By Tim Ryan
Innovation in Hampton Roads is alive and thriving, and Innovate Hampton Roads is delighted to share an incredible milestone achieved by one of our most pioneering local companies, Psionic. Their latest innovation—a chip-scale optical navigation engine—promises to redefine how we navigate both Earth and space. This cutting-edge technology is part of Psionic’s SurePath™ navigation product line and brings with it groundbreaking advancements that are making waves across industries.
The new chip, which is smaller than a fingernail, is built on an integrated photonic chipset that delivers real-time velocity vector measurements with unprecedented precision. The benefits are enormous: it’s compact, robust, and scalable, meaning it can seamlessly fit into the most constrained designs while ensuring top-tier performance. It’s a game-changer, providing navigation without the constant need for GPS, which opens doors for applications in space exploration, defense, and the commercial sector.
What does this mean for Hampton Roads and beyond? This development places our region firmly at the cutting edge of innovation. The successful demonstration of Psionic’s chip-scale navigation engine underscores Hampton Roads as a hotbed for technological advancements that hold potential for global impact. It’s also a testament to the success of local initiatives and organizations like REaKTOR that are helping startups scale their technology to broader horizons.
Steve Sandford, CEO of Psionic, proudly said, “This is a revolutionary step forward. With this technology, we’re enabling new possibilities in industries where reliability and precision are non-negotiable.” And we couldn’t agree more. The potential applications of this new navigation engine are vast, from enhancing space exploration capabilities to making autonomous systems more reliable.
At Innovate Hampton Roads, we are committed to showcasing and supporting groundbreaking work like Psionic’s. We believe that the future of innovation lies in the talent and vision of companies right here in our community. Psionic’s remarkable progress is a shining example of what happens when cutting-edge technology and regional support come together to build solutions that change the world.
Join us as we celebrate Psionic’s journey and stay tuned for more as they continue to redefine the possibilities of navigation technology—right from the heart of Hampton Roads.
