Vision and mission
INESC Microsistemas e Nanotecnologias (INESC MN), aims to apply world class research to develop microsystems for industrial sensing, health and agri-food/environmental applications, to provide technology transfer and IP generation and to train the next generation of young scientists and engineers in micro and nanofabrication, devices and microsystems.
INESC MN is a reference institution in the field of microsystems and nanotechnology. With a strong interdisciplinary nature – materials, physics, electronics, bio-nanotechnology and engineering – INESC MN focuses on developing key enabling technologies for global industries. We create innovative solutions directed to the areas of robotics, automotive, food, environmental and health monitoring .
Research areas
Highlights
METRICS (2022 DATA)
F: 41% M: 59%
Gender distribution
Infrastructure
Our Clean-room class 100/10 (ISO 5/4) is equipped with state-of-the-art tools and characterization laboratories and supports the life cycle of device fabrication: from the design to deployment.
This infrastructure is at the heart of INESC MN research activities and supports a portfolio of collaborations with national and international institutes, as well as with industrial partners through contracted services, technology transfer and fast prototyping.
INESC MN is a founding partner of Micro&NanoFabs@PT, the network of Micro Nano fabrication research facilities in Portugal.
INESC MN joins EuroNanoLab, a candidate Pan-European distributed Infrastructure of Clean rooms, providing access to world class nanofabrication services and expertise.
INESC MN recognized as Center of Technology and Innovation (CTI) by the Portuguese Innovation Agency ANI, by fostering the collaboration between academia and industry and by contributing with high-qualified human resources, promoting scientific employment and dissemination of knowledge.
EU projects
We are committed in supporting academic, industry and public agencies, through either short or long-term collaborative projects. In an international environment, INESC MN works synergically with its partners by sharing its infrastructure and expertise, by tackling industry relevant questions and by addressing global challenges.
INESC MN is on of the twelve members of this consortium that implements competences of participating academic & industry beneficiaries and 3rd country partners to:
- Create a knowledge/experience-sharing network of scientists, entrepreneurs & end-users in the multidisciplinary field of biosensors for POCT (point-of care testing);
- Develop innovative bottom-up approaches for fabrication of low-cost POCT devices & implementation of paper-based nucleic acid testing (NAT);
- Pursue applications in 3 important industry sectors – healthcare, agrifood & environmental monitoring.
MultiSpin.AI
INESC MN is one of the partners in the European project “MultiSpin.AI: n-ary spintronics-based edge computing co-processor for artificial intelligence”, which has secured funding of over €3M from the European Innovation Council (EIC) through the Pathfinder Open program. The project started in February 2024 and will last for 3 years.
In Lisbon, the team is led by Prof. Susana Freitas, a researcher at INESC MN and professor at the Department of Physics of Instituto Superior Técnico, whose widely distinguished work in thin films and spintronics will be essential for the design and manufacturing of magnetic nanodevices in the project.
The Pathfinder Open program promotes high-risk, high-reward scientific innovations and the development of technologies still in the early stages. This is the case of the innovative device that the project proposes to develop, applying spintronics to the field of artificial intelligence: processing units based on magnetic tunnel junctions that exhibit multiple distinguishable magnetic states, allowing for more than the usual 2 digital states and, therefore, achieving significant gains in terms of computing speed and energy efficiency. This hardware will be integrated into information processing through neuromorphic computing. The impact will be significant in artificial intelligence applications that require high energy consumption and increased computational resources, thus benefiting from the optimization of processing capacity (for example, in areas that require “on-site” computing, such as autonomous mobility or robotics).
UNLOOC – UNLocking Data Content of Organ-On-Chips
This project will develop, optimize, and validate a multitude of ECS-based tools to build OOC-models to replace animal and in-human testing.
INESC MN will work on the development of an integrated sensing solution based on thin-film sensors, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC) and microfluidics for monitoring different conditions inside the organ-on-chip chambers. This task will be developed together with INESC-ID and SiliconGate. To tackle the major challenges proposed in this project, the consortium is composed of 51 partners of 10 different countries.
RIANA – Research Infrastructure Access in NAnoscience & nanotechnology
INESC MN is one of the partners of RIANA – Research Infrastructure Access in NAnoscience & nanotechnology.
This project unites seven top European RI networks, including EUSMI, to provide external users access to cutting-edge techniques for nanofabrication, processing, characterization, and simulation. With coordination through a single point of contact, users can tap into 69 infrastructures supported by skilled scientists and experts. RIANA aims to attract both experienced and new users from academia and industry to nurture innovative scientific ideas.
The Joint Research Project EURAMET 20NRM02 MFMET, funded under the EMPIR program of the European Commission, is engaged in establishing metrology standards for microfluidic devices. It focuses on TESTING and METROLOGY strategies for flow and material quantities, interfaces, connectivity, modularity and sensor integration that are essential to ensure MEASUREMENT ACCURACY and TRACEABILITY of MICROFLUIDIC DEVICES.
As one partner in the ECSEL project Moore4Medical, INESC MN will contribute to accelerate the development of medical devices in the key priority fields of organs-on-chip and continuous monitoring.
INESC MN coordinates the H2020 MAG-ID project aiming at the development of innovative track & trace solutions based on magnetic barcodes and magnetic read-outs.
