Advancements in Sensing Device Technology

A breakthrough in quantum sensing—measuring more with less. Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a new type of diamond-based quantum sensor capable of measuring multiple signal parameters simultaneously. Traditionally, solid-state quantum sensors capture one parameter at a time—such as magnetic fields, temperature, or mechanical strain. This sequential approach increases experiment time and the risk of measurement errors. The new system leverages entangled qubits within a diamond defect known as a Nitrogen-Vacancy Center. In this structure, a nitrogen atom sits next to a missing carbon atom, forming a highly sensitive quantum system. By exploiting Quantum Entanglement, researchers can extract multiple signal characteristics—amplitude, phase, and frequency deviation—from a single measurement. One of the most compelling advantages: 👉 The sensor operates at room temperature, eliminating the need for extreme cooling required by many quantum systems. Why this matters: This innovation could significantly accelerate research in advanced materials, biological systems, and nanoscale magnetic fields, where fast and precise multi-parameter sensing is critical. 🤯 Quantum sensing is moving from complexity to practicality faster than expected. #QuantumTechnology #QuantumSensing #DeepTech #Innovation #MIT #FutureTech #Science #EmergingTech #Foresight #QuantumPhysics

Atomically thin semiconductors driving smart sensors with real-world impact Focusing on atomically thin semiconductors at RMIT University, we are creating the next generation of ultra-sensitive sensors and smart systems. They are smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient than ever before. Our innovation begins at the atomic scale. My colleagues and I are engineering two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors such as graphene, transition-metal dichalcogenides, and transition-metal oxides - materials only a few atoms thick yet possessing extraordinary electrical and optical tunability. These quantum-thin layers exhibit exceptional charge-carrier mobility, excitonic behaviour, and mechanical flexibility, unlocking new frontiers in wearable sensors, ultra-fast optoelectronics, and bio-integrated devices. I’m lucky to work in world-class research facilities, which serve as the backbone of innovation, enabling interdisciplinary collaboration across scales, and alongside several national research centres, including the ARC Centre of Excellence in Optical Microcombs for Breakthrough Science (COMBS) . These hubs help connect my research to a global network of experts in photonics, quantum materials, and low-energy electronics. What truly distinguishes our approach is the ability to translate atomic-scale discoveries into intelligent, connected systems. Atomically thin semiconductor devices are being integrated into Internet of Things platforms, wireless communication modules, and AI-assisted signal processors, creating systems that not only sense but also interpret and respond. These platforms enable real-time environmental monitoring, such as detecting trace gases and pollutants, as well as advanced biomedical diagnostics, where bio-field-effect transistors (bio-FETs) and photonic biosensors can identify disease biomarkers at early stages. In the energy and mobility sectors, high-mobility 2D semiconductors are driving low-power electronics and adaptive control systems for sustainable technologies. RMIT’s multidisciplinary engineering ecosystem ensures each layer, from material design to data analytics, contributes to intelligent functionality. A notable example of this multi-layered ecosystem at work is the world-first ingestible gas-sensing capsule, now commercialised by Atmo Biosciences. Incorporating nanoscale sensors, a smart processor, and a wireless transmission module, the capsule measures intestinal gases in vivo and transmits real-time data to reveal insights into gut health. It exemplifies how nanomaterial-enabled sensors can evolve into life-changing medical technologies. By uniting atomically thin materials, smart system integration, and global collaboration, my colleagues and I continue to lead in Electrical and Electronic Engineering research. We are shaping a future where every atom powers intelligent, sustainable, and connected technologies. Interested in collaborating? Get in touch: Jian Zhen Ou - RMIT University

Quantum Breakthrough: Room-Temperature Precision Sensing Researchers from the University of Glasgow, Imperial College London, and UNSW Sydney have unveiled a significant advancement in quantum technology, paving the way for precise quantum sensors that function effectively at room temperature. This innovation could revolutionize fields such as biology, materials science, and electronics by enabling high-sensitivity magnetic field measurements with nanoscale precision. Harnessing Molecular Quantum States • The Concept: The team demonstrated how to control and detect the quantum states of molecules, specifically focusing on a quantum property called ‘spin’ in organic molecules. • Key Methodology: They used lasers to align electron spins within the molecules and detect them using visible light—a process that has traditionally required extreme conditions like cryogenic temperatures. • Impact: This room-temperature functionality represents a major leap in making quantum sensing more accessible and deployable across various industries. Applications and Implications 1. Biological Systems: These sensors could probe magnetic fields at the molecular level, aiding in understanding complex biological processes and interactions. 2. Novel Materials: By examining the magnetic properties of materials, researchers could develop more advanced and efficient technologies. 3. Electronic Devices: Quantum sensors could improve diagnostics and performance analysis in next-generation electronics. Significance of the Discovery • Technical Innovation: The ability to optically detect and manipulate molecular spins at room temperature is detailed in the study, titled “Room-temperature optically detected coherent control of molecular spins,” published in Physical Review Letters. • Scalable Potential: The research lays the groundwork for creating practical, compact devices capable of high-resolution magnetic field measurements at the nanometer scale. Future Outlook This breakthrough marks an exciting step toward making quantum technologies more versatile and user-friendly. Room-temperature quantum sensors, as envisioned by the research, could redefine precision measurement, fostering advancements across diverse scientific and industrial applications. As the technology matures, it could become a cornerstone of quantum-enabled diagnostics and innovations, combining the precision of quantum mechanics with the practicality of everyday conditions.

