General Info:
SciMeasure Analytical Systems, Inc. (SciMeasure ) was founded as a consulting business by Dr. Raymond C. DuVarney in 1981. It was later joined by Mr. Charles A. Bleau as partner and full time employee in 1985 and incorporated in 1989. In 1989, Dr. DuVarney and Mr. Bleau spun off OsteoMetrics, Inc., which specializes in Bone Histomorphometry Measurement Systems; and in 1995 spun off Cool Camera Company, which specializes in low light level 3 CCD color cameras for molecular biological applications. OsteoMetrics is now a world leader in Bone Histomorphometry with 120 systems worldwide. SciMeasure has played an active role in the imaging field since 1981. Developing a video mixer and morphometry software for an Apple II computer in 1981, SciMeasure was one of the first companies to develop imaging systems for the IBM PC. Since then, SciMeasure has become more specialized in the field of low noise CCD cameras. Mr. Charles A. Bleau is General Manager while Dr. DuVarney acts in a consulting role, and several consultants at Emory University and Georgia Tech are employed on a regular basis, as needed. Dr. DuVarney is also Chairman of Physics at Emory University and both Dr. DuVarney and Mr. Bleau consult, on a part time as needed basis, for the Electo-Optics, Environmental and Materials Laboratory (EOEML ) at Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI ). Dr. DuVarney and Mr. Bleau were instrumental in the development of two wavefront sensor cameras, based on the MIT/LL 64x64 CCD, for GTRI's Adaptive Optics Program. These cameras were built under contract for the Keck Telescope and the University of Chicago. SciMeasure subsequently built three more wavefront sensor cameras, using the same CCD, under contract to Photon Instruments (later delivered to the University of Illinois ), the European Southern Observatory and Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The latter two with noise figures of 6.8 electrons at 1600 frames per second and 5.9 electrons at 600 frames per second respectively. SciMeasure now has a NASA grant to develop a wavefront sensor camera utilizing the EEV 80x80 CCD39. Since 1998, SciMeasure has maintained a 3, 500 sq. ft. facility in in Atlanta GA, within a mile of the Emory University campus in Atlanta, GA. 2, 500 sq. ft. comprise office space used for the core functions of the firm. The office space is equipped throughout with a 100Mbit network and 1.5 Mbit DSL connection to the internet. Various workstations are configured for CAD/CAM (schematic capture and PC board layout ), software development (C, C and Visual BASIC ), image analysis demonstration and development, and administrative functions. All the systems are networked to a UNIX server which also serves as a permanent gateway to the Internet. SciMeasure, OsteoMetrics and Cool Camera Company all have Web sites used variously for marketing and customer support. Included is a systems assembly and testing room which is equipped with electronic test instrumentation. Optical test equipment is also available. A 200 sq. ft. workshop is equipped with soldering/desoldering equipment, floor-standing drill and bandsaw and hand tools such as taps and dies. It is used primarily for assembly and repair of circuit boards and manufacture of small engineered components. A 600 sq. ft. overflow space is used for temorary office space as well as storage for temporary inventory, shipping materials and archives.