Russian scientist wins NATO research partnership prize

Russian scientist Andrei Larichev has won the prize of the NATO research partnership programme.

Larichev works at the Laser and Information Technologies Institute, based in the town of Shatura in the Moscow region, of the Russian Academy of Sciences, RIA Novosti was told on Tuesday at the NATO information office in Moscow. Another prize winner is Dr.Leonard Otten of the Kestrel Corporation, Albuquerque, New Mexico, US.

They have won the prize for the development of a new high-resolution imaging system, used in the study of human retina. Work was done on grant from the NATO programme Research for Peace.

NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson will personally hand in the prize at the awarding ceremony in the NATO Brussels headquarters on October 22, says the communique, which has come to hand at RIA Novosti. The prize money is 10,000 euros to each winner. The sum can be used to back their further research work. They will also get a special crystal cup and a certificate.

The image quality in the Larichev-Otten system for the first time shows in the live human retina specifics earlier observed in only cut sections. Many eye diseases which deteriorate, and even cause full loss of eyesight can now be studied in the clinic, says the communique.

Two main results achieved by the researchers are, first, former military research done and methods used by Russian researchers find application in the non-military sphere; second, the new imaging device has a vast application potential for biometrics, enabling high-precision personality identification in the fight against terrorism, says the NATO information centre.