"We are designing nanosensors for microelectronic components."
The MCL is coordinating an EU project with 17 partners aimed at integrating nanosensors into microelectronic components. The primary objective is to develop extremely small sensors for integration into computer chips. Innovations such as these could be used in smartphones, for example, to warn participants in outdoor sports of dangerously high ozone levels, city dwellers of high levels of particulate matter, farmers of gases in silos, or sunbathers on the beach of dangerous exposure to UV radiation. Nanosensors also open up new possibilities in building technology: networks of infrared sensors can locate the source of a fire and indicate the exact location of potential victims. Additionally, nanosensors enable the control of air conditioning systems based not only on room temperature but also on the CO2 concentration, helping to make them more energy-efficient.