AIQUOS develops a smart chip for autonomous liquid analysis

The aim of creating AIQUOS was to bring an innovative smart chip platform with a miniaturised laboratory for the autonomous analysis of aqueous substances to market. This technology simulates the functioning of both the human brain and sensory system.

The company's technology enables hundreds of multi-parameter sensors, each capable of measuring different chemical properties of water, to be concentrated on a single microchip. These sensors are combined with analysis systems based on artificial intelligence and neuromorphic operation — information processing inspired by how the human brain functions — enabling the device to learn from captured signals and make autonomous decisions.

Thanks to this architecture, the chip can perform accurate electrochemical analyses of water in real time, directly in the field and without the need for centralised laboratories, complex equipment or high energy consumption.

The founding partners of AIQUOS are Josep Maria Margarit, Cecilia Jiménez and Francesc Serra, who are researchers at the Barcelona Institute of Microelectronics (IMB-CNM-CSIC); Shih-Chii Liu, who is a researcher at the Institute of Neuroinformatics (INI) at the University of Zurich; and Aymen Jemni and Robert Mas, who are responsible for business development. This multidisciplinary team has a proven track record in microelectronics, electrochemical sensors, neuromorphic computing and artificial intelligence, and also has expertise in business development -a key factor in bringing this innovative technology to market.

According to its founders, this system is the first neuromorphic microtechnology designed for continuous electrochemical analysis of aqueous substances. It has capabilities that surpass the limitations of traditional equipment, which is often bulky, expensive, and has limited measurement parameters.

The system's devices can be used to detect and control environmental, agri-food and public health risks. For instance, they can be integrated into autonomous probes to monitor water quality or into precision aquaculture systems to optimise fish and shellfish farming. They do this by issuing alerts and controlling factors such as nitrates, phosphates and dissolved gases, thereby contributing to improved sustainability and productivity.