OGURION: real-time particle detection in harsh industrial environments

25.08.2025 Constant Rieille and Sylvain Le Coultre, from the BFH-ALPS Thin Films and Surfaces laboratory, have been awarded with a second Innosuisse funding to launch an ambitious project: “Particle detection in extreme and hard-to-reach environments.”

Keypoints at a glance

OGURION develops a unique real-time photonic detection solution for particle contamination in extreme and hard-to-reach environments.
The CHF 300,000 Innosuisse-funded project aims to launch the first commercial product in 2026.
Modular design, AI-powered data analysis and an intuitive interface enable predictive quality control in high-precision industries.

Tackling particle contamination in high-precision industries

This new project follows on from an initial Innosuisse project, Pracmatic, but this time aims to create a first detector to be marketed by the future BFH spin-off OGURION. The project has been awarded more than CHF 300,000 in funding for a period of 18 months.

This solution aims to address the problem of contamination by unwanted particles on high-precision parts in the optics, micro-nanotechnology and micromechanics sectors. Contamination by unwanted particles leads to defective parts, production stoppages and additional costs, directly affecting the profitability and competitiveness of companies. The vacuum coating sectors (PVD, ALD, CVD), which deposit ultra-thin layers to functionalize surfaces, are particularly exposed. With the miniaturisation and increasing complexity of products and by-products, detecting and predicting the appearance of these particles and limiting their impact is now a major strategic challenge for these industries.

“Our goal is to provide manufacturers with a compact, intelligent solution that is easy to integrate into their equipment and capable of detecting contamination, but also of analysing this data to predict future occurrences of contamination,” explains Sylvain Le Coultre, head of the research group and CTO of the BFH spin-off OGURION.

From harsh environments to clean rooms: continuous and non-intrusive photonic particle detection

The solution is based on a remote photonic detection head that can operate without disrupting or being disrupted by processes, even in extreme environments such as ultra-high vacuum reactors, high-temperature reactors or pressurised fluid lines. Thanks to its modular design, the same platform can also be adapted to other sensitive sectors such as the pharmaceutical industry or clean rooms, where zero particle tolerance is essential.

“How can local particle measurement be used to determine the final quality of a batch of parts? The data we provide must first give users more control over their production and then enable them to identify the operations that limit quality and take direct action on them,” explains Constant Rieille, CEO of the BFH spin-off.

The project is part of a clear commercialisation strategy: the creation of the spin-off OGURION (ogurion.com), with a first product scheduled for commercialisation in 2026. In addition to the sensor, an intuitive user interface and data analysis algorithms will enable users to identify, visualise and anticipate contamination events in real time, paving the way for predictive analysis enhanced by artificial intelligence.

What we are developing is not just a sensor, but an essential building block for Industry 4.0, which helps improve quality, reduce costs and scrap rates, and shorten lead times in various industrial sectors.