Abstract: A system for optical spectroscopy through a probe implanted in a tissue is provided. The system includes a light collecting probe comprising a waveguide formed by a single optical fiber and having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being formed with a taper along which at least one optical window is positioned, wherein light entering at an axial section of the taper generates a specific subset of guided modes defined by the diameter of the single optical fiber at the axial section, the guided modes propagating toward the distal end of the waveguide and generating an output at the distal end of the waveguide; a demultiplexer configured to receive outputs provided by the light collecting probe and discriminate the outputs based on their modal content of origin; and a detector configured to detect the discriminated outputs.

Abstract: A flexible sensor is provided which has a flexible substrate of polymeric material, a bottom electrode layer arranged on the flexible substrate and configured to be a reference electrode, an active layer of piezoelectric material arranged on the bottom electrode layer, a top electrode layer arranged on the active layer and configured to be connected to a signal conductor, and a flexible coating layer of polymeric material that cooperates with the flexible substrate to encapsulate the bottom electrode layer, the active layer, and the top electrode layer. The flexible sensor has an additional layer of metal material arranged on the flexible coating layer and short-circuited to the bottom electrode layer, the additional layer and the bottom electrode layer acting as an electromagnetic shield for the flexible sensor.

Abstract: A system for optical spectroscopy through a probe (10) implanted in a tissue, the system including a light collecting probe (10) comprising a waveguide formed by a single optical fiber (11) and having a proximal end (11a) and a distal end (11b), the proximal end (11a) being formed with a taper (12) along which at least one optical window (11c) is positioned, wherein light entering at an axial section of the taper (12) generates a specific subset of guided modes defined by the diameter (a1, a2, . . . , an) of the optical fiber at that axial section, the guided modes propagating toward the distal end (11b) of the waveguide and generating an output (OUT) at the distal end of the waveguide; a demultiplexer (20) configured to receive outputs (OUT) provided by the probe (10) and discriminate the outputs (OUT) based on their modal content of origin; and a detector (30) configured to detect the discriminated outputs.

Abstract: A multi-point light-delivering device, comprising a waveguide carrying light along a longitudinal axis and including multiple optical windows, through which the carried light is out-coupled from the waveguide. The waveguide comprises a tapered region along which the optical windows are distributed, wherein each optical window out-couples a specific subset of propagating modes of the carried light, to which the optical window is matched.

Abstract: A device for harvesting energy from a fluidic flow, including a flexible structure formed by: a base layer; a conductive layer, made of a conductive material and laid on the base layer; and a piezoelectric layer, made of a piezoelectric material and laid on the conductive layer. The base layer, the conductive layer, and the piezoelectric layer form a crystalline structure including a plurality of pseudomorphic portions.

Abstract: A transmission belt is described which comprises a body made of a first elastomeric material, a plurality of teeth and a plurality of longitudinal cords buried in the body of the belt and a back. The belt has a working surface on said teeth and the working surface is at least partially covered by a covering made of a plastic and/or metal material. Defining the area comprised between the plane defined by the neutral axis of the cords, the working surface and the median transverse planes of two adjacent teeth as the unitary longitudinal section, the covering preferably occupies at least 25% of the unitary longitudinal section.

Abstract: A multi-point light-delivering device, comprising a waveguide carrying light along a longitudinal axis and including multiple optical windows, through which the carried light is out-coupled from the waveguide. The waveguide comprises a tapered region along which the optical windows are distributed, wherein each optical window out-couples a specific subset of propagating modes of the carried light to which the optical window is matched.

Abstract: Magnetic actuators are provided having a substrate, a membrane layer directly or indirectly applied on a surface of the substrate, in which the membrane layer consists of a matrix of elastic polymer material, in which nanoparticles of magnetic material, capable of undergoing a dynamic effect under the action of a magnetic field, are dispersed, and at least one magnetic field generator suitable to generate a magnetic field acting on the membrane layer, in which the magnetic field generator is directly or indirectly arranged on the surface of the substrate, or within the substrate.

