Our current research areas include: wireless sensor networks, MEMS/MOEMS and integrated design. These are the basic building blocks to develop smart sensors, embedded systems and networks for the IoT.
Cloud-based big data capture and analysis solutions for wireless sensor networks
Low power wide area network wireless protocol design and optimisation
Low power sensor node design for wireless sensor network applications
Resonating micro-scanners for embedded pico-projector in mobile device
IR microspectrometers for real-time high performance gas monitoring
Piezoelectric-actuated MEMS resonators for low VHF RF applications
Anisomagnetic resistive sensors for MEMS compass devices.
Power conditioning circuits for energy harvesting
Control and read-out circuitry for MEMS/MOEMS devices
Integrated Remotely Configurable Delay Generator
ASIC Phoneme Recogniser based on Discrete Wavelet Transforms and Support Vector Machines
1.6 GHz Phase Locked Loop for GPS Applications
CMOS Integrated Sensor Interface for the Voltammetric Detection of Dopamine
Low Voltage Signal Conditioning Circuits
1 V Second-Order Sigma-Delta Modulator
Low Voltage High-resolution Pipelined Incremental ADC
Analogue CMOS Chipset for 2-D Sound Localization System
Analogue Neural Network Circuits
Our department participates in a number of funded research projects which provide a great collaboration platform with other established research institutes and industry. Partners involved in our projects include Fraunhofer ENAS, IMEC, CEA-LETI, ST Microelectronics, Philips and Infineon.
The Environmental Sensors for Air Quality (ESAIRQ) project focuses on developing essential technologies for gas sensing, while researching selective, sensitive and reliable sensors at affordable costs for mass exploitation. ESAIRQ’s deliverables, notably its gas, fine-particle and pathogen-sensing technologies, will have a significant health, societal and environmental impact. The department’s involvement in this project is summarized as follows:
Design and setup of 100+ sensor node wireless gas sensing network for the Faculty of ICT
Design and fabrication of an IR microspectrometer based on a MEMS scanning diffraction grating
Funded by: European Nanoelectronics Initiative Advisory Council (ENIAC) Duration: 2015-2018 Coordinator: ST Microelectronics (Agrate, Italy) Project website
The aim of Lab4MEMSII was the development of a pilot line for innovative key enabling technologies on advanced Micro-Opto-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MOEMS). MOEMS, which merge MEMS and Micro-optics are designed to sense and manipulate optical signals on a very small scale, using integrated mechanical, optical and electrical systems. The department was actively involved in the following tasks:
Design and optimisation of single and dual-axis micro-mirrors, utilising different actuation methodologies targeted for pico-projector and 3D scanner applications
Development of finite element (FE) and computational fluid dynamic (CFD) numerical models to simulate electrostatic and electromagnetic micro-mirror actuation
Design and construction of an in-house MOEMS characterisation facility to obtain the dynamic performance measurements of the fabricated micro-mirror prototypes
Funded by: European Nanoelectronics Initiative Advisory Council (ENIAC) Duration: 2013-2016 Coordinator: ST Microelectronics (Agrate, Italy) Project website
The aim of Lab4MEMS was to establish a European Pilot Line for key enabling technologies on advanced piezoelectric and magnetic materials, including advanced 3D Packaging technologies to meet the ever-evolving market needs. The MNE department was actively involved in the following tasks:
Design of a piezoelectric RF MEMS variable capacitor in collaboration with Cavendish Kinetics (Netherlands)
Design and characterization of Anisomagnetoresistive (AMR) magnetometer test structures in collaboration with ST (Italy)
Analysis of warpage issues in wafer-level thermo-compression molding in collaboration with ST (Malta)
Funded by:European Commission in Call, FP6 Duration: 2004-2007 Centre for Research & Technology Hellas / Hellenic Institute of Transport, Greece Project website
The objective of this project was to explore a wide range of micro and nano-sensor technologies to achieve unobtrusive, cost-effective, real-time monitoring, detection and prediction of human physiological state in relation to wakefulness, fatigue and stress anytime, everywhere and for everybody. The department participating in two work packages of the project, with the tasks of:
Designing a camera interface board for stereovision applications (Stereoview-Eye)
Developing a sensor communication network
Apart from participating in the main projects listed above, the department has a supporting role in a number of other projects. These projects include:
