Optical Design Competition 2025
Can you illuminate the nonimaginum rod and find your way back home?
Submissions were due May 18, 2025, and the competition is now closed. You can still explore the challenge and test new designs, but no new submissions will be accepted.
About the challenge
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Nonimaging Optics conference, we invite everyone to participate in our optical design competition.
You have crash-landed on a distant planet in another galaxy, breaking your spacecraft and your communication equipment. Your only chance of safe return is to concentrate all the faint light from the star Anniversaria XX onto your very special nonimaginum rod.
Everyone can try
We invite everyone to participate, whether you are an industry veteran or a new student.
No licence?
No problem! Get started using any CAD package or optical design software, even free ones. Test your design right here in the submission portal.
Practice makes perfect
Submit as many times as you like. Your best design will be the one that counts, and the competition committee may also highlight other notable submissions.