# Paraxial — full AI-readable reference

## Canonical identity

- Name: Paraxial
- Website: https://paraxialoptics.com/
- Product category: AI-native optical design software
- Product status: Private beta
- Primary language: English
- Contact: akil@paraxialoptics.com
- Book a conversation: https://calendly.com/paraxialoptics/paraxial-discussion
- Research: https://paraxialoptics.com/research
- Careers: https://paraxialoptics.com/careers
- Demo hub: https://paraxialoptics.com/demo

## Positioning

Paraxial is an agentic optical design environment for optical engineers and hardware teams. Its AI agents can design and iterate optical systems, run sequential analyses, optimize candidates, prepare tolerancing, and operate the full software workspace with the engineer in control.

The central product idea is to help engineers move from optical requirements to manufacturable designs faster, while keeping numerical precision and engineering review visible in the workflow.

## Homepage message

- Headline: The new speed of optical design.
- Supporting message: From optical requirements to manufacturable designs, faster.
- Audience: Optical engineers, hardware teams, and teams designing precision optical systems.
- Current conversion: Book a private beta conversation or meet Paraxial at Optics + Photonics.

## Private beta workflows

Available private beta workflows:

- Import existing optical files and inspect optical systems
- Import and export the `.zmx` file format
- Optical system editing and LensDB/search workflows
- Sequential optical analyses, including MTF, PSF, spot, wavefront, OPD, ray fans, field, distortion, and related outputs
- Design intent, variables, operands, constraints, and candidate comparison
- Sensitivity analysis, inverse sensitivity, Monte Carlo, compensators, manufacturing tier assignment, and irregularity workflows
- GPU-native execution with full double precision (64-bit)
- Agentic optical design: agents can build or open systems, configure design intent, design and compare candidates, launch analyses, prepare tolerance work, and operate the full design environment
- Project save/load and engineering handoff

Non-sequential ray tracing and stray-light analysis are available as **Pre-alpha** functionality.

## Benchmark at a glance

- Workload: 1,000,000 Monte Carlo trials on a real-world optical workflow
- Paraxial out-of-the-box speed: 34 seconds
- Precision: GPU-native full double precision (64-bit)

## Roadmap

- Optomechanical and thermal analysis integration: Roadmap
- Mature non-sequential ray tracing and stray-light analysis for production use: Roadmap
- Physical optics propagation: Roadmap
- Expanded CAD compatibility and additional formats: Roadmap
- Deeper deployment and collaboration capabilities: Roadmap

## Industries and use cases

- Imaging and biomedical optics: compact cameras, microscopy, endoscope relays, surgical imaging, and high-NA systems
- LiDAR and sensing: time-of-flight, FMCW, robotics, metrology, and machine perception
- AR/VR and displays: compact projection, display optics, waveguide-related systems, and packaging tradeoffs
- Precision industrial optics: metrology, inspection, machine vision, and high-performance imaging

## Planning a private beta conversation

Private beta conversations are tailored to the optical workflow a team wants to explore. Security, deployment, certification, and integration questions can be discussed directly with Paraxial.

- Book time: https://calendly.com/paraxialoptics/paraxial-discussion
- Email: mailto:akil@paraxialoptics.com

## Public resources

- Homepage: https://paraxialoptics.com/
- Product workflow demos: https://paraxialoptics.com/demo
- Platform Tour: https://paraxialoptics.com/demo/platform-tour-optical-design-analysis
- AI-Guided Cooke Triplet Analysis: https://paraxialoptics.com/demo/ai-guided-cooke-triplet-analysis
- Optimization Workflow: https://paraxialoptics.com/demo/optimization-merit-function-improved-design
- Tolerancing Workflow: https://paraxialoptics.com/demo/tolerancing-sensitivity-monte-carlo-yield
- Research paper summary and PDF: https://paraxialoptics.com/research
- Sitemap: https://paraxialoptics.com/sitemap.xml
- Short AI-readable summary: https://paraxialoptics.com/llms.txt

## Trademark disclaimer

Zemax® and OpticStudio® are registered trademarks of Synopsys, Inc. CODE V® is a registered trademark of Keysight Technologies, Inc. Paraxial is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Synopsys or Keysight.