Agate Sensors Wins Swedish Defence Agency Innovation Contract

Agate Sensors, democratizing spectral data capture and usage, led by Tommi Leino, Dr. Andreas Liapis, Mikael Westerlund, Dr. Faisal Ahmed, has been awarded an innovation contract by the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) under its Military Innovation Program. 

The contract will enable the first external test of Agate Sensors’ physiological monitoring tech in high-stress defence settings, demonstrating how its wearable-embedded optical sensors can enhance awareness and decision-making. It also represents the company’s first defence partnership and an important step in advancing its patented technology from lab proof to real-world deployment.

Agate Sensors’ hyperspectral photoplethysmography (HPPG) technology goes far beyond standard wearable sensors, using hundreds of light wavelengths, not just a few, to reveal detailed biochemical and metabolic signals. The company has condensed laboratory-grade spectroscopy into a fingertip-sized solid-state chip, creating a software-defined sensing platform built for next-generation wearables.

This hyperspectral approach allows early detection of physiological strain, stress, and cognitive fatigue, before symptoms appear or performance drops. It marks a shift from reactive to predictive monitoring, giving defence organisations a new level of insight into human readiness.

Under the FMV contract, Agate Sensors will run a proof-of-concept program through March 2026, including technical validation, joint demonstrations, and presentations at Purple NECtar 2025 and Defence Innovation Paris. While this effort centers on wearable-based human performance monitoring, the technology also shows future potential in areas such as smart optics, drone systems, and autonomous platforms.

The same miniaturized hyperspectral technology could extend to next-generation consumer and professional devices, bringing lab-grade optical sensing to everyday applications. Potential uses range from product authentication and agricultural health monitoring to food quality assessment and non-invasive wellness tracking, delivering deeper insight for safer products, sustainable systems, and improved well-being.