Beyond classical sensing for industry, consumer and humanoids

As industry moves from 3.0 toward 6.0, production paradigms are shifting from classical automation to full robotization. Consumer technology is following a parallel track, - evolving from wearables and foldables toward ambient, smart living environments that cover cooking, cleaning, and entertainment. In both domains, sensing and interconnection cease to be add-on features and instead form the core system architecture, with classical sensors increasingly giving way to quantum alternatives. In this talk, Xavier Rottenberg will present three key technology shifts that imec is pursuing:
1. Flat optics: our platforms span the infrared, visible, and ultraviolet spectrums using C-rich aSi, TiO, and NbO in multilayer stacks. This optical miniaturization unlocks new, ultra-compact form factors for non-invasive vital-signs monitoring. 2. Sensors with optical readout: beyond traditional image sensors, we are developing optical pressure sensors, microphones, IMUs (inertial measurement units), and thermometers. Together, this multimodal suite forms a dense sensing architecture capable of populating a true robotic skin. 3. magnetic sensing & integrated photonics: ranging from TMR (tunnel magnetoresistance) devices to diamond color centers, we leverage diamond as a single material platform for both sensing and communication.

Supporting all three directions, our integrated photonic platforms incorporate MEMS phase shifters and ultra-low-loss waveguides, using SiN in the infrared and extending to AlO for the UV. The common thread across these developments is compact, low-power, quantum-enhanced sensing distributed throughout the system architecture, with applications spanning industrial robotics, consumer environments, and humanoids.