Excited to share our new review article published today in Nature Nanotechnology! In collaboration with Joe Wang, our paper “Nanosensors for real-time intracellular analytics” provides a comprehensive overview of how nanoscale sensors are transforming our ability to monitor life inside cells, continuously, non-destructively, and in real time. This review was led by our amazing students Ali Sarikhani, Kuldeep Mahato, Ana Casanova, and Keivan Rahmani. We introduce a spatial framework: near cell, on cell, and in cell, to classify intracellular sensing technologies, and highlights emerging approaches for detecting ions, metabolites, electrical activity, and mechanical changes. We also discuss how these advances, coupled with AI-driven analysis, are paving the way for smart biological models that can autonomously report on their internal state. Very proud of this collaborative effort and excited to see how the field continues to evolve toward intelligent, real-time integrated intracellular sensing. *Due to the journal’s citation limit, we couldn’t include all the excellent work in this area, but we truly appreciate the many contributions that continue to drive this field forward. 👉 Read the paper here: https://lnkd.in/gbf9Z25G Nature Portfolio, Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering, , NanoEngineering Department, UC San Diego

Excited to share our latest research published in Science Advances with Profs Zhipei Sun and Weiwei Cai! 🚀 We have developed a miniaturised spectral sensing platform that can identify materials without requiring complex mathematical reconstruction of spectral features. This enables a more compact and efficient alternative to conventional spectrometers. 🔍 What makes this work interesting? ✅ Eliminates the need for complex spectral reconstruction ✅ Utilizes a tunable optoelectronic interface for material identification ✅ Opens new possibilities for real-time sensing in resource-limited environments ✅ Moves us closer to next-generation, chip-scale spectral analysis This breakthrough has substantial implications for remote sensing, diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and industrial quality control. 🔗 Read the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/gTHYWtUc Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge Division of Electrical Engineering, University of Cambridge Cambridge Graphene Centre #SpectralSensing #Optoelectronics #Photonics #MaterialScience #Innovation #ScienceAdvances

A Record in Precision: Sensor Detects a Pulse Smaller Than a Zeptojoule Finnish researchers have created a calorimeter capable of measuring energy below one zeptojoule. A zeptojoule is 10⁻²�� joules. Put simply: that’s about the amount of energy needed to lift a single red blood cell by one nanometer. The device detected an electromagnetic pulse carrying just 0.83 zeptojoules — something no calorimeter had ever measured before. Here’s how it works. A microwave pulse is sent into the sensor. The sensor itself is built from two metals: a superconductor and a normal conductor. Superconductivity is a fragile state — even a tiny rise in temperature weakens it. That’s the basis of the sensor’s extreme sensitivity. Even an incredibly small amount of energy slightly heats the conductor, the superconducting properties respond, and the instrument detects the change. The remaining background noise is then filtered out to isolate the signal. Why does this matter? There are two major applications. The first is quantum computing. The calorimeter operates at the same ultralow temperatures as qubits. There’s no need to heat anything up or amplify signals, which means less interference. In the future, sensors like this could potentially read qubit states directly. The second is the search for dark matter. Hypothetical particles known as axions are expected to carry extremely tiny amounts of energy, and nobody knows when they might appear. What’s needed is a detector that simply waits and captures whatever arrives. The researchers’ next goal is to push the sensitivity down to the level of individual photons. https://lnkd.in/ezxcc42w

It is not often that I have the pleasure to post about 2 major papers published by the lab in the same day. We are very excited to showcase a new sensing modality that enables the capture of gas emissions from the skin in a wearable, passive format. This work, published in Nature Communications, introduces a diffusion-based, fully passive skin gas sensor integrated into our biosymbiotic wearable platform. The sensing solution enables high temporal resolution acquisition of biomarkers such as sweat rate, revealing dynamics not previously observable—for example, sweat output in strength training shows delayed onset, occurring primarily after lifting sets rather than during the load itself. The platform also tracks skin-emitted CO₂ and VOCs in real time, enabling differentiation of physiological stressors such as mental fatigue and alcohol metabolism. Congratulations to David M. Clausen and everyone involved in the lab on this exciting work, which lays the groundwork for future efforts in the lab. Paper: https://rdcu.be/elpLT University of Arizona College of Engineering, University of Arizona Biomedical Engineering Below: an image of the device in action. For tennis enthusiasts, the paper includes high temporal resolution sweat rate data across different phases of play.

