PHOTOMIX

The need for compact, multifunctional sensing platforms with selective identification capabilities is rapidly increasing across various sectors, from PoC diagnostics to environmental surveillance & industrial process control. Photonic sensor technologies stand out for their precision, scalability, versatility, and non-destructive capabilities. Combining different sensing modalities, within the same hardware or digital platform, faster, more accurate, and resource-efficient sensing can be achieved. These hybrid systems reduce complexity & cost while increasing reliability in real world conditions. Data fusion from complementary modalities augmented by ML enables richer and more actionable outputs. Different sensing modalities providing information, such as vibrational modes or morphological properties, with varying resolution & speed, offer a more complete picture. Multi-scale imaging enables analysis from subcellular to macroscopic structures, vital in tissue diagnostics, microplastic detection, or materials inspection. Broadband spectral coverage further enhances versatility, specificity, and the ability to distinguish closely related compounds. There are though challenges to overcome. PHOTOMIX addresses these challenges by developing a unique, multimodal, multiscale, broadband, hyperspectral imaging platform integrating: a) a miniaturised MEMS-FTIR spectrometer, b) a low-cost portable spontaneous Raman imaging sensor, and a novel broadband, high-speed stimulated Raman imaging sensor, c) visible imaging, d) photothermal spectroscopy for trace gas sensing and imaging with sub-micrometre spatial resolution. These modalities will be combined to cover the needs of three use cases: a) Healthcare - Head & neck cancer diagnostics b) Environmental monitoring - Microplastics identification & classification in drinking water c) Industrial sustainability - Testing polymer biodegradation in aquatic environments.