Also in the news . . .

ValpeyFisher (Hopkinton, MA) has changed the name of its piezoelectric optics group to the Ultrasound and Optics Division. . . . Focus Software Inc. (Tucson, AZ) has purchased the SIGMA 2000 optical-software product line from Kidger Optics (Crowborough, England). . . . Spindler & Hoyer (Göttingen, Germany) celebrated its 100th year in business in September. . . . Money-management fund Ailouros Ltd. (London, England) will buy up to $15 million of stock in Research Frontiers Inc. (Woodbury, NY) to fund the development of suspended-particle devices for controlling light.