Spectroscopy plays a key role in tissue sensing by analyzing the interaction of light with biological tissues to gather information about their composition and structure. In particular near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy enables non-invasive, real-time assessment of biological parameters and tissue health.
Recently, wearable sensors equipped with spectroscopic capabilities have emerged as promising tools for continuous tissue monitoring outside clinical settings. These wearable spectroscopic devices often incorporate a small number of light sources and detectors, in the visible to 900 nm spectral region, allowing for real-time assessment of tissue conditions such as oxygen saturation.
Our group has developed
integrated spectral sensors, based on an advanced nanophotonic platform, able to quantify and classify materials properties using near-infrared light. These low-cost spectral chips, already commercialized by our spin-off
MantiSpectra, provide detailed spectral information in the spectral region 900-1700 nm and may open the way to the measurement of physiological parameters for which no wearable technology exists yet. In this project, as first step, we will assess the potential of these chips for the measurement of hydration in tissue. In collaboration with industrial partners, we will select other promising targets and application areas, and pursue the integration of the chips into a portable demonstrator.
InformationThe
Semiconductor Nanophotonics lab at the Eindhoven University of Technology (The Netherlands) has an open postdoctoral position in the field of optical sensing for wearables. The successful candidate will be in charge of the planning and execution of measurement campaigns on phantoms and human tissue, and of designing, building, and testing portable spectral sensing systems for tissue analysis. The project will be carried out under the supervision of prof. dr. A. Fiore, Dep. Applied Physics and Science Education, in close collaboration with a team of young and enthusiastic researchers and with industrial partners. The postdoctoral appointment will initially be for a period of one year, with the possibility of extensions depending on project funding. The Eindhoven region and its
PhotonDelta ecosystem offer ample opportunities for developing an applied R&D career in photonics, within large companies or fast-growing spin-offs.