Inside WISDOM: Prof Juejun Hu On The Vision Behind SMART’s New IRG

When we imagine machines that can truly “see”, we’re not just talking about cameras or sensors — we’re talking about perception. The kind that allows humans to navigate a crowded street, recognise a friend’s face in a blur of motion, or interpret subtle spatial cues in a dimly lit room. This level of visual intelligence has long been out of reach for machines. But at SMART, we believe that’s about to change.

In 2025, we launched the Wafer-Scale Integrated Sensing Devices based on Optoelectronic Metasurfaces interdisciplinary research group (WISDOM IRG) with a bold mission: to pioneer technologies that will help machines see like humans. As someone who has spent years working at the intersection of photonics and materials science, Prof Juejun Hu, Co-Lead Principal Investigator at SMART WISDOM and Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has seen firsthand the limitations of conventional optical systems. WISDOM is SMART’s answer to those limitations — a convergence of scientific innovation, strategic foresight, and collaborative ambition.

So, what does it truly mean for machines to “see” like humans? Let’s take a closer look through Prof Hu’s lens — into the vision, the journey, and the future of WISDOM.

Prof Juejun Hu, Co-Lead Principal Investigator at SMART WISDOM and Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

What are 3D-sensing technologies, and why are they so important?

3D-sensing technologies allow machines to perceive depth, spatial structure, and object shape — capabilities that are fundamental to human vision. These systems are critical for machines to operate safely and effectively in complex, real-world environments, whether it’s autonomous vehicles navigating busy streets, drones flying through cluttered airspace, or robots interacting with humans.

Human-like perception involves interpreting subtle spatial cues in real time, often under dynamic and uncertain conditions. Yet, today’s 3D sensing systems are still constrained by bulky form factors, discrete components, and high cost. At WISDOM, we’re addressing these limitations by developing compact, energy-efficient, and scalable solutions that integrate optics, optoelectronics, and computation directly on-chip. Our goal is to create sensing platforms that approach the agility and contextual awareness of human vision, unlocking a new generation of intelligent machines and devices.

What inspired the foundation of WISDOM IRG, and how did the idea evolve into a full-fledged research initiative?

The idea behind WISDOM was born out of a longstanding challenge in photonics: how to translate the promise of optical metasurfaces and optoelectronic components into scalable, manufacturable devices. Traditional optical systems are often bulky, rely on discrete components, and require manual assembly, making them difficult to integrate and costly to produce.

We saw a transformative opportunity in combining metasurface optics, optoelectronic emitters and detectors, and complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) electronics onto a single wafer-scale platform. This vision was strongly reinforced by SMART’s innovation mapping, identifying wafer-scale metasurface-based sensing as a high-impact area with strong translational value.

From there, the concept evolved through extensive dialogue among researchers at SMART, MIT, and our collaborators in Singapore. It aligned closely with Singapore’s priorities in photonics and microelectronics. Backed by this convergence of scientific opportunity, strategic relevance, and commercial viability, WISDOM was officially launched this year with support from NRF Singapore and participation from five leading institutions: MIT, Nanyang Technological University (NTU Singapore), National University of Singapore (NUS), Stanford University, and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC).

Looking ahead, how will WISDOM harness 3D-sensing technologies to help machines see like humans?

Our first major initiative is the development of a high-performance Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) system that integrates metasurface beam shaping, vertical surface emitting laser arrays (VCSEL) arrays, and on-chip detectors within a wafer-scale platform. This system is designed to improve resolution, extend the field-of-view, reduce motion artifacts, and lower cost, ultimately redefining how sensing is implemented in autonomous systems, robotics, and smart devices.

However, our ambitions go beyond LiDAR. The multifunctional metasurface technology we’re developing can also be applied to immersive AR/VR displays, biomedical devices that integrate spectroscopy for diagnostics, and compact systems for high-speed optical communication. These breakthroughs are made possible by leveraging industry-standard CMOS processes, which allow us to scale up production and pave the way for real-world adoption.

At the same time, WISDOM is deeply committed to nurturing future talent, supporting technology transfer, and contributing to Singapore’s long-term goals in semiconductor innovation, advanced manufacturing, and applied photonics. We’re not just building technologies. We’re building the foundation for a smarter, more perceptive future.