Optics Lasers Photonics Consultants: 3

Finity Engineering, LLC comprises highly-accomplished engineers and industrial practitioners that work alongside leading researchers to provide design, analysis, consulting, and litigation support services. Associates are subject-matter experts in the areas of Automation, Mechatronics, Robotics, and Consumer Products.

Finity Engineering professionals have served scores of industry-leading companies and research institutes, and have developed and provided technical oversight for the implementation of hundreds of robotic, automation, and controls systems deployed within the facilities of high-profile end users. Collectively, Finity Engineering professionals are named inventors on over 60 patents and have founded dozens of successful entrepreneurial ventures, demonstrating pragmatic and marketable engineering innovation.

Clients Include: Alcoa, Apple, BMW, Boeing, Cargill, Caterpillar, Chernobyl, Cummins, Ford Motors, Fukushima, General Motors, Gestamp, Google, Honda, Hundai, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Johnson Controls, Kia Motors, Lockheed Martin, and many more.

Design, Analysis & Business Consulting Specialties:

 Founder, Khalid Sorensen, PhD, is a highly accomplished technology leader in Automation, Mechatronics, Motion Control, Manufacturing, Machine Vision, and Human-Machine Interaction. He has over 20 years of experience developing and deploying world class, mechatronic, motion control, and automation solutions.

Dr. Sorensen has directed the development and implementation of 100s of complex, multi-disciplinary mechatronic systems for high-profile industry leaders including Toyota, Ford, Alcoa, Caterpillar, Boeing, NuScale, and many others, and high-profile facilities including Fukushima and Chernobyl.

Previously, Dr. Sorensen Founded a technology company where he invented and was the Chief Architect of Expertoperator^TM, Safemove^TM, Automove^TM, and Cranevision^TM – technology known within the primary metals, automotive, and heavy-equipment sectors for enhancing crane safety, productivity, and ease-of-use; Developed state-of-the-art, on-line, time-optimal trajectory synthesis software for Cartesian machines - key drivers in the acquisition of his company 5 years after inception by a global leader in automation.

View Dr. Khalid Sorensen's Expert Witness Profile.

Dr. David Schaafsma, PhD has over 25 years of experience in Optical Systems, Optical Physics, Microscopy & Spectroscopy, Optical Materials, Lasers, Optoelectronics, Sensors, Data Acquisition, Product Development. sales, marketing, business development, operations, and management at small businesses, at government laboratories, and as an independent consultant. Before founding Applied Optical Engineering, Dr. Schaafsma was the director of Sensor Technology at Tetra Tech Data Systems (later Ipitek) and was responsible for all R&D, product development, and commercial activity in fiber optic sensors, and also worked on numerous projects involving fiber communications and embedded systems. As a Senior Scientist at the Naval Research Laboratory, he made the first chalcogenide fused fiber coupler and achieved the first results with single-mode IR-transmitting fiber in mid-IR scanning near-field microscopy. At the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Boulder, Dr. Schaafsma's research focused on Quantum Optics and Fundamental Metrology of Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers, and included the construction of a confocal fluorescence system with a noise floor of 4 photons. As a Senior Characterization Engineer at Bandgap Technology Corp., he oversaw the production of compound semiconductor devices such as surface acoustic wave (SAW) modulators, vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs), high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs), solar cells, and laser diodes for an industry which was then in its infancy. Dr. Schaafsma holds two patents, a near-field optical microscope with infrared fiber probe and an infrared optical fiber coupler. He has spoken about many topics at professional venues such as conferences, to potential clients and corporate officers of multi-billion dollar companies, as well as to classes of students. Dr. Schaafsma is also a noted authored having written numerous publications in his areas of expertise. Areas of Expertise

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Biernath Consulting, Inc., helps small companies assess how AI and other advanced sciences & technologies can help grow their business, then helps them create and implement inventive solutions to achieve that.

Rolf Biernath, PhD in Chemical Engineering, has over 35 years in the Chemicals and Electronics Industries with a concentration on advanced technology new product development. He developed new products and product lines at 3M for 31 years in senior technical roles.  His 56 issued US patents span a broad range of scientific and engineering disciplines. He has a strong drive to find the simplest and most effective solutions that meet customer needs and business objectives.  His broad technical background and his resourceful ability to learn new fields quickly make him an ideal partner to help turn product "hunches" into fully realized new products and services.  If it can be done, he'll find the way.  If not, he'll tell you why, and let you know what advances might enable it in the future.

Rolf also works with VC and Angel Investors to assess a startup's new technology odds of technical and business success.  He is known for his ability to break down complex technical problems and find the critical aspects that will make or break a new product.  This helps investors ensure that financial investments are used to target the highest risks first, thereby reducing the money and time wasted chasing after products that may likely never see the light of day.

Consultant Specialties:

Background Experience - Dr. Biernath has 56 Issued US Patents on New Products, including:

• Industrial Adhesives and Tapes – 3D printing materials development, automation, and tape application processes
• Electronic Displays – optical display films, outdoor digital displays, backlights, LED color mixing, e-Paper
• Electronic Materials – epoxy thermoset adhesives & application process (elastomeric epoxy), high speed electronic connectors
• Signage – retroreflective signage, license plate recognition, ADAS, Human Invisible, Machine-Readable Coding System
• IoT and IIoT – Automatic and predictive selection and replacement of controllers; novel low-cost oil-detection sensor
• Microreplication – microfluidics, textured adhesives and processes

View Dr. Rolf Biernath's Expert Witness Profile.