Professor Aydogan Ozcan and his research team have innovated a wearable and cost-effective sensor system capable of measuring skin optical properties, enabling early, non-invasive detection of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). The device can identify early inflammatory changes in the skin before visible symptoms fully manifest, providing improved diagnostic capabilities for clinicians. The sensor is designed with high signal-to-noise performance, integrated into a low-power, flexible, and water-resistant device suitable for continuous wear in real-world conditions. Data acquisition occurs wirelessly in a time-lapsed format, enabling continuous monitoring without disrupting patient activity. The collected data is processed through a deep neural network (DNN) to classify skin responses in real time. Positive reactions are immediately communicated to the user via LED indicators, and the DNN can further interface with a sequential forward feature selection algorithm to optimize data collection, minimizing measurement redundancy while maintaining diagnostic accuracy. This technology has the potential to transform ACD diagnosis from a reactive, clinic-based procedure to a proactive, point-of-care capability, improving patient comfort, accessibility, and treatment outcomes. Beyond its primary application, the technology holds potential for adaptation across numerous disease states and diagnoses, enabling it to function as a broadly applicable clinical platform. Image extracted from UCLA Technology Development Group Please see the news release: https://lnkd.in/gwbpqqkR

Japan develops dissolvable electronic sensors that vanish inside the body Japanese engineers have created a new generation of electronic sensors that simply dissolve inside the human body after their job is done. These paper-thin devices are designed to monitor vital signals, wound healing, or even tumor activity for weeks before harmlessly disappearing without surgery. Built from magnesium, silk proteins, and ultra-thin silicon, the sensors represent a major shift toward medicine that leaves no trace behind. Unlike traditional implants, which often need risky procedures for removal, these dissolvable sensors integrate seamlessly with tissues and then gradually break down into biocompatible components. The magnesium conducts signals, the silk protein acts as a protective layer, and the silicon handles electrical functions before slowly degrading. Patients would never need to go back under the knife to take them out. The devices are thin enough to fold or roll like a sheet of film. They can be placed directly on organs such as the brain or heart, or even wrapped around blood vessels to detect pressure changes. In brain surgery, for example, doctors could monitor swelling or fluid buildup and let the device vanish naturally, reducing the chance of infection. What makes this breakthrough especially powerful is the way it eliminates long-term risks. Many implants today can cause inflammation, scar tissue, or immune rejection over time. By contrast, these sensors complete their mission and then harmlessly dissolve, leaving nothing behind. It’s like having a doctor inside the body who quietly leaves when the work is finished. Researchers say the technology could pave the way for temporary drug-delivery systems, short-term neural interfaces, or even post-surgical monitoring tools that disappear as soon as healing is complete. It’s a future where medical devices behave like natural extensions of biology, adapting to the body’s needs and then fading away.

Rewritable recyclable 'smart skin' monitors biological signals on demand. Penn State University researchers recently developed an adhesive sensing device that seamlessly attaches to human skin to detect and monitor the wearer’s health. The writable sensors can be removed with tape, allowing new sensors to be patterned onto the device. May 30, 2024. Excerpt: The details of the smart skin, including how it can be efficiently reprogrammed to detect various signals and even recycled, were published in Advanced Materials (enclosed). The paper was included in the “Rising Stars” series, which is coordinated by multiple journals to highlight work by early career researchers around the world. The researchers also filed a provisional patent application. “Despite significant efforts on wearable sensors for health monitoring, there haven’t been multifunctional skin-interfaced electronics with intrinsic adhesion on a single material platform prepared by low-cost, efficient fabrication methods,” said co-corresponding author Huanyu “Larry” Cheng, the James L. Henderson, Jr. Memorial Associate Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics in the Penn State College of Engineering. “This work, introduces a skin-attachable, reprogrammable, multifunctional, adhesive device patch fabricated by simple and low-cost laser scribing.” Cheng explained conventional fabrication techniques for flexible electronics can be complicated and costly, especially as sensors built on flexible substrates, or foundational layers, are not necessarily flexible themselves. The sensor’s rigidity can limit the flexibility of the entire device. Cheng’s team previously developed biomarker sensors using laser-induced graphene (LIG), which involves using a laser to pattern 3D networks on a porous, flexible substrate. The interactions between the laser and materials contained in the substrate produce conductive graphene. “To address these challenges, it is highly desirable to prepare porous 3D LIG directly on the stretchable substrate,” said co-author Jia Zhu, who graduated with a doctorate in engineering science and mechanics from Penn State in 2020 and is now an associate professor at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China. The researchers achieved this goal by making an adhesive composite with molecules called polyimide powders that add strength and heat resistance and amine-based ethoxylated polyethylenimine — a type of polymer that can modify conductive materials — dispersed in a silicone elastomer, or rubber. The stretchable composite not only accommodates direct 3D LIG preparation, but also its adhesive nature means it can conform and stick to non-uniform, changeable shapes — like humans. Note: “We would like to create the next generation of smart skin with integrated sensors for health monitoring — along with evaluating how various treatments impact health — and drug delivery modules for in-time treatment,” Cheng said.