CMST News

(most recent entries at the top)

  • 3 may 2021:
    Two joint UGent-VUB PhD positions in Photonics have become available: optical interconnects and laser dynamics for wavelength division multiplexing.
    Apply now via the EURAXIS website.

  • 17 february 2021:
    Congratulations to Pablo Pérez Merino and Matthew McDonald who have been selected for the very competitive and prestigious Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships.

    The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship was awarded to Matt McDonald for the project THINPAC (Thin flexible hermetic packaging of ultra-thin silicon chips for high-density neuro electronic implantable devices)
    Project abstract:
    Microelectronic medical implants with superior performance are needed to improve quality of life for patients. For neuroelectronic applications, this will be enabled through miniaturisation of large numbers of high-density electrodes in biomimetic packages. The leading solution is to use ultra-thin silicon chips embedded in flexible polymers with small flexible ribbon cables. The primary aim of THINPAC is to realize a robust technology platform for ultra-thin flexible hermetic packaging of thinned CMOS chips using alternating layers of ceramic nanofilms and polyimide. Innovation beyond existing FITEP-based fabrication technology is needed to ensure long term hermeticity, biostability, and flexibility of electronic implants. (FITEP: CMSTs platform regarding the fabrication of ‘Flexible implantable Thin Electronic Packagaing’). Finally, functional probes for implantation into peripheral nerves will be fabricated and fully characterized in rats for foreign body reaction and electrophysiology. The project will run for 2 years.

    The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship was awarded to Pablo Pérez Merino for the project GRAVITEYE (Implantable flexible electro-active sensing platform for smart intraocular applications).
    Project abstract:
    The GRAVITEYE project will develop a smart intraocular implant based on novel biomedical sensing technologies to monitor the IOP (Intra Ocular Pressure) dynamics, track the pulsatile fluctuations and decipher the intraocular fluid motion. The integrated platform will be encapsulated in a commercial intraocular lens and include (i) bio-fitted flexible sensors, (ii) ultrathin-film stretchable interconnections and (iii) a Radio-Frequency antenna for wireless powering and communication. The project will run for 2 years.

  • 4 september 2020:
    Imec and Ghent University Present a Smart Contact Lens Mimicking the Human Iris to Combat Eye Deficiencies.

    On September 4, the first performance assessment of our artificial iris was reported in Scientific Reports (pdf), a Nature publication. Resulting from a collaboration between our group and the Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Fundación Jiménez Díaz (Madrid, Spain) the paper demonstrates that a smart contact lens with our artificial iris has the potential to expand the visual sharpness, decrease optical aberrations and reduce the amount of light entering the eye in a dynamic manner. Thanks to the fruitful collaboration with Holst Centre (an open innovation initiative from imec and TNO, the Netherlands), we can also present an autonomous prototype that will be further developed into a medical device within the framework of the spin-off incubation initiative Azalea Vision, from imec and Ghent University.
    More links:
    → Forbes - This Smart Contact Lens Is Already In Clinical Trials At Ghent University In Belgium.
    → imec.
    → UGent-ELIS - Slimme contactlens vervangt iris. (dutch)
    → Medgadget - Artificial Iris Inside Smart Contacts Corrects Vision Disorders.
    → News Break - Imec develops artificial iris.
    → International Business Times - Scientists Develop Smart Contact Lens with Artificial Iris to Treat Eye Diseases.
    → EOS - Contactlens vervangt iris. (dutch)
    → Datanews - Imec en UGent stellen slimme contactlens met kunstmatige iris voor. (dutch)

    		CMST

  • 12 february 2020:
    Congratulations to our colleague Marie-Aline Mattelin for winning the Best Student Paper award at Photonics West 2020 with the paper “Fabrication and replication of high efficiency blazed gratings with grayscale electron beam lithography and UV nanoimprint lithography”.
    CMST

  • 11 february 2020:
    The imec.icon research project I-CART ( ⇒ project website) has been succesfully completed. You can see the end results of the project in this video (click image for video - dutch narrated). CMST

  • 4 february 2020:
    Congratulations to our colleague Maarten Cauwe for winning the Best International Paper award at IPC APEX 2020 with “High-Density PCB Technology Assessment for Space Applications”
    More information can be found on the IPC website.

