Abstract: Methods for characterizing micro-organisms may include (a) depositing micro-organisms on a porous medium with a first and a second surface and pores extending from the first surface to the second surface; (b) arranging the porous medium on the surface of a nutrient medium contained in a chamber, the second surface being arranged in contact with the nutrient medium; (c) moving the porous medium in relation to the chamber; (d) positioning the porous medium between an infrared light source and an image sensor, the light source being configured to emit an incident light wave in an emission wavelength; (e) illuminating micro-organisms retained on the porous medium, using the light source and acquiring an image using the image sensor, the image allowing an observation of at least one colony of micro-organisms; and (f) characterizing the colony of microorganisms from the image acquired in the illuminating (e).

Abstract: A system for detecting the presence of microorganisms present in a sample includes an enclosure having a closed internal space bounded by a receptacle and a lid configured to be affixed to the receptacle to close the enclosure hermetically, an electronic unit for acquiring pH-measurement data integrated into the enclosure, a heating unit integrated into the enclosure for heating the internal space, a unit for measuring and managing temperature having a temperature-measuring probe placed inside the enclosure, and a processing unit connected to the electronic unit and configured to process measurement data. The processing unit includes a module for detecting the presence of microorganisms via analysis of variation in the pH measured in a liquid sample, and an instrumented container housed in the internal space of the receptacle for receiving the sample. The container includes reference and pH-measuring electrodes that are integrated into walls of the container.

Abstract: A method for observation of a sample, the sample comprising microorganisms immersed in a nontransparent culture medium, the culture medium being favorable to the development of the microorganisms, and the sample being arranged between a light source and an image sensor, includes illuminating the sample with the light source, the light source emitting light propagating along an axis of propagation; acquiring an image of the sample by the image sensor; and, from the image acquired, characterizing the microorganisms. Light travels along the microorganisms through the culture medium to the sensor.

Abstract: Method for obtaining an image of a sample (10), comprising: a) illuminating the sample using a light source (11); b) acquiring, using an image sensor (16), a first image (I1,P0) of the sample (10), said image being formed in the detection plane (P0), the first image being representative of an exposure light wave (14) propagating, from the sample, to the image sensor, along a first optical path (L1); the method comprising, following b) c) modifying an optical refractive index, between the image sensor and the sample; d) following c), acquiring a second image (I2,P0) of the sample, said image being representative of the exposure light wave (14) along a second optical path (L2); e) implementing an iterative algorithm that combines the first and second images so as to obtain an image of the sample.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for observing a sample (12), the sample (12) comprising a set of organisms (14), a solid substrate (16) supporting the set of organisms (14). The method being characterized in that the method includes steps for illuminating at least one portion of the sample (12) with a light beam, for acquiring a first diffraction pattern corresponding to an image of waves from the diffraction of the light beam by at least one portion of the set of organisms (14), for acquiring a second diffraction pattern corresponding to an image of waves from the diffraction of the light beam by at least one portion of the sample (12), for comparing the second diffraction pattern with the first diffraction pattern, for determining at least one characteristic relating to the set of organisms (14) from the result of the comparison step.

Abstract: Method for determining the sensitivity of a bacterial strain of interest to a viral strain of bacteriophages, the method comprising: a) preparing a sample, this comprising bringing bacteria, belonging to the bacterial strain of interest, into contact with bacteriophages, each bacteriophage belonging to the same viral strain, the bacteria being either in a liquid medium, or in an agar medium; b) placing the sample between a light source and an image sensor, the light source emitting a light wave in an emission spectral band comprised between 500 nm and 600 nm; c) illuminating the sample using the light source and acquiring at least one image of the sample, with the image sensor, in the emission spectral band, no image-forming optic being placed between the sample and the image sensor; d) on the basis of the acquired images, determining a sensitivity of the bacterial strain of interest to the viral strain.

Abstract: A method for observation of a sample, the sample comprising microorganisms immersed in a nontransparent culture medium, the culture medium being favorable to the development of the microorganisms, the sample being arranged between a light source and an image sensor, the method comprising: a) illuminating the sample with the light source, the light source emitting light propagating along an axis of propagation; b) acquiring an image of the sample by the image sensor; c) from the image acquired, characterization of the microorganisms; the method being characterized in that: the culture medium extends, parallel to the axis of propagation, to a thickness of less than 500 ?m.

Abstract: The invention relates to a retroreflector able to be placed in contact with an environment, comprising, by way of constituent material, a material enabling a parameter of said environment to be picked up, said material modifying the optical transmission properties of the retroreflector when said parameter is present, said retroreflector being able to receive an incident light beam via a first face and to reemit a light beam via said first face.

Abstract: A system is provided for observing objects on a substrate which includes a light source that emits polarized light rectilinearly along a first direction, a holder that receives said substrate having a surface and includes objects, wherein at least one of the holder or the substrate are translucent or opaque, a detector that collects the backscattered light from the interaction between the light emitting by the light source and the objects, a polarization splitter and a quarter-wave plate wherein the polarization splitter and the quarter-wave plate are arranged so that the polarization splitter directs light towards the substrate through the quarter-wave plate, and wherein the light forms a beam and the system modifies the size of the beam. The system thus allows one to observe objects on a non-transparent substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a retroreflector able to be placed in contact with an environment, comprising, by way of constituent material, a material enabling a parameter of said environment to be picked up, said material modifying the optical transmission properties of the retroreflector when said parameter is present, said retroreflector being able to receive an incident light beam via a first face and to reemit a light beam via said first face.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system (1) for observing objects, including: a light source (3), a holder (12) able to receive a translucent or opaque substrate, a detector (7) able to collect the backscattered light from the interaction between the light emitted by light source (3) and the objects, a polarization splitter (9), and a quarter-wave plate (10), the splitter (9) and the quarter-wave plate (10) being arranged so that the splitter (9) directs the light emitted by the light source (3) toward the solid substrate and directs the backscattered light from the interaction between the light emitted by the light source (3) and the objects toward the detector (7).

