Research excellence at frontiers of sensor technology

Imego – The institute of micro and nanotechnology

Out standing expertise within sensor platforms lies at the heart of our activities. Every research commissioned, product developed and industrial solution offered has its roots in our unique, leading-edge combination of knowledge and experience in this field.

Since being established in 1999, Imego’s research capability within nano and micro technology sensor systems has not only grown – it has been refined, improved and developed constantly, allowing us to take our position at the forefront of technological innovation and offer advanced industrial solutions.

Based on seven technical platforms, our sensor system solutions have been adapted and applied in areas as diverse as the environment, medicine, inertial navigation, biochemistry and toxin detection.

Dynamic inertial measurements

Imego is a leading developer of high performance MEMS inertial sensors and small, low-weight Inertial Measurement Units. Applications based on IMU’s have delivered qualified benefits in the areas of navigation, motion tracking, and stabilisation and vibration detection.

Magnetoelastic resonance

Research in this field has led to the development of a cost effective, disposable remote sensor based on thin ribbons of magnetoelastic material. The sensor is passive and the remote readout eliminates the need for wiring allowing it to be completely integrated with the measurement object. Examples of application include moisture detection, viscosity measurement and monitoring hardening or crystallisation processes.

Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs)

Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) are used to specifically bind and enrich medium and small sized molecules (i.e.
molecules of the size smaller than proteins). A specific MIP material is prepared for each molecule of interest. MIPs can be used as sensing materials integrated into sensoric systems for the purpose of detecting the toxins that can appear in drinking water, agricultural products and food, to name some examples.

AC susceptometry

Dynamic magnetic susceptometry gives information on how fast the magnetization in the material can change when applying an external magnetic field. The results from dynamic magnetic susceptometry gives valuable information of magnetic particles that is being is used in many applications, such as biomedical applications or as magnetic information carriers. In order to have a stable magnetic particle manufacturing process, dynamic susceptometry is a valuable tool to use in the production process. Applications of dynamic susceptometry can also be found in general magnetic characterization of different materials or in magnetic soil measurements used in geophysics, archeology and prospecting of different minerals.

RFID Sensors

By extending the RFID tags to sensing applications, the product or equipment becomes smarter. Wireless sensors incorporated in RFID systems check the environmental conditions during transport or storage, monitor the state of a product in food or healthcare, detect if a product was tempered with, or protect workers in hazardous environments. We focus on development of capacitive sensors that use no power when the tag is not in communication with the reader and use very low energy when in the range of the reader. The sensor fabrication is CMOS compatible thus easy to integrate with electronics.

Magnetic biodetection

By utilising fluorescent probes to monitor biochemical reactions, we have developed sensor systems for specific detection purposes including detecting disease markers in blood or the occurrence of particular cells in different kinds of samples. Our focus lies in the development of dedicated, relatively cheap sensor systems that are portable, automated, easy to handle, fast and offer performance comparable to, or better than, other commercially available instruments.

Fluorescent biodetection

We develop sensing systems that
utilize fluorescent probes to monitor biochemical reactions in order to detect for example disease markers in blood or the occurrence of particular cells
in different kinds of samples. Our focus is on the development of
dedicated portable, automatised, easy to handle, fast and relatively
cheap sensor systems having performance comparable to, or better than, commercially available instruments. If your interest is in developing
and/or buying a sensor with this description, we might just be the
partner for you!

Wireless sensor network

Wireless sensor networks will have a major impact on how and where we use sensors in the future. The relatively new ZigBee-standard based on IEEE 802.15.4 is a network standard developed with the properties and demands of sensor networks in mind. Battery powered sensor units can be embedded in the measurement objects and deliver data for years without any wires going to or from the units. A sensor unit becomes a part of the sensor network and the units can easily move within, leave or re-enter the network.