Director of Research in Smart Electronics, Biosystems and AI
Academic Division: Electrical Engineering
Telephone: +44 1223 3 32838
Email: lgo23@eng.cam.ac.uk
Research interests
Dr Luigi Occhipinti joined the University of Cambridge in April 2014. His current position is Director of Research in Smart Electronics, Biosystems and AI. He serves as well as Director of Facilities of the Electrical Engineering Division, the Nanoscience and the Cambridge Graphene Centres.
His main academic interests include advanced materials and heterogeneous integration technologies for smart sensors, integrated bio-systems and AI for applications in healthcare, industrial sustainability, smart wearables and environmental monitoring. Luigi's research and innovation track record, developed over 25 years in both industry and academia, encompasses the fields of graphene and related 2D materials, physical, chemical and optical sensor technologies, biomedical engineering, energy harvesting and storage, quantum dots, flexible and stretchable substrates, e-fibres and e-textiles, advanced signal processing, machine learning and neuromorphic computing.
Luigi has authored and co-authored over 150 peer-review papers, 3 book chapters, 2 international standards and is inventor or co-inventor of more than 90 patents and patent applications (49 patents granted). Google Scholar: h-index 28, i10-index 63, Citations >5870
He is Senior Member of the IEEE society, Co-Chair and Programme Committee members in the IEEE BioSensors 2024, IEEE Flexible, Large-area Electronics, and Printable Sensors (FLEPS), Innovation in Large-Area Electronics (InnoLAE) Conferences, associate editor and member of editorial boards for journals such as npj Flexible Electronics, IEEE Sensors Journal, IEEE Journal of Flexible Electronics, the Nanotechnology Journal, as guest editor in Focus on Green Nanomaterials for a Sustainable Internet of Things, MDPI Sensors Journal, special sessions on Bioelectronics and their applicaitons (Editorial Board member), Flexible and Stretchable Sensors (guest editor), Wearable Sensors, Robotics and Assistive Devices (guest editor), and the Frontiers in Electronics journal for Devices and Technologies for Neuromorphic Computing (topic editor). Luigi is also co-editor of the Cambridge Elements Series of "Flexible and Large-Area Electronics" published by Cambridge University Press.
Strategic themes
Energy, transport and urban infrastructure
Flexible, Organic and Large-Area Electronics
Energy harvesting, Autonomous Sensors & Systems
Biosensors and Biosystems
Manufacturing, design and materials
Flexible Hybrid Integration of Multi-functional systems in bendable, stretchable and biocompatible substrates
Bioengineering
Smart Sensor Technologies and bio-electronics
with main interests in on-body sensors, molecular diagnostics, advanced biosystems and implantable devices
Complex, resilient and intelligent systems
Wireless wearable devices, Smart sensors and systems, Micro and Nano-manufacturing, Analogue and neuromorphic computing, Stretchable and biodegradable electronics
Research projects
Research grants at University of Cambridge:
- MP-SENS: Manufacturing Processes for hybrid Sensor module, Innovate UK Project No. 103543, main role as Principal Investigator. Academic beneficiary: University of Cambridge.
- Quantum Dot LED Mobile Displays, Industrial Research Grant No. RG93598, main role as Co-Investigator. Beneficiary: University of Cambridge
- Smart Quantum Dot Lighting (SmartQD), EPSRC Grant Agr. No. EP/P027628/1, main role as Co-Investigator for cQD-based device architectures and integration technologies. Consortium beneficiaries: University of Cambridge (lead), University of Oxford
- Printed Electronic sensors for urban monitoring applications in China (GraphClean), innovateUK - China Grant Agr. No. 71476-481865, main role as Co-Investigator in charge of PM2.5 sensor technology development, and electronic front-end. Cconsortium beneficiaries: Centre for Process Innovation Ltd (lead), University of Manchester, University of Cambridge, Novalia Ltd, Neudrive Ltd, KDX (China), Nanjing technical University (China).
