, machinery, processes, and practical issues involved. We offer a survey of the topics covered in detail in the SPIE course SC1169.

Ray Williamson, Consulting Engineer, Ray Williamson Consulting, provides an introduction to his full-day, in-person course, Optical Manufacturing Fundamentals (SC1169), scheduled at Optics + Photonics 2022. Preview the content by watching the webinar below, recorded 22 June 2022.

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Functional Based Systems Engineering

This webinar provides overview of how functional based systems engineering can be used to create scientific instruments that are fit for purpose.

Hermine Schnetler, Systems Engineer Group Head, UK Astronomy Technology Center, provides and introduction to her half-day, in-person course, Functioned-based Systems Engineering for the Design of Astronomical Instruments and Control Systems Architectures (SC1001), scheduled at Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation 2022. Preview the content by watching the webinar below, recorded 24 May 2022.

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Introduction to Microlithography: Theory, Materials, and Processing

In this webinar, Murrae Bowden, President, Electronic Materials & Processing (EMP) Consulting and Ralph Dammel, Research Fellow, EMD Electronics, provide an introduction to their full SPIE course, Introduction to Microlithography, Theory, and Processing (SC101), which covers the physics of aerial image generation, the chemistry responsible for generation of differential solubility in resists, and the effects of processing variables on the final relief image. The instructors will explain the topics covered in the Short Course and how they relate to its target of enabling attendees to understand and troubleshoot photolithographic processes. Preview the content by watching the webinar below, recorded 12 April 2022.

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Introduction to Optomechancial Design

In this webinar, Daniel Vukobratovich, Senior Principal Multi-Disciplinary Engineer at Raytheon Systems, provides an introduction to his full SPIE course, Introduction to Optomechanical Design (SC014), which provides the training needed to work with the mechanical features of optical systems, with an emphasis on methods for rapid estimation of optomechanical system performance. Preview the content by watching the webinar below, recorded 10 March 2022.

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International Optics Surface Standards

In 2017, the international organization for standardization (ISO) published a new version of its drawing notation standard for imperfections, ISO 10110-7, adding the American MIL scratch and dig method. Dave will discuss how the new standard is changing the optics world.

In this webinar, Dave Aikens, President, Savvy Optics Corp provide an introduction to his full SPIE courses, Understanding Scratch and Dig Specifications (SC700) and Optics Surface Inspection Workshop (SC1017). Preview the content by watching the webinar below, recorded 15 December 2021.

View SC700 course details  ›
View SC1017 course details  ›

 

Putting the Practical in Optical System Design

Optical system design, specification, layout, and engineering remain critical to the global technical community. We outline a practical approach to optical system design to maximize your success.

In this webinar, Richard Youngworth, Founder and Chief Engineer of Riyo LLC, and Craig Olson, Engineering Fellow for Imaging and Optical Systems at L3 Harris, provide an introduction to their full SPIE course, Practical Optical System Design (SC003). Preview the content by watching the webinar below, recorded 17 November 2021.

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Introduction to mid-spatial frequency (MSF) errors

This webinar provides an introduction to mid-spatial frequency (MSF) errors, including a preview of what causes them, how to measure them and methods to reduce or eliminate MSF errors.

In this webinar, Jessica DeGroote Nelson, Director of Technology and Strategy at Optimax, provides an introduction to her full SPIE course, Seeing, Analyzing and Controlling Mid-Spatial Frequency (MSF) and Surface Roughness Errors on Optical Surfaces (SC1171). Preview the content by watching the webinar below, recorded 22 September 2021.

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Optical Testing for Ground and Space Telescopes

Next generation astronomical telescopes enable new discoveries and deeper scientific understanding of our universe. This webinar discusses high dynamic range optical testing technologies to guide and evaluate precision optics manufacturing process.

With this webinar, Daewook Kim, assistant professor at the University of Arizona, provides an introduction to his full SPIE course, Introduction to Interferometric Optical Testing (SC213). Content is also relvent to the SPIE course Modern Optical Tesing (SC212). Preview the content by watching the webinar below, recorded 27 July 2021.

View SC213 course details  ›
View SC212 course details  ›

 

Introduction to Optical Alignment Techniques

This webinar introduces the equipment, techniques, tricks, and skills necessary to align optical systems and devices. You learn to identify errors in an optical system, and how to align lens systems.

Kenneth Castle, president of Ruda-Cardinal, Inc., provides an overview of his full SPIE online course, Introduction to Optical Alignment Techniques (SC010). Preview the content by watching the webinar below, recorded 18 May 2021.

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Designing and Specifying Digital Cameras

This webinar introduces concepts about how to design a digital camera from a systems perspective with emphasis on the optical specification and how that relates to the sensor.

Principal Engineer of Corporate Projects at Amazon.com Leo Baldwin gives a brief overview of his SPIE online course, Designing and Specifying Digital Cameras (SC1231). Preview the content by watching the webinar below, recorded 17 March 2021.

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Design Drivers for Autonomous Vehicle Lidar Systems

This is a high-level discussion of some parameters that drive the design of lidar systems used on autonomous vehicles.

In this webinar, Joseph Shaw gives a brief overview of his SPIE online course, Introduction to Lidar for Autonomous Vehicles (SC1232). Preview the content by watching the webinar below, recorded 15 October 2020.

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Optical Architectures and Technologies for Smart Glasses, AR, VR and MR Headsets

In this webinar, Bernard Kress, Principal Optical Architect at Microsoft, provides an overview of the current product offerings as well as the various optical architectures.

This webinar also serves as an introduction to his full SPIE online course, Optical Technologies and Architectures for Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR) Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs) (SC1218). Preview the content by watching the webinar below, recorded 12 January 2021.

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The Future of Diagnostic Braking Radiation

In this webinar, Rolf Behling, a veteran in the medical industry and founder of XtraininX – Behling Technical Consulting, discuss braking radiation, its future for diagnostic X-ray imaging, and alternatives.

This webinar also serves as an introduction to his full SPIE online course, Modern Diagnostic X-ray Sources (SC1183). Preview the content by watching the webinar below, recorded 9 February 2021.

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An Overview of Systems Engineering for Astronomy

Jon Arenberg of Northrop Grumman and Paul Lightsey of Ball Aerospace are both chief engineers at NASA's James Webb Telescope, and in this webinar they provide an overview of systems engineering for astronomical systems.

This webinar also serves as a brief overview of their full SPIE online course, Systems Engineering and Large Telescope Observatories (SC1139). Preview the content by watching the webinar below, recorded 3 December 2020.

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Stray Light Analysis and Control

Get the basic principles of designing, building, and testing optical systems whose stray light performance is adequate for their intended purpose.

In this webinar, Eric Fest gives a brief overview of his SPIE online course with the same name, Stray Light Analysis and Control (SC1199). Preview the content by watching the webinar below, recorded 10 November 2020.

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Optomechanical Engineering: From Architecture to Final Assembly

Optomechanical engineering requires a range of skills for the delivery of working hardware.

In this webinar, Keith Kasunic gives a brief introduction to his SPIE short course, Mounting Optical Components (SC1019), that reviews these skills. Preview the content by watching the webinar below, recorded 9 September 2020.

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How to Make Cost-Effective Optical Components

In this webinar, Jessica DeGroote Nelson briefly reviews how lenses are made. She touches upon common optical drawing specifications and tolerances, and how they lead to making more cost effective optical components.

Watch the webinar below, recorded 18 August 2020, as an introduction to Jessica's online course, Optical Materials, Fabrication and Testing for the Optical Engineer (SC1086).

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