Lorne A. Whitehead

Applied Physics Applied Physics Research Interests His research focuses on the application of novel geometrical approaches to applied physics challenges, with a focus on the interactions of electromagnetic fields with microstructures. In addition to the usual scientific publications, largely in journals such as Applied Optics and the Journal of the Illuminating Engineering Society, this work has generated a large number of patents and, perhaps most importantly, license agreements with industry that have resulted in a significant amount of commercial activity. Five important areas of contribution are: Prism Light Guide (US Pat. #4,260,220 and additional publications and patents) He initiated this field of research with the invention of the Prism Light Guide, the first optical design to enable light to be piped efficiently and cost effectively in large hollow structures, with the primary application being illuminating engineering applications. This technology led to his founding of the spinoff company TIR Systems Ltd., which grew steadily since its incorporation, and reached about 200 employees in Vancouver when it was acquired in 2007 by Philips Electronics. One spin-off technology resulting from this work was a microstructured film capable of doubling the brightness of a computer display. 3M Company purchased this intellectual property from UBC and used it to develop their “brightness enhancement film” product line, incorporated into most laptop and flat panel displays. His research regarding new light guiding technology is ongoing. CLEAR Display (US Patent #5,959,777 and additional publications and patents) This invention is a fundamental new technique for electrically modulating the reflectance of a surface. The CLEAR Display uses a unique microstructure involving total internal reflection to produce a high brightness and excellent contrast by frustrating TIR through a variety of electro-optic techniques. The technology was licensed by UBC to a new company, CLEARink Displays, for commercial development. HDR Display (US Patent #6,891,672 and additional publications and patents) This invention is a new technique for producing light-emitting electronic images, which addresses a fundamental limitation of all previous image modalities. This new device uses a hybridization of a low resolution, extremely bright image formed using the latest generations of light emitting diodes, with a conventional colour liquid crystal display and novel control software, to achieve a full dynamic image display range. The technology was licensed to UBC start-up company Brightside Technologies, and the company was acquired in 2007 by Dolby Laboratories. Many televisions today incorporate this technology. Core Sunlighting US Patent #8,611,011 and additional publications and patents) This invention involves a system that demonstrates, for the first time, both the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of a core sunlighting system that guides direct sunlight deep into the interior of a building, thereby reducing the amount of electrical energy required for lighting. UBC licensed the technology to SunCentral Inc., a Vancouver-based company incorporated to develop commercial systems based on the technology. SCODA (US Patent #8,480,871 and additional publications and patents) This invention is a novel, general principle for achieving 2D or 3D concentration via electrophoresis in alternating electric fields, based on temporal alteration of the coefficient of drag in synchronization with the applied electric field. The acronym SCODA (synchronous coefficient of drag alteration) is used to describe this principle. Through a multidisciplinary research collaboration with Dr. Andre Marziali at UBC, this technique has been shown to enable extremely high concentration of DNA molecules in solution. Dr. Marziali and colleagues launched a company, Boreal Genomics, to commercialize this technology.