General
LioniX is a leading provider in development and production of innovative products based on micro/nano technology. Customers operate in telecom, industrial process control, life sciences and space markets and include OEM's (Original Equipment Manufacturers), multinationals, VC start-up companies as well as research institutions. The core technologies are integrated optics and microfluidics. Integrated optics refers to ‘microphotonics', i.e. photonic functions on chips, analogue to electronical functions on the well-known integrated circuits in micro-electronics. An important application area is telecom/datacom in which data in the optical domain (fibers) will be processed and controlled by micro-photonics in future instead of micro-electronics. A shining example is ‘fiber-to-the-home' for internet/telephone/television applications. Microfluidics refers to the fabrication and application of tiny channels in chips allowing miniaturization and automation of nowadays bulky (bio)chemical analysis systems. Shining examples are ‘lab-on-a-chip' systems for on-site and fast diagnostics/detection in medical, food quality and security applications.
Space activities
LioniX' activities are oriented towards the following two emerging product-market combinations in space:
- analysis/detection instruments for planetary exploration and (microgravity) research, such as ‘Life Marker Chip' for detection of molecules on Mars which refer to past and/or present life;
- integrated optics/micro-photonics based systems for telecom and earth observation payloads, such as Optical Beam Forming Networks for active (‘phased array'/SAR) antennas.
Technology Transfer
LioniX' strategy is to spin-out companies, often in co-operation with partners, which can supply the market with products based on dedicated product-market combinations:
- CapiliX: on-site water quality analysis systems based on space related projects in the area of Capillary Electrophoresis;
- ChemtriX: Lab-on-a-Chip based desk-top systems for chemistry-on-a-chip;
- Xio Photonics: datacom/telecom components and systems based on the LioniX proprietary micro-photonics technology, partly as a result of space activities.
