Project PROPEL Launched to Advance Photonic Technology for Health Monitoring
Cardiff, 14 May 2025 - A new cross-border collaboration between the United Kingdom and the Netherlands has officially launched under the name Project PROPEL, a focused 18-month initiative aimed at advancing epitaxial wafer and photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technology for use in next-generation personal health monitoring devices.
The project brings together three key partners:
- Compound Semiconductor Centre Ltd (CSC), based in Wales, UK
- Chilas BV, based in Overijssel, the Netherlands
- Institute for Compound Semiconductors (ICS) at Cardiff University, UK
Working at the interface of compound semiconductors and integrated photonics, PROPEL will develop and demonstrate a novel PIC incorporating a widely tuneable, ultra-narrow linewidth laser (<50 kHz) operating at a centre wavelength of 1 μm. This device is being optimised for non-invasive personal health monitoring applications that require precise physiological measurements including heart rate, oxygen saturation, and hydration levels.
By reaching Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7/8, the goal is to produce a compact, reliable, and energy-efficient solution that maintains high performance across varied environmental conditions, a key requirement for wearable health technologies.
In addition to its technical aims, PROPEL seeks to strengthen international collaboration by establishing a new link between CSconnected—the world’s first compound semiconductor cluster, based in South Wales, UK —and the Dutch integrated photonics ecosystem PhotonDelta, supported by the East Netherlands Development Agency (Oost NL). The project aligns with broader European industrial transformation goals, via the Vanguard Initiative (VInnovate), particularly under the Nano-/Microsystems and High-Tech Materials Pilot and the VI Smart Health Pilot.
Phillip Cornish, speaking on behalf of the project team, commented:
“This partnership reflects the strengths of our respective regions and demonstrates what can be achieved through targeted European collaboration. The photonic technologies we’re developing have real potential to support the growing demand for continuous, non-invasive personal health monitoring.”
Project PROPEL will run until November 2026, with testing and demonstration milestones scheduled throughout.