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FiO 2026 – AI in Optical System Design
FiO 2026 – AI in Optical System Design
September 30, 2026 | 2:15–3:15 PM
Frontiers in Optics + Laser Science, Rochester, NY
Discussion Panel: AI in Optical System Design
Discussion Panel: AI in Optical System Design
Artificial intelligence is beginning to change how optical systems are designed, analyzed, and brought from concept to hardware.
This panel brings together perspectives from academia, optical design software, manufacturing, and industry to explore where AI is delivering practical value today.
The discussion will examine AI-assisted and agentic design workflows, automation and optimization, validation of AI-generated results, and the challenges of translating designs into manufacturable optical systems.
Panelists will also discuss engineering judgment, trust, human oversight, and how the role of optical engineers may evolve as AI becomes more integrated into optical and photonic design workflows.
Moderator
Moderator
Majid Ebnali Heidari — SimuTech Group
Panelists
Panelists
Kaan Akşit — University College London
Patrick Augino — Optimax
Ethan Keeler — Synopsys
Ying Xu — Amazon
Hosted and organized by Optica Silicon Valley and Optica Rochester
Tech Day – AI & Automation in Optical Simulation
Tech Day – AI & Automation in Optical Simulation
October 1, 2026 | 8:30 AM–12:30 PM
SimuTech Group – Rochester Area
Following the FiO panel, this hands-on Tech Day will move from discussion to implementation.
The session will demonstrate how AI, automation, optimization, and physics-based simulation can be combined in practical optical and multiphysics engineering workflows.
Participants will see live examples using PyAnsys, optiSLang, Ansys Mechanical, Zemax OpticStudio, and photonic simulation automation.
8:30 - 9:30
AI & Simulation Automation with Python
AI & Simulation Automation with Python
An introduction to AI-enabled engineering workflows, simulation automation, and how Python-based tools can connect engineering applications and automate repetitive simulation tasks.
The session will also discuss emerging approaches such as AI agents and MCP-enabled simulation workflows.
Ethan Keeler — Synopsys
9:30 - 10:00
Introduction to Ansys optiSLang
Introduction to Ansys optiSLang
An introduction to process automation, sensitivity analysis, design exploration, optimization, and AI/ML-assisted engineering workflows using Ansys optiSLang.
Mike
10:00 - 12:00
Automated Multidisciplinary Optical Design and Optimization
Automated Multidisciplinary Optical Design and Optimization
A live engineering workflow combining Ansys optiSLang, Ansys Mechanical, and Zemax OpticStudio.
The session will demonstrate how optical and mechanical simulations can be connected and automated for multidisciplinary optimization and validation.
Example applications may include optical system performance, structural and thermal effects, AR/VR systems, and other advanced optical engineering workflows.
Lauren
12:00 - 12:30
Taking It Further: AI, Photonics, AR/VR and Co-Packaged Optics
Taking It Further: AI, Photonics, AR/VR and Co-Packaged Optics
An open technical discussion on extending AI-enabled simulation workflows to additional applications.
Potential topics include:
Photonic simulation automation
MCP-enabled simulation workflows
AR/VR optical systems
Co-Packaged Optics (CPO)
Multiphysics simulation
Future applications of AI in engineering simulation
Lauren / Ethan Keeler
Speakers
Ying Xu
Ying Xu
Ying Xu is a Senior Sensor Engineer at Amazon, where she focuses on camera architecture design. A technically deep problem-solver, she specializes in imaging sensor integration, camera systems, and 3D depth sensor design and characterization. Ying holds a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Rochester. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, she is passionate about building robust, high-performance hardware at scale by leveraging AI capabilities.
Kaan Akşit
Kaan Akşit
Kaan Akşit is an Associate Professor in the Computer Science department at University College London, where Kaan leads the Computational Light Laboratory. Kaan invents novel optics, hardware, and software for next‑generation computational display and camera technologies. Kaan has more than ten years of experience and specialization in various novel computational display technologies, including auto‑stereoscopic displays, holographic displays and imagers, and near‑eye displays for virtual and augmented reality applications. For more details, please visit his website.
https://www.kaanaksit.com/
Majid Ebnali Heidari
Majid Ebnali Heidari
Majid Ebnali Heidari, Ph.D. is the Technical Manager of Optics & Photonics at SimuTech Group | Ansys Apex Channel Partner. With more than 18 years of combined academic and industry experience, he leads simulation and consulting projects in Lumerical, Zemax, and Speos, supporting customers in photonics and optoelectronic design. Before joining SimuTech, Majid spent 15 years as an Associate Professor in electrical and photonics engineering, publishing over 80 papers and pioneering research on slow light in silicon photonic chips.
His current interests include photonic integrated circuits, co-packaged optics, silicon photonics, AR/VR, and miniaturized optical systems. As the Founding President of Optica Silicon Valley, Majid promotes collaboration between academia and industry while continuing to advance practical simulation workflows that bridge photonics R&D and real-world applications.
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