FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MIT's' TECHNOLOGY REVIEW NAMES IRIS AO CO-FOUNDER MICHAEL HELMBRECHT ONE OF THE WORLD'S TOP INNOVATORS UNDER 35

CAMBRIDGE, MA - September 29, 2004 - Iris AO, Inc., a leader in high performance microelectromechanical (MEMS) adaptive optics, today announced that its CEO and co-founder, Michael A. Helmbrecht, has been named to the 2004 list of the world's 100 Top Young Innovators by Technology Review, MIT's Magazine of Innovation. The TR100, chosen by the editors of Technology Review and an elite panel of judges, consists of 100 individuals under age 35 whose innovative work in technology has a profound impact on today's world. This year's nominees are recognized for their contributions in transforming the nature of technology and business in industries such as biotechnology and medicine, computing, and nanotechnology.

Helmbrecht was honored for his breakthrough research and development work which led to the creation of Iris AO's high-performance, low power, highly robust MEMS adaptive optical systems. Through dynamic correction of optical aberrations, this technology can dramatically improve optical image resolution and contrast in a wide range of critical applications. Areas that stand to benefit from this important work include retinal and biomedical imaging systems as well as defense-related applications such as battlefield optics and advanced reconnaissance, surveillance and laser communications systems.

The 2004 TR100's unparalleled panel of judges includes senior executives from the following organizations:

Boston University, Caltech, Cambridge University, CombinatoRx, Concept2Company, Cornell University, General Electric, Geekcorps, Georgia Tech, Harvard Medical School, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intellectual Ventures, Microsoft, MIT, Northwestern University, PureTech Ventures, Singapore Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, TIAX, Wharton, Xerox, and YankeeTek Ventures.

"In the five years since we began naming our annual selection of the world's
top innovators under age 35, inclusion among the TR100 has become one of the
most prestigious awards for young innovators around the world," said David
Rotman, executive editor of Technology Review. "This year's winners are all
pioneering fascinating innovations in the fields of biomedicine, computing
and nanotechnology, and were chosen after a rigorous selection and judging
process. The result is an elite group whose visions and inventions will shape the
future of technology."

Helmbrecht was honored September 29 - 30 at Technology Review's Emerging Technologies Conference at MIT. The event featured keynotes, panels and breakout discussions on the transformative technological innovations that have the potential to fuel new economic growth and dramatically change the future. Keynote speakers included Vinod Khosla, founding CEO of Sun Microsystems and General Partner at Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers; Ray Kurzweil, renowned inventor, author and founder of Kurzweil Technologies; and Rick Wagoner, chairman of General Motors. More information on ETC2004 can be found at www.tretc.com.

About Iris AO, Inc.
Iris AO is a leading developer and manufacturer of advanced, microelectromechanical (MEMS) adaptive optics systems. Its technologies can boost the image resolution and contrast in a wide range of advanced optical systems, including retinal and biomedical imaging, as well as defense, reconnaissance and surveillance. The company is headquartered in Berkeley, California.

About Technology Review, Inc.
Technology Review, Inc., an MIT Enterprise, delivers essential information about emerging technologies and their impact on business leaders. Since 1998, paid circulation for the company's magazine, Technology Review, has more than tripled, climbing from 92,000 to 315,000. Combined with its signature events, newsletters, and online businesses, Technology Review reaches over two million business leaders throughout the world each month.