- 1D Nanofibre Electro-Optic Networks (1D-NEON), http://1d-neon.eu, H2020-NMP-22-2015, Grant Agr. No. 685758 (Innovation Action), main role as leader WP8 (exploitation and dissemination), Exploitation and Business Development Manager, Project Manager (acting): 1D-NEON is a 4 year Innovation Action of the H2020 work programme funded by the European Commission under the NMP-22 2015 call topic “Fiber-based materials for non-clothing applications”. The vision of the 1D-NEON project is to create outstanding added value for the textile manufacturing industry. This will be accomplished by developing fibre-based smart materials along with an integrated technology platform for the manufacturing in Europe of new products enabling applications in sensing, lighting, energy and electronics.
- haRFest (Energy Harvesting for Printed Electronics), innovateUK "Energy Harvesting for Autonomous Electronics" Competition, Proj. No. 102154, Apr. 2015 - Sept. 2016, Lead Industry partner: PragmatIC Printing Limited.
- GRASS (Graphene based supercapacitors), EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account No. EP/K503757/1 Partnership Development Award, Jan.-Jun. 2015 - feasibility study in collabroation between U. Cambridge and Johnson Matthey
Last 10 years grants activity as Principal Investigator for the previous employer:
- ACTION FP7 (ACTive Implant for Optoacoustic Natural sound enhancement, EC Grant Agr. No. 611230), PI role from Oct 2013 to Feb2014: the project builds on recent discovery that relatively low levels of pulsed infrared laser light are capable of triggering activity in hair cells of the partially hearing (hearing impaired) cochlea and vestibule. ACTION will develop a self-contained, smart, highly miniaturised system to provide optoacoustic stimuli directly from the electrode array of a cochlear implant system. Project budget 4.3 M€, EC funding 3.0 M€, ST grants 0.47 M€.
- I-ONE FP7 IP (Implantable Organic Nano Electronics, EC Grant Agr. No. 280772), PI role from Mar. 2012 to Oct. 2013 the project aims at developing Active Multifunctional Implantable Devices based on flexible organic electronics and neural stem cells leading to treatment of Spinal Cord Injuries (http://ione-fp7.eu), project budget 5.1 M€, EC funding 3.8 M€, ST grants 0.39 M€.
- PLAST_ICs (Electronics on Plastics for Smart Disposable Systems, Italy MIUR Grant Agr. No. PON 02_0355_3416798), Proj. Coordinator / PI role from Jan. 2012 to Feb. 2014: one of the largest initiatives funded by the Ministry of Education, University and Research in Italy within the Micro and Nanosystems Technology District, project budget 12.6 M€, National funding 10.3 M€,
- Go4Time FP7 STREP (Global, Flexible, On demand and resourceful Timing IC & MEMS Encapsulated system, EC Grant Agr. No. 257444), PI role from Sept. 2010 to Aug. 2013: the project aims at developing a generic single chip timing MEMS & IC microsystem targeting low power portable applications requiring highly precise, high spectral purity and low jitter clocks in the (V)HF range (1-200MHz) in conjunction with an as accurate low power real time clock (http://www.go4time.eu), project budget 4.5 M€, EC funding 3.2 M€, ST grants 0.75 M€
- IMPRESA (Materials for Integrated Sensors in low cost devices for multisectorial applications, Italy MIUR Grant Agr. No. DM60704 IMAST), PI role from Sept. 2011 to Feb. 2014: the project objective is to develop and test materials for chemical and gas sensors in integrated devices, project budget 2.84 M€, ST grants 0.56 M€
- FUZI (Polymeric systems with integrated functionalities, Italy MIUR Grant Agr. No. PON 02_00029_3148467), PI role from June 2012 to Feb. 2014: the project aims at developing technology feasibility for the use of advanced materials and integration processes towards new sensors for the biomedical, automotive and industrial sectors, project budget 5.38 M€, ST grants 0.71 M€
