Whether it’s our new mobile websites, LENSTAR® YouTube flicks, vivid imaging demos, or all of the above, we’ve been buzzing in preparation for 2012 ASCRS and beyond. Now you’re invited to see all of our new tech in action at booth #339.

Look at what we have in store for you:

1. Can you spot the B-2 bomber cameo? The 7900 instrument stand’s base uses the same material from the Air Force’s prized stealth fighter. Feel the durability for yourself.
2. LENSTAR flicks to go. Scan the codes on our booth posters and watch the experts dish out their clinical experience with the optical biometer. No smartphone? Ask us for the videos on a flash drive.
3. Beneath the custom upholstery. Have a seat on the 520 exam chair and feel the high-density foam maintain its shape. Reliance durability starts with hand craftsmanship and impervious materials like forged steel and 14-ply birch. You won’t find that elsewhere.
4. Stunning imaging you can’t miss. Unless you’re already using Haag-Streit LED slit lamps and imaging modules, you’re not getting the whole picture of a patient’s eyes. See what you’re missing.
5. Made in America in your pocket. After you demo the FX 920 exam chair or 5356 pneumatic stool, scan the codes at our booth and learn how those same products ignite our country’s economy.
6. Imaging that leaves a lasting impression. Once you see our imaging systems in person, scan our mobile codes and gawk at vivid images on your smartphone. Wherever you are.
7. Blazing fast perimetry. Demo Octopus perimeters and see how fast you can accurately perform an exam. We say about 2.5 minutes.

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Chicago dweller Bill Menke, our manager of biometric technology, knows there’s no dearth of fine dining in the Windy City – including the top-ranked restaurant in North America. Here are his 11 recommendations for tasty grub while you visit ASCRS:

Italian

• Spiaggia: Upscale, quality Italian on Michigan Avenue. Pricey. Chef Tony Mantuano.
• Rosebud: Four locations and incredible traditional Italian. His personal favorite.

French

• Bistronomic: Modern bistro, moderately priced. Great food.
• Bistro Margot: Relaxed, traditional French bistro.
• Tru: Top of the list. Pricey, dressy, high quality.

Seafood

• Catch 35: Very nice, high-quality seafood.

Authentic Mexican

• Frontera Grill: Chef Rick Bayless. He says there’s nothing like it!

Japanese

• Arami: Moderate pricing, high quality.
• Japponais: Incredible sushi art, an experience.

Barbeque

• q: His favorite BBQ. Upscale and delicious.

Over-the-top Amazing (and Expensive)

• Alinea: The most amazing dining experience of your life if you can get in. Price range $200-$1,200. 20+ courses. Ranked the top restaurant in the U.S.

Have a Chicago restaurant recommendation? Tweet us or tell us on Facebook and we’ll suggest it during ASCRS.

You won’t spend all of your time at the convention center, so why not have some fun in Chicago? Catch a 3D flick at the Navy Pier IMAX theater, explore an ancient Egyptian tomb or scope out the skyline from 1,300 feet. Here are some notable events happening around the city while you’re there:

1. Shedd Aquarium: Massive aquarium features creatures from all around the world, and exhibits that take you to the Caribbean Reef, the Amazon River, the Pacific Northwest coast and the North Pole. Open 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. on weekends. Tickets: Adults $8; children $6.
2. The Field Museum: Houses the world’s largest and most complete T. rex. Highlights include an Egyptian tomb with 23 mummies and ancient hieroglyphics, a walkthrough of our planet’s 13,000-year history, and an exhibit that gives you a bug’s-eye view of the world. Open daily 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tickets: Adults $15; seniors $12; children (4-11) $10.
3. Navy Pier: Features a 150-foot Ferris wheel and Chicago’s largest IMAX movie theater, and 17,000 square feet of restaurants, shops, boat tours, gardens and more. Prices and hours vary for individual attractions.
4. Chicago from 1,300 Feet: Skydeck in Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower) features a breathtaking view of the city and, not for the feint of a heart, a glass deck that extends more than four feet from the building.
5. Goodman Theatre: Features unique shows where performers might disappear through trap doors or appear right next to you. Choose from two performances: Fish Men and The Iceman Cometh. Showtimes and prices vary.

How do LENSTAR Ks stack up against IOLMaster and manual keratometry? Warren E. Hill, M.D., dons his battle robes and breaks down each platform in this YouTube video. The winner for quickest, most accurate and most consistent Ks? We’ll give you one guess. Check out the video below:

Visit our YouTube channel for more videos on LENSTAR.

For more than 100 years, Reliance Medical Products has proudly manufactured in America, and now more U.S. corporations plan to follow suit. By 2015, the Boston Consulting Group predicts that manufacturing in parts of America will be as economical as operations in China, moving factories back to U.S. soil. Here’s why:

• Wage and benefit increases in China will force savings to drop to single digits.
• Global logistics and real estate are all becoming more expensive and risk intensive, so cost savings will decrease rapidly in the next five years.
• China’s low-cost labor advantage will continue to be undercut by low productivity among workers.
• Because of rising income levels in China, global companies will devote more resources domestically to meet demand, shifting many operations back to the U.S.
• Although some manufacturing will likely to move to countries with even lower labor costs, concerns over productivity, quality and personal safety will outweigh the cost savings.

For many industries, this shift means more products sold in America will be made in America. Although China will continue to be a vital cog in the global manufacturing wheel, more and more companies are starting to value the American worker and our country’s infallible corporate sector.

For more on Reliance Medical and Made in America, check out how every stand, stool and exam chair you buy stimulates the economy.