News: Optoelectronics
8 May 2025
SMART launches interdisciplinary research group WISDOM to develop 3D sensing technologies
The Singapore–MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART, Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s research enterprise in Singapore) has launched a new interdisciplinary research group (IRG) focused on developing next-generation 3D sensing technologies for practical use across industries such as automotive, consumer electronics, aerospace and healthcare, among others.
Jointly led by faculty from MIT and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), the Wafer-scale Integrated Sensing Devices based on Optoelectronic Metasurfaces (WISDOM) IRG will focus on developing ultra-thin, scalable sensing devices – systems that allow machines such as autonomous vehicles (AVs) and robots to perceive depth, shape and spatial detail safely and with more versatility, much like human vision.
As a multi-million-dollar, three-and-a-half-year program to advance Singapore’s optoelectronics and photonics capabilities and semiconductor industry, WISDOM aims to develop compact solutions that are high performance, and enable optoelectronic metasurfaces to be manufactured using standard semiconductor processes and ready for mass-market adoption.
WISDOM will be led by co-lead principal investigators Juejun Hu (professor of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT) and Tan Chuan-Seng (professor of Electronic Engineering at the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at NTU Singapore).
“We’re putting together pieces that haven’t been combined before – to benefit a ton of industries and use cases,” says Juejun Hu. “For example, think how a super light and powerful LiDAR system could make trips to planets beyond Mars a reality. It’s like having a whole new set of eyes for exploration, and about making the seemingly impossible, possible.”
World-first approach to pioneering 3D-sensing and next-generation applications
WISDOM is expcted to capitalize on wafer-scale integration using standard silicon complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) processes to revolutionize how meta-optical systems are produced. This is reckoned to be the first time a program has been put together to study the combination of these three separate elements: optical metasurfaces, optoelectronic devices with a focus on light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser arrays (VCSELs); and silicon CMOS electronics.
At the heart of WISDOM’s research is their world-first approach that integrates the three elements into a wafer-scale platform. This tri-element integration aims to unlock entirely new functionalities in optical metasurface technology, enabling next-generation sensing systems with multi-modal illumination and detection, advanced displays with built-in high-speed communication, and biomedical devices with versatile light sources for diagnostics and therapeutics.
WISDOM’s work to bridge these complementary technologies is expected to pioneer a new frontier in integrated optoelectronics, creating solutions that were previously unattainable with conventional approaches.
WISDOM's inaugural project aims to develop a high-performance, metasurface-enabled LiDAR prototype, addressing key challenges in scalability, integration and performance. By combining metasurface optics, optoelectronic devices, and CMOS electronics on a single silicon substrate, WISDOM seeks to redefine the capabilities of LiDAR systems. This promises to enhance detection accuracy, extend range and field-of-view, and reduce motion artifacts, with implications for industries such as automotive, healthcare, robotics and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Beyond improving safety in autonomous vehicles and navigation in drones, it also opens doors to applications like glasses-free 3D displays and high-speed optical communication, laying the groundwork for smarter, more efficient technologies.
“WISDOM represents a paradigm shift in how meta-optical systems are integrated – from discrete assembly to wafer-scale packaging… enabling transformative sensing technologies for mass-market applications,” says Juejun Hu. “WISDOM is designed to streamline manufacturing by eliminating costly and intricate die-to-die assembly, significantly improving throughput,” he adds.
“By combining NTU’s two decades of expertise in electronics engineering and wafer packaging with MIT’s strengths in optical systems, we aim to create a new platform for large-scale manufacturing of optical metasurfaces using industry-standard CMOS processes,” says Tan Chuan-Seng. “We are well-placed to deliver innovations that are both scalable and commercially viable, while also training the next generation of engineers to lead in areas like augmented reality, robotics and consumer technology.”
