Liquid crystal is like liquid gold to Cambridge Research & Instrumentation (CRi). The company uses liquid crystal technology to develop systems and components for instruments that are used in areas such as medicine, life sciences, and industrial process control. The technology uses multispectral and polarized light for higher resolution in imaging and in detecting items such as malignant cells in tissue. CRi has partnerships with such companies as Hinds Instruments and Life Technologies. Established in 1985, the company was acquired in 2010 by Caliper Life Sciences for about $20 million.