Photonics Innovations Inc was established by researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham with the goal of application of the proprietary, patented optical materials, lasers, and spectroscopic technologies to the development and commercialization of * active and passive middle-infrared laser materials for scientific, biomedical, technological, and eyesafe range-finding applications; * affordable and reliable middle-infrared microchip and external cavity broadly tunable light sources for scientific, sensing, medical and defense related applications; * integrated state of the art middle-infrared optical sensing instruments for rapid sensing, identification, and quantification of agents and materials