- GREEN (Polymeric Materials for Energy Generation and Harvesting from Renewable Sources, Italy MIUR Grant Agr. No. PON_02_00029_2791179), PI role from July 2012 to Feb. 2014, the project objective is the development of technology building blocks and demonstrators of systems for energy generation from solar, electromagnetic and thermal sources, project budget 2.7 M€, ST grants 0.60 M€
- MOMA FP7 STREP (eMbedded Organic Memories and Applications, EC Grant Agr. No. 248092)), PI role Jan. 2010 - Dec. 2012: the project has achieved the development of flexible circuits with embedded re-programmable memory based on ferroelectric polymers for next-generation organic electronics applications (http://www.moma-project.eu/), project budget 4.7 M€, EC funding 3.1 M€, ST grants 1.29 M€
- ONE-P FP7 IP (Organic Nano-materials for Electronics and Photonics), PI role Jan 2009 – Dec 2011: the project has achieved a complete technology platform at European Level for an Organic Printed Electronics and Photonics industry, involving 30 different institutions, among all key stakeholders of this field of research and technology development (http://www.one-p.eu/public/), project budget 26 M€, EC funding 18 M€, ST grants 1.67 M€
- NANOHAND FP6 STREP (Micro-Nano System for Automatic Handling of Nano-Objects, FP6-2005-IST-5, EC Grant Agr. No. 034274), June 2006 ~ May 2009: the project has successfully achieved the development of nanomanipulation tools and techniques for carbon nanotube-based applications, namely CNT microgrippers and Supertips for Scanning Probe Microscopy, project budget 7.2 M€, EC funding 4.9 M€, ST grants 1.2 M€
- NOSCE MEMORIAS FP6 STREP (Novel Scalable Memory Concepts and Technologies) Jan 2004 ~ Dec 2007: the project has successfully developed new materials and integration techniques for cross-bar like organic and hybrid NV memories, project budget 4.9 M€, EC funding 2.7 M€, ST grants 0.8 M€
- CANAPE (Carbon Nanotubes for Applications in Electronics, Catalysis, Composites and Nano-Biology), June 2004 ~ May 2008: the project has successfully developed technologies and feasibility analysis of electronics applications of CNT materials, project budget 8.6 M€, EC funding 6.4 M€, ST grants 1.57 M€
- NAIMO FP6 IP (NAnoscale Integrated processing of self-organizing Multifunctional Organic Materials) Jan. 2004 ~ Mar. 2008: the project has successfully produced many new solution processable materials and fabrication techniques leading to a sustainable industry of organic electronics to improve the quality of life of European citizens, project budget 22.7 M€, EC funding 14.9 M€, ST grants 1.8 M€
- POLYAPPLY FP6 IP (Application of Polymer Electronics towards Ambient Intelligence) Jan. 2004 ~ Mar. 2008: Project Coordinator of one of the first Large IPs (Integrated Projects) of the FP6 in the field of plastic electronics, to develop technology and demo applications of polymer electronics based for smart labels applications, project budget 23.1 M€, EC funding 12 M€, ST grants 2.0 M€
Luigi Occhipinti has also contributed setting up the Graphene Flagship in 2012-2013 as deputy WP leader of WP8 – Flexible Electronics on behalf of STMicrelectronics, with Nokia as WP leader, and handed over his role in early 2014 to another colleague, before leaving STMicroelectronics to pursue the opportunity at University of Cambridge, UK.
Teaching activity
He delivered lectures at the University of Catania, Italy, for 3 postgraduate courses in 2012-2013 and 2 undergraduate annual courses in 1997-1999. Since 2015 he delivers lectures at the University of Cambridge, in the Engineering module “GRM3/4B22 Flexible Electronics”, and supervises students from multiple Centres for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Cambridge, such as the CDT in Sensors Technologies and Applications, the CDT in Graphene and Related Technologies, the NanoDTC and the Photonics CDT. Since 2019 he has been also appointed MRes Director of the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Graphene Technologies at the University of Cambridge.
