A new research initiative by the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) is setting its sights on transforming how machines see the world — with implications that could stretch from self-driving cars to interplanetary exploration.

Launched this week, the Wafer-scale Integrated Sensing Devices based on Optoelectronic Metasurfaces (WISDOM) interdisciplinary research group is working to develop ultra-compact, high-performance 3D-sensing systems. These devices could one day enable smarter autonomous vehicles, advanced healthcare diagnostics, and even lightweight spacecraft capable of navigating beyond Mars.

Jointly led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU Singapore), the initiative aims to overcome key limitations of today’s optical systems, which remain bulky, costly, and difficult to scale.

“What makes me really excited about WISDOM is that we’re putting together pieces that haven’t been combined before,” said Prof Juejun Hu, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT and Co-Lead Principal Investigator. “It’s like having a whole new set of eyes for exploration, and about making the seemingly impossible, possible.”

Wafer-thin tech, planet-wide ambition

3D sensing has become a critical enabler in everything from autonomous mobility to robotics and medical imaging. But current technologies still fall short of the agility and depth perception of human vision. WISDOM’s approach centres on optoelectronic metasurfaces — ultra-thin materials that can manipulate light in powerful new ways — integrated onto a single wafer using standard silicon CMOS processes.

This marks the first concerted global effort to integrate three distinct technologies — optical metasurfaces, optoelectronic devices such as LEDs and VCSELs, and silicon CMOS electronics — into a single scalable platform.

“WISDOM represents a paradigm shift in how meta-optical systems are integrated – from discrete assembly to wafer-scale packaging,” said Prof Hu. “Even at the research stage, we have a clear objective to bring our innovations to market and societal impact.”

A multi-institutional effort with global reach

WISDOM brings together researchers from MIT, NTU Singapore, the National University of Singapore (NUS), Stanford University, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). The effort is backed by the National Research Foundation (NRF) Singapore under its CREATE programme and underscores the city-state’s growing position as a hub for advanced sensing and manufacturing research.

NTU’s Prof Tan Chuan-Seng, Co-Lead Principal Investigator, noted the project’s alignment with the university’s strengths in electronics and wafer packaging.

“By combining NTU’s two decades of expertise 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,” he said.

Beyond autonomous cars: A new frontier in sensing

WISDOM’s first milestone is a next-generation LiDAR prototype built with metasurface optics, optoelectronic devices, and CMOS electronics. The system promises enhanced detection accuracy, wider field-of-view, and improved performance for use in autonomous vehicles, drones, and robotics.

The innovation also opens the door to more futuristic applications such as glasses-free 3D displays and high-speed optical communications — technologies that could reshape consumer electronics and healthcare.

“The first-of-its-kind research will pioneer groundbreaking advancements for next-generation sensing systems,” said Bruce Tidor, Interim CEO and Director of SMART. “This will enable transformative solutions across industries such as automotive, healthcare, aerospace and consumer electronics.”

A pipeline for innovation and talent

Beyond cutting-edge prototypes, WISDOM is also expected to drive patent filings, commercial licensing and deep-tech startups based in Singapore, while nurturing future engineering talent in fast-growing fields like augmented reality and photonics.

As SMART builds on its record of interdisciplinary research in fields ranging from AI to cell therapy, WISDOM adds a bold new layer to the institute’s efforts to develop impactful, scalable technologies for real-world challenges — and perhaps one day, other worlds.