SMART launches new research group WISDOM to pioneer technologies that will help machines “see” like humans

Multi-million-dollar, three-and-a-half-year programme to advance Singapore’s optoelectronics and photonics capabilities and semiconductor industry, which generated over S$133 billion in 2023 and accounts for approximately 7% of Singapore’s GDP

Bringing together over 20 Singapore and US-based researchers, this is the first time a programme will study the combination of three integral components: optics, optoelectronics and electronics

WISDOM supports Singapore’s Future of Microelectronics (FME) national initiative, and has key partnerships with leading research institutions including the National Semiconductor Translation and Innovation Centre (NSTIC)

The IRG’s research endeavours are expected to benefit industries such as automotive, consumer electronics, healthcare, and space travel and sample collection – including applications in autonomous driving, augmented reality, robotics and high-speed data communication

SINGAPORE –
Media OutReach Newswire – 7 May 2025 –
Imagine creating 3D-sensing technologies so lightweight, compact and high-performance that they could take us to planets beyond Mars. The
Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) 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.

Wafer-scale Integrated Sensing Devices based on Optoelectronic Metasurfaces (WISDOM)

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 and robots to perceive depth, shape and spatial detail safely and with more versatility, much like human vision.

3-Dimensional (3D) sensing is essential for many modern applications, from autonomous vehicles and robotics to augmented reality and medical diagnostics. However, current systems still fall short of human-like perception capabilities, which pose limitations such as contextual unawareness and decision errors.

Today’s optical systems are also often bulky, expensive and difficult to mass-produce due to reliance on complex components and manual assembly. While new materials called optoelectronic metasurfaces — which are ultra-thin and can control light in powerful new ways — show great potential, it has been difficult so far to turn them into practical, widely used products, due to challenges in how these materials are combined with other technologies and manufactured at large scale.

To solve the challenges, 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.

SMART WISDOM will be helmed by Co-Lead Principal Investigators
Prof Juejun Hu, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT, and
Prof Tan Chuan-Seng, Professor of Electronic Engineering at the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at NTU Singapore.

“What makes me really excited about WISDOM is that we’re putting together pieces that haven’t been combined before – to benefit a ton of industries and use cases. 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,” said
Prof Juejun Hu, Co-Lead Principal Investigator, WISDOM.

Combining expertise from five leading institutions

SMART brings together top researchers from leading institutions in the United States and Singapore, including
MIT,
NTU Singapore,
National University of Singapore (NUS),
Stanford University and
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), to redefine how optical metasurfaces are designed, integrated and manufactured.

This multi-million, multi-year effort, supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF) Singapore under its Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE) programme, brings together leading experts across disciplines in photonics, materials science and semiconductor engineering to position Singapore at the forefront of global innovation in sensing technologies and advanced manufacturing.

World-first approach to pioneering 3D-sensing and next-generation applications

WISDOM will capitalise on wafer-scale integration using standard silicon complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) processes to revolutionise how meta-optical systems are produced. This is the first time a programme is 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 surface emitting laser arrays (VCSELs); and silicon CMOS electronics.

At the heart of WISDOM’s pioneering research is their world-first approach that integrates the three elements into a wafer-scale platform. This tri-element integration seeks 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 will pioneer a new frontier in integrated optoelectronics, creating solutions that were previously unattainable with conventional approaches.

“The launch of WISDOM marks an exciting chapter in SMART’s and MIT’s long legacy in Singapore – bringing together the best in their fields from US, Singapore and the region for interdisciplinary research and collaboration to drive world-class research and innovation with commercial and societal impact for Singapore and beyond. The first-of-its-kind research will pioneer groundbreaking advancements for next-generation sensing systems, enabling transformative solutions across industries such as automotive, healthcare, aerospace and consumer electronics,” said
Bruce Tidor, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Interim), SMART.

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 innovation promises to enhance detection accuracy, extend range and field-of-view, and reduce motion artifacts, with transformative 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 revolutionary applications like glasses-free 3D displays and high-speed optical communication, laying the groundwork for smarter, more efficient technologies that will shape the future.

“WISDOM represents a paradigm shift in how meta-optical systems are integrated
– from discrete assembly to wafer-scale packaging. Even at the research stage, we have a clear objective to bring our innovations to market and societal impact – enabling transformative sensing technologies for mass-market applications. WISDOM is designed to streamline manufacturing by eliminating costly and intricate die-to-die assembly, significantly improving throughput,” said
MIT Prof Hu Juejun.

“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. NTU is known for translating fundamental research into real-world technologies, and this collaboration builds on that strength. Ranked top in the world for Electrical and Electronic Engineering1, 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,” said
NTU Prof Tan Chuan-Seng.

As MIT’s research enterprise in Singapore, SMART is dedicated to driving innovation that powers future industries and transforms global technological landscapes. WISDOM adds on to SMART’s continuing commitment to advancing cutting-edge and translational research in fields such as artificial intelligence, agriculture, antimicrobial resistance, cell therapy and more. In addition to advancing scientific understanding, the IRG’s work is expected to contribute to intellectual property development, technology licensing, and the creation of Singapore research spin-offs and startups in related industries.

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