Our mission? To help manufacturing clients measure data in challenging environments using the world’s smallest passive sensors, known as MicroWires.
Who are we? An R&D-driven company with proprietary sensing technology that is able to “mine” data in conditions that have limited or no other measurement solutions thus far. Our tiny MicroWire sensors are compact, robust and contactless devices that are able to detect a wide range of otherwise undetectable physical data – from inaccessible spaces, with accuracies, and within timescales not otherwise possible.
With this technology, we aim to provide niche and unique measurement solutions to industries including automotive, medical technology, aviation and consumer goods. This could be anything from environmental monitoring – measuring temperature, humidity, pressure, or air quality in different environments; to industrial processes – including pH sensing, temperature sensing, and pressure sensing for process control and monitoring.
RVmagnetics’ MicroWires are…
The lightbulb moment? With over 30 years of experience in magnetism research, our CTO and founder, Professor Rastislav Varga, saw the vast potential of MicroWires for industrial applications. So, in 2015, he founded RVmagnetics. Today, he is backed by a team of 17 R&D professionals from different worlds – chemists, physicists, mechanical engineers, electronics engineers, and software developers. Together, we have over 80 years of combined experience developing MicroWires.
An interesting fact about us: Our MicroWires have a glass coating, and the state, temperature, type, and material of this coating is important during the manufacturing of our sensors. Luckily, Tomaš – one of our scientists who has glass-working expertise – can tell if this glass coating is at the right temperature just from the smell in the room.
Why did you apply for Sixth Sense? For us, identifying a correct use case with potential strategic partners like Hexagon is of utmost importance. The Sixth Sense programme is not only aimed at fully satisfying that process, but is also aligned with our focus on sustainability and innovation.
Where do we hope to be in five years’ time? Looking at our current partners and customers, we are currently on the edge of getting a few of our exciting use cases into mass-manufactured state; becoming a supplier of MicroWires along with an R&D entity. In five years, we aim for this to be a reality. And in 2028/2029, we aim to be able to fulfil our unique R&D capabilities with a faster customer flow and a higher volume.
Which emerging technologies excite us? Advanced materials; advanced manufacturing solutions; structural health monitoring; and the self-monitoring of products, parts and materials – to name a few. It’s exciting to imagine a self-monitored aircraft, equipped with MicroWires that can clear its structural integrity mid-flight. Similarly, it would be incredible to see a Li-ion battery that can detect its safe life-cycle, notifying the owner months ahead of the steps they need to take in over/underusing them. From sustainable aviation fueling and the hydrogen sector all the way to MedTech devices of unique nature and high precision – manufacturing is where we see the best time to “creek” into this river of innovation.