Abstract: A heater is provided having at least one thermally sprayed resistive heating layer, the resistive heating layer comprising a first metallic component that is electrically conductive and capable of reacting with a gas to form one or more carbide, oxide, nitride, and boride derivative; one or more oxide, nitride, carbide, and boride derivative of the first metallic component that is electrically insulating; and a third component capable of stabilizing the resistivity of the resistive heating layer. In some embodiments, the third component is capable of pinning the grain boundaries of the first metallic component deposited in the resistive heating layer and/or altering the structure of aluminum oxide grains deposited in the resistive heating layer.

Abstract: Porous sol-gel material essentially consisting of units of one or more first polyalkoxysilanes chosen from the following compounds: (chloromethyl)triethoxysilane; 1,3-dimethyltetramethoxydisiloxane; ethyltrimethoxysilane; triethoxy(ethyl)silane; triethoxymethylsilane; triethoxy(vinyl)silane; trimethoxymethylsilane; trimethoxy(vinyl)silane; tetraethoxysilane or tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) and of units of one or more second polyalkoxysilanes chosen from the following compounds: (N-(3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl)ethylenediamine; 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, in a first polyalkoxysilane/second polyalkoxysilane molar ratio of 1/0.01 to 1/1, optionally comprising a probe molecule, method of preparation and applications in the trapping of monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other pollutants or in their detection.

Abstract: A method for detecting an analyte in a bodily fluid includes placing the detector in contact with at least one metabolite resulting from the metabolism or degradation of the analyte. The contact between the detector and the metabolite produces an optically detectable signal. The detection method includes the detection of the metabolite only in gas form, said metabolite in gas form coming from the evaporation of at least a part of said metabolite. The detection is also carried out without contact between the bodily fluid and the detector. A dressing for implementing the detection method is also described.

Abstract: A method for observing a sample is provided. The method includes the steps of: a) providing a volume (G, V) of a substantially transparent medium having a first refractive index (nint) and having a first surface (S1) that is convex, rounded, or faceted, and a second substantially planar surface (S2), the first surface separating the volume from a surrounding medium (MA) having a second refractive index (nest) that is lower than the first index, the sample to be observed being contained inside the volume or being deposited on the first surface; b) observing the sample through the second substantially planar surface; and c) determining the presence of a substance or an object in the sample by detection during step b), a ring of light that correlates with the volume.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for observing a sample (12), the sample (12) comprising a set of organisms (14), a solid substrate (16) supporting the set of organisms (14). The method being characterized in that the method includes steps for illuminating at least one portion of the sample (12) with a light beam, for acquiring a first diffraction pattern corresponding to an image of waves from the diffraction of the light beam by at least one portion of the set of organisms (14), for acquiring a second diffraction pattern corresponding to an image of waves from the diffraction of the light beam by at least one portion of the sample (12), for comparing the second diffraction pattern with the first diffraction pattern, for determining at least one characteristic relating to the set of organisms (14) from the result of the comparison step.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining the presence or absence of a microorganism, said method including the steps of: 1) providing an enclosure containing a liquid or semi-solid phase consisting of a biological medium capable of containing a living form of said microorganism, nutritional elements, and an enzymatic substrate which is specific to said microorganism and which can be metabolised into at least one VOC metabolite, and a gaseous phase adjacent to said liquid or semi-solid phase; 2) exposing at least said liquid or semi-solid phase to conditions that are propitious for said microorganism to metabolise said enzymatic substrate into a molecule of said VOC metabolite; and 3) determining, by optical transduction, the presence or absence of said VOC metabolite, characterised in that the latter interacts with a nanoporous matrix, said matrix being implemented in a form that is separate from said enzymatic substrate, and in that the detection, by optical transduction, of a change in the

Abstract: A method for observing a sample is provided. The method includes the steps of: a) providing a volume (G, V) of a substantially transparent medium having a first refractive index (nint) and having a first surface (S1) that is convex, rounded, or faceted, and a second substantially planar surface (S2), the first surface separating the volume from a surrounding medium (MA) having a second refractive index (next) that is lower than the first index, the sample to be observed being contained inside the volume or being deposited on the first surface; b) observing the sample through the second substantially planar surface; and c) determining the presence of a substance or an object in the sample by detection during step b), a ring of light that correlates with the volume.

Abstract: A method of coating a surface of a substrate with a particulate coating material, the method comprising: determining at least an area of the surface of the substrate to be covered with the particulate coating material; subjecting at least a portion of the area of the surface of the substrate to laser irradiation to form a plurality of distinct spaced-apart laser impact craters in a pattern and/or at least one last impact pit on the surface of the substrate; and thermally spraying the area of the surface of the substrate with the particulate coating material. A coated substrate comprising: a substrate having a plurality of distinct spaced-apart laser impact craters in a pattern and/or at least one laser impact pit on at least an area of a surface of the substrate; a thermally-sprayed coating mechanically bonded to at least the area of the surface of the substrate.