UF Team Works to Create Most Resilient Sensor on Earth

A team of researchers, led by Dr. Mark Sheplak, Dr. Roozbeh Tabrizian, and Dr. Philip Feng aim to overcome the challenge of existing sensors faltering under extreme temperatures. The team has secured significant funding from DARPA to develop dynamic pressure sensors capable of withstanding temperatures over 800°C. This $6.6 million grant, part of DARPA’s High Operational Temperature Sensors (HOTS) program, targets advancements in sensor technology crucial for industrial, military, and space applications. Their Integrated Harsh-Environment Analog Transducers (iHEAT) platform leverages expertise in aerodynamics, materials science, and high-temperature physics to tackle this longstanding issue. Collaborating with experts from NASA Glenn Research Center and EngeniusMicro, the team aspires to meet DARPA’s milestones and pave the way for broader integration of the sensor with high-temperature electronics. They envision UF becoming a hub for innovation in harsh environment engineering, driving advancements crucial for future space exploration endeavors.