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{justify:center}{italic}{size:10}Announcer
{plain}{size:12}Ron Ignatius believes in the power of light.  
In fact, his company's slogan is

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"Improving the Quality of Life 
Through the Power of Light."

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The company, "Quantum Devices, Incorporated," 
is located in Barneveld, Wisconsin.

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It should be no surprise that the 
company's core technology is, well, light.

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In the early 1990s, NASA was looking for a 
way to grow plants in space to provide an 
oxygen and food source for astronauts.

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Standard white light systems generate too 
much thermal energy for space requirements.

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But, plant scientists thought you needed 
white light to grow plants.  Ignatius and

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Quantum Devices were about to 
prove them wrong.

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The firm had been working with another 
company on a device that uses 
Light-Emitting Diodes, or LED, light sources.

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Ignatius discovered that the wavelength 
required for plants was the same as the

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one in his LED device, and he posed 
this idea to the NASA researchers.

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{italic}{size:10}Ron Ignatius
{plain}{size:12}Thirty-some people were laughing because 
it just couldn't be done.  The dogma was

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you needed white light and you needed 
a lot of energy and it had to be 
equivalent to the sun.

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{italic}{size:10}Announcer
{plain}{size:12}One of those researchers, though, 
thought it might just work.

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With a Small Business Innovation Research, 
or SBIR, contract from 
Marshall Space Flight Center,

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Quantum Devices developed a technology 
that enabled plants to grow in space 
on at least seven different NASA missions.

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Quantum's work with LEDs and 
NASA plants generated interest elsewhere.

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{italic}{size:10}Ron Ignatius
{plain}{size:12}That started to turn on the people who 
were working with a new cancer oncology,

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called photodynamic therapy because they 
had a need for a very high intensity 
light source to turn on their drug.

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{italic}{size:10}Announcer
{plain}{size:12}Working with a Canadian company, 
Quantum developed a special probe 
that could do just that, called SpectraLife.

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Enter Dr. Harry Whelan from the 
Medical College of Wisconsin.

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Dr. Whelan was doing cancer research 
on animals, using photosensitive 
drug therapies.

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Since the LEDs stimulated plant growth, 
Ignatius thought they could also be used 
for human therapy and contacted Whelan.

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Quantum built an experimental probe, 
which Whelan used successfully.  
And, that led to something else.

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Because of the treatments they receive, 
many of Whelan's patients develop 
a condition called "mucositis".

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Mucous membranes of the body, 
especially in the mouth, break down,

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making it difficult, and at times 
impossible, to eat or drink.

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Quantum and Whelan moved the light 
technology into a new direction and 
developed a device to treat mucositis.

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By daily exposing patients to brief doses 
of the light therapy, they can now 
prevent the mucositis from ever starting.

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Quantum received SBIR funding from the 
Defense Advanced Research Projects 
Agency, or DARPA, for yet another

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biomedical application from the original 
device developed for NASA.

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DARPA wanted a simple device that 
troops could use to self-heal wounds 
while in the field.

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{italic}{size:10}Ron Ignatius
{plain}{size:12}The people at DARPA saw what 
Harry was doing with mucositis and 
thought if this was indeed a healing

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effect that they were seeing that we 
should try and apply this to this 
condition in the laser eye injury.

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{italic}{size:10}Announcer
{plain}{size:12}The firm took their technology yet a 
step further and created "Warp 10" - 
a battery-operated, handheld device.

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Currently, the units are being tested 
by a small group of special operations 
forces in the Middle East.

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Quantum's technology has had an 
interesting development path-actually 
evolving as it develops.

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The firm continues to work with NASA, 
Dr. Whelan and DARPA on 
clinical applications.

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They also manufacture products 
for agricultural applications.

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{italic}{size:10}Ron Ignatius
{plain}{size:12}We just focused on what we do best 
and pushed it, and I think 
we've done a pretty good job of it.

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{italic}{size:10}Announcer
{plain}{size:12}Helping to solve energy problems 
is now on his radar.

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Yes, Ron Ignatius believes in the 
power of light and will continue 
to push its limits.

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