More sensitive sensors for cars and medicine. NTC and Hofmeister develop new materials and seek part

UWB’s New Technologies – Research Centre and Hofmeister have developed a new technology for smart sensors that uses ultra-short laser pulses to create microscopic circuits in graphene, enabling more accurate medical diagnostics and improved vision for autonomous cars and drones.

Today’s sensors are often heavy, bulky, or limited in their sensitivity. The result of the Pilsen-based team’s development is therefore a range of detectors that are extremely lightweight and compact, while being capable of capturing incomparably more information from a single signal. According to the experts involved, the results of the first phase of the scientific project, carried out by the New Technologies – Research Center and Hofmeister, demonstrate that cooperation between a research center and local industry can enhance the competitiveness of the Czech Republic as a whole. Experts from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the Czech Technical University in Prague (CTU) are also contributing to the development of the detector manufacturing technology.

In practice, the technology could represent a major step forward in fields such as medicine, enabling more accurate and sensitive imaging methods, for example, in tissue diagnostics and disease detection. In transport and industry, it can provide improved vision for autonomous cars and drones, making it easier for them to detect obstacles even in poor visibility or at night.

Graphene is renowned for its exceptional electrical conductivity and strength, but according to the scientists, processing it is challenging. “The project has confirmed that laser modification of graphene works. Graphene is an excellent foundation for us, but because we want to take things even further, we are also developing and testing other 2D materials that could offer even better properties in the future,” explained Pavel Calta, a member of the NTC team researching quantum and advanced materials.

The Pilsen-based company Hofmeister specializes in the subsequent processing of graphene and other materials. Pavel Kožmín, Head of Development, added: “Using an ultra-short-pulse femtosecond laser, we can burn microchannels and conductive pathways into the layers to carry electric current, while modifying their electrical properties without damaging the substrate.”

The institutions now have the know-how in place. They are looking for industrial partners in medical technology, automotive engineering, and electrical engineering to integrate these microsensors into their finished products. The follow-up research also offers opportunities for other commercial organizations. We offer tailored solutions to research challenges in quantum and advanced materials, laser micromachining, and microsoldering, and we welcome opportunities to collaborate on new projects.

“In 2026, mechanical engineering is no longer just about heavy-duty metal machining; it is also about working with atomic layers and light pulses measured in femtoseconds. We have the technology and the know-how, and we are looking for companies that want to take this journey with us,” added Václav Hofmeister, Managing Director of Hofmeister.

“We have been working with Hofmeister for a long time. It is a successful symbiosis between a successful company and a research center. We have working prototypes and proven technologies in our hands,” concluded Petr Kavalíř, Director of the NTC Research Center at UWB.