Starry eye

Technology developed in Scotland to capture clear images of stars is being adapted to detect disease in the human eye.

Scientists based at the UK Astronomy Technology Centre (ATC) at the Royal Observatory in Edinburgh are collaborating with the medical profession to explore the potential for development of their research.

The new collaborative use for telescope technology will be highlighted at the fourth Convergent Technologies Showcase & Conference, to be held at Stirling University Management Centre on 13 May.

A key area of ATC research is in the field of adaptive optics, which the Edinburgh scientists are developing for use in the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT).

They are also engaged in making one of the cameras, which uses the technology for the James Webb Space Telescope, which is being built collaboratively by the European Space Agency and NASA.