Abstract: An electroactive microelectromechanical device of the Artificial Hair Cell type includes a moving cilium structure having a substrate and a cantilever, partly or entirely in piezoelectric material, subject to bending or deformation following the action of a force and/or an applied voltage. The cantilever includes a multilayer inducing a stress-driven geometry in which a portion of the cantilever lies outside of a plane defined by the substrate. According to the invention, the cantilever is associated to a piezoresistive element, in particular of piezoresistive material configured to measure the bending or deformation of the cantilever.

Abstract: A method of identifying target analytes in a sample, particularly a biological sample, comprising the steps of putting a plurality of target analytes, bound to a common luminescent marker, in contact with a plurality of molecular probes immobilized on a support, each of said molecular probes being capable of complementary binding to a respective target analyte, if said target analyte is present in the sample, providing to said support an excitation radiation and detecting an emission radiation coming from said support as a result of at least one complementary binding event, characterized by the fact that: said support comprises a plurality of photonic crystal resonators, at least two of said resonators being characterized by different resonance wavelengths; each of said molecular probes being fixed to a respective resonator; and by the fact that the identification of at least one target analyte is carried out through the analysis of the total emission spectrum coming from said plurality of photonic crystal

Abstract: A method of identifying target analytes in a sample, particularly a biological sample, comprising the steps of putting a plurality of target analytes, bound to a common luminescent marker, in contact with a plurality of molecular probes immobilized on a support, each of said molecular probes being capable of complementary binding to a respective target analyte, if said target analyte is present in the sample, providing to said support an excitation radiation and detecting an emission radiation coming from said support as a result of at least one complementary binding event, characterized by the fact that: said support comprises a plurality of photonic crystal resonators, at least two of said resonators being characterized by different resonance wavelengths; each of said molecular probes being fixed to a respective resonator; and by the fact that the identification of at least one target analyte is carried out through the analysis of the total emission spectrum coming from said plurality of photonic crystal

Abstract: Optical system for detecting the concentration of combustion products operating in situ and at high temperature based on measurement of the optical absorption of a gaseous mixture of combustion products through a photodetecting sensor based on gallium nitride (GaN), aluminium nitride (AlN), indium nitride (InN) and corresponding alloys. The operating temperature of the sensor preferably lies between 500° C. and 700° C., but the resistance of the active material permits use at even higher temperatures. This system can be used to measure the concentration of chemical species present in combustion products directly at their outlet, where the high operating temperature makes it possible to avoid fouling of the sensor caused by carbonaceous and non-carbonaceous deposits. The rate of response of the system is less than or equal to 1 millisecond and makes it possible to adjust the parameters of an associated combustion process control system in real time.

Abstract: Optical system for detecting the concentration of combustion products operating in situ and at high temperature based on measurement of the optical absorption of a gaseous mixture of combustion products through a photodetecting sensor based on gallium nitride (GaN), aluminium nitride (AlN), indium nitride (InN) and corresponding alloys. The operating temperature of the sensor preferably lies between 500° C. and 700° C., but the resistance of the active material permits use at even higher temperatures. This system can be used to measure the concentration of chemical species present in combustion products directly at their outlet, where the high operating temperature makes it possible to avoid fouling of the sensor caused by carbonaceous and non-carbonaceous deposits. The rate of response of the system is less than or equal to 1 millisecond and makes it possible to adjust the parameters of an associated combustion process control system in real time.

Abstract: Masters for imprint processes are produced by providing a resist layer, and patterning the resist layer after a respective mold pattern to produce a patterned resist layer adapted to be directly used as a master for imprint lithography. Preferably the resist is spin cast on a substrate and is comprised of a photoresist, such as negative-tone, electron-beam sensitive resist having a glass transition temperature above 200° C. and adapted to be mechanically stable to pressures up to 104 psi. Preferably, the resist is a polymer resist, such as an epoxy resist e.g. SU8 and SU8-2000. Patterning the resist layer includes the steps of structuring the resist layer, soft-baking the structured resist layer in order to selectively cross-link the structured portion of the structured resist layer and developing the structured resist layer in order to receive a patterned resist layer. The patterned resist layer is preferably cured e.g.