HyPhOE · Project

Living Plants and Algae Turned Into Sensors and Energy Devices

energyPrototypeTRL 3Thin data (2/5)

Imagine if the plants on your windowsill could also power a small sensor or warn you about pollution in the air. That's essentially what this project explored — wiring up living plants and algae to electronics so they work together as a team. The researchers figured out how to connect electronic materials directly to photosynthetic organisms, letting the biology do what it does best (harvest sunlight, grow) while the electronics read signals or harvest tiny amounts of energy. Think of it as giving plants a nervous system that we can listen to and talk back to.

By the numbers

EUR 3,311,110

EU funding for development of bio-hybrid electronic systems

Research partners in the consortium

Countries involved (Greece, France, Italy, Sweden)

Total project deliverables produced

3+ years

Project duration (Sept 2018 – Oct 2021)

The business problem

What needed solving

Traditional environmental sensors and energy harvesting devices require manufactured hardware, batteries, and regular maintenance — driving up costs for large-scale monitoring in agriculture, forestry, and cities. Meanwhile, billions of plants already sit in these environments, harvesting sunlight and responding to their surroundings for free. The gap is that no one could electronically interface with living plants reliably enough to use them as functional technology components.

The solution

What was built

The project produced 20 deliverables including a demonstration of energy storage using diatom algae (microalgae that produce nanostructured biosilica through photosynthesis) and a proof-of-concept of multifunctional molecules that enable electronic connectivity with living cells. These tools enable bi-directional communication between electronics and photosynthetic organisms.

Audience

Who needs this

AgTech companies building next-generation crop and forest monitoring systemsBioenergy startups exploring algae-based energy storage and harvestingSmart city solution providers seeking low-maintenance urban environmental sensorsBiomaterials companies interested in algae-derived nanostructured silicaResearch-intensive companies in organic electronics and bioelectronics

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Precision Agriculture & Forestry

SME

Target: AgTech companies developing crop monitoring solutions

If you are an AgTech company struggling with real-time crop health monitoring — this project developed bioelectronic interfaces that let living plants act as environmental sensors. Instead of deploying expensive standalone sensor networks across fields and forests, functionalized plants could detect stress, pollution, or nutrient deficiency and relay that data electronically. The consortium tested this across urban, agricultural, and forestry settings with 9 research partners.

Renewable Energy & Bioenergy

any

Target: Companies developing bio-based or algae-based energy solutions

If you are an energy company exploring biological routes to energy harvesting or storage — this project demonstrated energy storage via material production in diatom algae. These microalgae use photosynthesis to produce nanostructured biosilica with applications in energy storage. The project ran for over 3 years with EUR 3,311,110 in EU funding and produced 20 deliverables covering electronically-functionalized plants and photosynthetic energy systems.

Environmental Monitoring & Smart Cities

mid-size

Target: Urban environmental monitoring and smart infrastructure firms

If you are a company providing environmental monitoring for cities and struggling with sensor deployment costs — this project created functionalized plants that detect pollutants and relay data through bioelectronic interfaces. Instead of installing, maintaining, and powering traditional sensor hardware, urban greenery itself becomes the monitoring network. The consortium of 9 partners across 4 countries specifically targeted integration in urban settings.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or adopt this technology?

HyPhOE was a EUR 3,311,110 EU-funded research project (FET Open). As a Research and Innovation Action with zero industrial partners, licensing terms would need to be negotiated directly with the academic consortium led by Linköping University. Given the early-stage nature, expect co-development investment rather than off-the-shelf licensing.

Can this work at industrial scale?

Not yet. The project produced proof-of-concept demonstrations and lab-scale prototypes. The deliverables describe a 'demonstration of energy storage via material production in diatoms algae' and a 'proof-of-concept of multifunctional molecules,' both indicating laboratory validation. Significant scale-up work would be needed before commercial deployment.

What is the IP situation and how can I access it?

IP is held by the 9 consortium partners (6 universities, 3 research organizations) across Sweden, Greece, France, and Italy. With no industrial partners in the consortium, IP is entirely in academic hands. This could mean easier licensing negotiations but also that no commercialization pathway has been established yet.

How far along is this technology really?

This was a FET Open project — the EU's funding category for high-risk, breakthrough research. The deliverables confirm proof-of-concept and demonstration stages. Based on available project data, this sits at approximately TRL 3 (experimental proof of concept), with some elements approaching TRL 4.

Would this integrate with our existing monitoring systems?

The project developed bi-directional electronic and chemical interfaces with photosynthetic organisms. Based on available project data, integration with standard electronic monitoring infrastructure was a design goal, but real-world integration testing with commercial systems was not part of the scope. Custom integration work would be required.

Are there regulatory hurdles for using living organisms in technology?

Using living organisms as functional components in commercial products would face regulatory review, particularly for environmental release of modified or functionalized plants. Based on available project data, regulatory pathway analysis was not a primary focus of this research-stage project. Any commercialization effort should budget for regulatory assessment.

Consortium

Who built it

The HyPhOE consortium consists of 9 partners across 4 countries (Greece, France, Italy, Sweden), led by Linköping University — a recognized leader in organic bioelectronics. The consortium is entirely academic: 6 universities and 3 research organizations, with zero industrial partners and zero SMEs. This 100% research composition is typical of FET Open projects pursuing breakthrough science, but it means no company has yet validated commercial demand or tested these ideas in a real business environment. For a business considering this technology, the absence of industrial validation is a risk factor, but it also means the IP landscape is uncluttered and partnership opportunities are wide open. Any company entering now would be an early mover with potential to shape the commercialization direction.

LINKOPINGS UNIVERSITETCoordinator · SE
IDRYMA TECHNOLOGIAS KAI EREVNASparticipant · EL
SVERIGES LANTBRUKSUNIVERSITETparticipant · SE
CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHEthirdparty · IT
UNIVERSITE DE BORDEAUXthirdparty · FR
INSTITUT POLYTECHNIQUE DE BORDEAUXparticipant · FR
UNIVERSITE PARIS CITEparticipant · FR
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI BARI ALDO MOROparticipant · IT
CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRSthirdparty · FR

How to reach the team

Linköping University, Sweden — reach out to the organic bioelectronics research group

Order a report on this consortium See LINKOPINGS UNIVERSITET profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing bio-hybrid sensor or energy technology from this consortium? SciTransfer can arrange an introduction to the right research lead and help you evaluate the commercial fit.

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