In 2008 MicroCal was aquired by General Electric. Microcal was originally involved in development of software to be used in the design of ultra-sensitive calorimeters. The success of that product led of Origin led to the forming of Microcal Software - which publishes Origin, an advanced technical graphics and data analysis software package for scientists and engineers that includes 3D and contour plotting. With over 42,000 copies of Origin, the product line now includes add-on modules designed to assist in real time data acquisition, peak analysis (for spectroscopy and chromatography) and other laboratory tasks -- complete laboratory solutions for a variety of R&D needs in Japanese as well as English.