Joint University of Edinburgh and University of Glasgow spinout Neuranics produces high-precision sensors that will revolutionise technology including wearables and consumer electronics.
Neuranics develops pioneering bio-magnetic sensors that improve human-machine interfaces. By harnessing their patented tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) quantum technology to detect tiny magnetic fields generated by muscle activity, their magnetomyography (MMG) sensors significantly improve on the sensors used in today's devices and wearables. Indeed, the MMG sensor was named a CES 2025 Innovation Awards Honoree. This prestigious award recognises breakthrough product design and engineering that will shape future technology.
Combining semiconductors and AI-enabled hardware and software, TMR-based sensors are sensitive to magnetic fields that were previously impossible to detect. For example, even without direct skin contact, TMR-based sensors can estimate single-finger movements by detecting the magnetic field created by the forearm muscles, allowing devices to be more intuitive to use.
This high-precision technology allows the production of compact, ultra-sensitive, low-power and scalable sensors that have diverse potential applications. They can facilitate a more immersive extended reality by enhancing motion tracking, gesture recognition and orientation detection. The sensors can also be applied to consumer electronics, such as smartwatches, as well as improve wearable health monitors and fitness trackers, for example through highly sensitive and continuous heart monitoring. Additionally, they can boost the responsiveness of advanced prosthetics.
Combining Edinburgh's strength in AI with Glasgow's expertise in semiconductors, the company was co-founded in 2021 by Professor Hadi Heidari at the University of Glasgow and chief technology officer (CTO) Dr Siming Zuo at the University of Edinburgh and Lead Engineer; and Professor Kia Nazarpour, Chair of Digital Health at the University of Edinburgh and Neuranics’s chief strategy officer (CSO).
The universities’ commercialisation teams supported technology transfer, including intellectual property rights, and company formation.
In April 2025, Neuranics raised $8m to accelerate global growth and commercial adoption of their sensor technology. This round of investment was led by Blackfinch Ventures, with participation from Archangels, and continued support since the pre-seed round from Par Equity, the University of Glasgow, and Old College Capital, the University of Edinburgh’s in-house venture investment fund and part of Edinburgh Innovations. This funding will allow the company to strengthen its team, accelerate innovation across core technologies, and enable widespread integration of its TMR technology in extended reality, wearables, and digital health monitoring.
Katharine Fox, Head of Investment at Old College Capital, said:
We are delighted to be an investor in Neuranics as they accelerate the commercialisation of innovative IP from two of Scotland’s leading universities. Their technology is extremely exciting with applications across a number of high-growth and high-value markets including consumer electronics, industrial use cases, and digital health.”
The future opportunities for Neuranics' breakthrough technology are extensive. TMR has the potential to be tailored for applications in the automotive industry, industrial monitoring, aerospace and defence, and renewable energy. As CEO Noel McKenna says:
We want to be the world’s leading magnetic sensor company, selling our sensor chips or licensing our technology into hundreds of millions of products per annum.”