Research opportunities
My field of research focuses on smart and miniaturised sensor technologies for next generation medical, wearable and consumer electronic devices.
Other positions
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Executive Committee Member |
Since Sep 2016, Non-Exec Director of Zinergy UK Ltd, a Cambridge-based start-up developing Printed Flexible Batteries. Since July 2014, Founder and Director of Engineering at CITC Ltd (Cambridge Innovation Technologies Consulting Limited), a company based in Cambridge UK, acting in the healthcare and medical field, and providing technology consultancy services. 2010-2014 Member of the Executive Committee for IMAST S.c.a.r.l., a Public-Private Industrial consortium, operating in South Italy as Technology District for Polymeric and NanoComposite materials. |
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Standardization Committees member |
Since 2004, Member of IEEE Standardization Committees P1620 (Standard Test Methods for the Characterization of Organic Transistors and Materials), and P1620.1 (Test Methods for the Characterization of Organic Transistor-Based Ring Oscillators). Since 2007, Member of CEI-IEC standardization Technical Committees: IEC/CEI CT105 (Fuel Cells technology) IEC/CEI CT111 (Environmental Standardization for Electrical and Electronic Products and Systems) IEC/CEI CT113 (Nanotechnologies) |
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EC Consultation as Independent Expert |
Since 2002 delivering consultation work as member of independent experts to the EC in ICT and NMP priority areas as well as FET, assisting the EC as external reviewer / project technical assistant to annual reviews of EC funded projects, and contributing to industrial and scientific expert consultations. As EC External Project Reviewer to assist the EC in funded projects: - LEAF-2D (FET Open, GA No. 801389, Laser EnAbled transfer of 2D materials) - SmartEEs (H2020, GA No. 761496, SMART Emerging Electronics Servicing DIH) - InSCOPE (H2020, GA No. 731671, INternational Smart Collaborative Open-access hybrid Printed Electronics pilot line) - PETMEM (H2020-ICT-25-2015, GA No. 688282, Piezoelectronic Transduction Memory Device) - LEO (H2020-ICT-2014-1, GA No. 644742, Low-cost / energy Efficient Oleds for Lighting) - PHEBE (H2020-ICT-29-2014, GA No. 641725, New paradigms for high efficiency blue emitters for white OLEDs) - NEWLED (FP7-ICT-2011-8, GA No. 318388, Nanostructured Efficient White LEDs based on short-period superlattices and quantum dots) - IMOLA (FP7-ICT-2011-7, GA No. 288377, Intelligent light management for OLED on foil applications) - TDK4PE (FP7-ICT-2011-7, GA No. 287682, Technology Design Kit for Printed Electronics) - ORICLA (FP7-ICT-2009-4, GA No. 247798, Towards Electronic Product Coding with RFID tags based on hybrid organic-oxide complementary thin-film technology) |
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Strategic Advisory Board member and other appointments |
Served as External member of the Strategic Advisory Boards the European projects (HYDROMEL-Hybrid ultra precision manufacturing process based on positional and self-assembly for complex micro-products), and the European Networks of Excellence in the field of polymer electronics (PolyNet, FlexNet). He is also Scientific Committee member of the company Genes'Ink in Rousset, France, and Non-Executive Director of Zinergy UK Limited in Cambridge, UK |
Biography
| Feb. 2018 - present | Deputy Director and COO, Cambridge Graphene Centre, University of Cambridge, Department of Engineering |
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Apr. 2014 – Jan. 2018 |
University of Cambridge, National Outreach Manager of EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Large-Area Electronics and Business Development Manager of Cambridge Innovation and Knowledge Centre. |
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Aug. 2011 – Mar. 2014 |
Manager of R&D Corporate Programs and Lead Interface for New Developments to the Analogue, MEMS and Sensors (AMS) Business Units leading the R&D programs of “Smart Systems Integration”, “Flexible and Disposable Electronics“, “Healthcare and Molecular Diagnostics”, and “New Sensors technologies” at STMicroelectronics. |
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Apr. 2010 – Aug. 2011 |
