What's the connection between the environment, cybersecurity, quantum mechanics, and health? The answer lies in microelectronics, an invisible technology that is fundamental and present in everything around us. Chips are tiny, but their impact is huge.
The Institute of Microelectronics of Barcelona (IMB-CNM, CSIC) invites us to join a roundtable with four researchers to discover how chips transform the world. IMB-CNM is the epicenter of research in microelectronics in Spain, with applications ranging from the interior of a cell to spatial missions towards Mercury.
Beware: there will be a prize!
This activity is part of the Km 0 Science cycle.
You can make your reservations online starting on 24/09/2025, at 10 am
Round table ‘It all starts with a chip’: That's how the IMB-CNM brings microelectronics closer to local communities within the Km 0 Science programme
What do the environment, cybersecurity, and health have in common? Much more than meets the eye: it all starts with a chip. With this in mind, the round table "Everything starts with a chip: everyday technology in small doses" was held in Vil·la Urània (Barcelona), where on October 8, the Institute of Microelectronics of Barcelona (IMB-CNM, CSIC) brought the public closer to how microelectronics is part of our lives much more than we think.
The activity was the first of the Km 0 Science cycle, promoted by the Barcelona City Council and the CSIC Delegation in Catalonia to bring science closer to the neighbourhoods and promote dialogue between citizens and research staff.
Throughout the session, several applications of microelectronics were presented in very diverse areas that are part of the speakers' current research:
- chips that emulate organs, to advance biomedical research and test new treatments; organic chips made using printing techniques, which open the door to flexible and low-cost devices;
- sensors for the early detection of forest fires, key to environmental protection;
- and even reverse engineering chips to figure out manufacturing processes and improve cybersecurity and device reliability.
The round table was attended by research and technical staff from the IMB-CNM who shared their research and first-hand experience:
- Denise Marrero, a postdoctoral researcher, combines microtechnology and biology to develop organs-on-a-chip with integrated sensors, an emerging tool for studying diseases and evaluating new drugs.
- Jofre Pallarès is part of the center's Reverse Engineering team, where he works on both preparing samples for inspection in the clean room and coordinating European projects related to this field.
- Carme Martínez, PhD in Electronic and Telecommunications Engineering from the UAB, develops new organic materials to create devices with flexible and low-cost electronics, designed for everyday and sustainable applications.
- Joel Pérez, who graduated in Physics and Chemistry from the UAB and is currently a master's student, is a technician in the gas sensors group (MESSI), where he contributes to the development of new sensors for environmental and industrial monitoring.
The session was moderated by Natalia Bermejo, from the Office of Communication and Scientific Culture of the IMB-CNM, who led the debate and collected questions and concerns from the public, favoring a dynamic exchange between citizens and research staff
At the end of the event, a contest was held to test the knowledge acquired, which was very disputed and had prizes for the winners. The activity was a success, with a total of 28 attendees.