  • 5 december 2019:
    The Nano4sports project, of which cmst is a partner, has published a magazine with an overview of the realisations of the project. You can read the magazine online here (issuu.com). More information (in dutch) can be found on the project website: Nano4sports

  • 7 November 2019:
    A new article has been published about the work we have been performing for the Flexlines project:
    Over-moulding of electronic functionalities on flexible polyimide-copper substrates.
    Click image to read the article on the Flexlines project website:
    CMST .

  • 26 September 2019:
    Watch our new film about E-Textiles Research in our lab (in cooperation with the Textirama Foundation):
    Click image to watch the film on youtube:
    CMST .

  • 15 augustus 2019:
    The july 2019 edition of imec magazine contains an article on our research on smart textiles: Smart cycling outfit prevents back pain in riders.
    You can read the full article here.

  • 23 April 2019:
    CMST Cmst takes part in the H2020 Aquarius project which aims to provide an on- and inline capable mid-IR optical sensing for industrial waste water and drinking water monitoring (click image to watch movie).
    More information can be found on the project website: AQUARIUS.

  • 1 february 2019:
    The new Horizon 2020 ELEVATE project for the ‘EarLy dEtection of cerVical cAncer in hard-to-reach populations of women through portable and point-of-care HPV Testing’, has started. The ELEVATE project develops and tests a multi-disciplinary intervention to improve the cervical cancer screening coverage of hard-to-reach women in Europe and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. This project combines fundamental scientific research with social science investigations, and technology development. At the core of this project is the development and pilot testing of a portable, point-of care human papillomavirus testing device that yields rapid, easy-to-understand results for use in low-resource settings (i.e. without relying on electrical outlets or trained health personnel). The ELEVATE consortium of nine partners- led by ICRH and CMST of the UGent- will receive 3.3 million Euro from the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme to execute this project over five years (2019-2023).
    More information will follow.
  • 30 may 2018:
    The may 2018 edition of imec magazine contains an article about our research on optical sensors: Here’s how to make materials ‘feel pain’.
    You can read the full article here.


  • 27 june 2017:
    Jelle De Smet Our ex-colleague Jelle De Smet has made the list of the most brilliant Innovators Under 35 (published by MIT Technology Review) for his work at the EYEco-eyeCO spin-off.
  • 9 june 2017:
    The first newsletter of the Aquarius-project has been published. The first issue of includes some main project information and the concept and provides an overview on the individual work packages and their progress within the first few project months.
  • 9 june 2017:
    CMST is one of the research groups that participates in the new expertise center for Nano-and Microfabrication “Namifab”. More information about the mission and capabilities of Namifab can be found on their website.
  • 1 june 2016:
    IMPRESS Successful development of an ultrathin flexible hermetic packaging technology
    In the frame of Darpa’s HAPTIX development activities, research is performed to develop a system for a thought driven control of a bionic arm. Imec is taking part in these activities by its IMPRESS project, coordinated by the University of Florida. Imec’s role is the design and fabrication of a flexible, miniaturized electronic device for implantation in the peripheral nerves. This neural probe is carrying many electrodes for recording as well as stimulation and allows for a direct communication between the nerve system and the bionic arm. CMST plays an important role in this project by its development of an ultrathin flexible hermetic packaging technology for the implantable neural probe.
    For more information click here.
    This work was sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Biological Technologies Office under the auspices of Dr. Doug Weber through the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Pacific Grant/Contract No. N66001-15-C-4018 to the University of Florida.
  • 23 november 2016:
    The CMST website has been redesigned! The website uses the new design developed for ‘200 years Ghent University’, and we have updated and improved all of the information on our site.
    200 years Ghent University
  • 12 november 2016:
    Announcement: Smart Optics workshop, December 19th, 2016.
    This workship will present the main results from the Secondos project and offer an outlook to possible next steps towards products. This research was subsidized by VLAIO. More information can be found here.
  • 23 oktober 2016:
    A new ACTPHAST promotional video which includes testimonials from ACTPHAST supported companies, is available. The movie and full testimonials are also available on the new ACTPHAST website: http://www.actphast.be
  • 8 October 2014. CMST appeared in an episode of 'Inside Out' (Tech Fusion) on Discovery Channel. Click on the image below to see some screenshots!
    Inside Out
  • 22 October 2013. Jelle De Smet has been nominated for the first ever 'Golden Pipette Award'. This award was instituted by the popular science magazine "EOS" to celebrate the magazine’s 30th anniversary. The award celebrates the scientific achievement of the year, performed by a young scientist.in the category Academics. The winner will be announced during a ceremony on the 24th of November 2013.
    Links :