Leader of PFLAE Initiative (Printed, Flexible and Large Area Electronics), on top of previous assignments, in order to support New Business Development and Joint Development Programs with selected key customers mainly in the Consumer and Healthcare market at STMicroelectronics. |
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Aug. 2009 – Apr. 2010 |
Flexible and Disposable Electronics (FDE) R&D Programs Director, reporting to the Group VP and R&D General Manager at STMicroelectronics, after successfully managing an internal reorganization program of R&D at company level. |
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June 2009 – Aug.2009 |
Group Technical Director of R&D – Post Silicon Technologies (PST), a central R&D organization at STMicroelectronics, with resources located in Italy and Singapore. |
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July 2005 – June 2009 |
Adv. R&D and Program Manager of Post Silicon Technologies (PST) Group, in Front-end Technology and Manufacturing R&D, and Polymer Electronics Group Leader at STMicroelectronics, with responsibility of teams located both in Italy and in Singapore. |
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Apr. 2004 – July 2005 |
Strategic Alliances and Program Manager of Si-optics and post-Silicon Technologies (SST), Corporate R&D, in charge of all external co-operations, research alliances and projects for Corporate R&D SST at STMicroelectronics |
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Feb. 2001 – Apr. 2004 |
R&D Coordinator and Group leader of the Nano-Organics R&D group, with the assignment to look at the “post-CMOS technologies and industrial roadmaps” at STMicroelectronics |
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Aug. 1997 – Jan. 2001 |
Team Leader in a Joint Dev. Program between ST and Yamaha Motor Co. Japan for the development of a Smart Engine Management System, with direct responsibility of a focused team of HW and SW design engineers and acting as lead person to manage the relations with customer operating both in Italy and Japan. |
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July 1996 – July 1997 |
Analog Designer and Senior Researcher within a Corporate R&D organization at SGS-THOMSON Microelectronics (CASA=Corporate Advanced System Architectures group). |
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Nov. 1995 - July 1996 |
Researcher at CoRiMMe (a consortium between the company SGS-THOMSON and Catania University), staff member of the “Soft Computing” Central R&D Group |
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Nov. 1993 - Oct. 1995 |
PhD Candidate in Electrical Engineering, VIII cycle working on Soft Computing Technologies for Nonlinear Dynamic Systems Modelling and Control, PhD obtained from University of Rome "Tor Vergata" in 1997. Consultant for University of Catania on SME Innovation & Safety aspects |
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Oct. 1991 - Mar. 1992 |
Internship at ITMI (Industrie et Technologie de la Machine Intelligente), Grenoble (France), developing an intelligent control system for an automatic cooking machine |
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Nov. 1992 – Oct. 1995 |
Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, PhD qualification obtained in Jan. 1997 from Rome University “Tor Vergata” (Italy) with a dissertation on “Hybrid Intelligent Systems: applications in modeling and control of dynamic systems”. |
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Nov. 1992 |
Chartered Engineer qualification obtained from Catania Univ. at 2nd session 1992 |
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Sept.1986 – July 1992 |
University of Catania (Italy) - Electronic Engineering Laurea degree (5 years University course, equivalent to Bachelor’s + Master’s degree), obtained in July 1992, summa cum laude |
Department role and responsibilities
As Director of Research of Cambridge University Engineering Department he has Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator roles in multiple research grants, supervises Students and Post-Doctoral Research Associates and collaborates with Doctoral Training Centres that involve the University of Cambridge (i.e. the CDT in Graphene and Related Technologies, the Cambridge Sensors CDT, the NanoDTC).
As Deputy Director and COO of the Cambridge Graphene Centre he is in charge of Centre's operations staff, research projects and industry collaborations portfolio of the Centre.