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Lithuanian laser industry is well renowned for its lasers produced for scientific, medical, industrial, and recreational purposes. However, today’s lasers can also be applied in other socially important fields.

“Globally, Lithuanian lasers are mostly used in scientific research, but we have proven their practical value also at the broader levels of public interest – for example, in helping the environmental agencies to detect atmospheric pollutants in urban areas,” says Innovation Director Viktoras Vaičikauskas of the Lithuanian laser production company UAB Optronika.

The company has developed a laser that can monitor the levels of car emissions from a 5 km distance.  Once tested in Lithuania, the experiment was a great success. Yet, the demand for such technology in the Baltic region remains rather low; therefore, mass production of such devices is in the nascent stage.

“Our lasers can also be used to detect illegal drugs or explosives or the traces thereof, as each explosive is prone to the miniscule levels of evaporation,” says Vaičikauskas.

He also notes that huge power lasers operating on the basis of chemical reactions can become weapons of mass destruction. Global defense industries are actively working in this direction for several years now.

Still, Lithuanian lasers are mostly used for scientific research purposes.

“Lasers made in Lithuania make up to 70% of the global research market,” claims Vaičikauskas.

Two local companies, UAB Ekspla and UAB Light Conversion, dominate the production of scientific use lasers in Lithuania.

Sales of Lithuania-made lasers last year reached LTL200 million (EUR 60 million), of which 90% is exported.

Lasers made about 20% of total Lithuanian exports to India in 2013.

See full unabridged article here (in Lithuanian).

Source: delfi.lt

Photo: popsci.com