  The Smart Focal Planes (SmartFP) activity is a European Joint Research
Activity funded to develop novel optical technologies for future large
telescope instrumentation. In this paper, we will discuss the image slicer
developments being carried out as part of this initiative. Image slicing
technique s have many applications in the plans for instrumentation on
Extremely Large Telescopes and will be central to the delivery of the science
case. A study of a virtual "multi-object multi-ifu spectrograph and imager"
(MOMSI) for a hypothetical OWL-class telescope reveals the need for focal plane
splitting, deployable imagers and very small beam steering elements like
deployable IFUs. The image slicer workpackage, lead from Durham University in
collaboration with LFM Bremen, TNO Delft, UKATC Edinburgh, CRAL Lyon, LAM
Marseille, Padua University and REFLEX Prague, is evaluating technologies for
manufacturing micro optics in large numbers to enable multi-object integral
field spectroscopy.
