Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a 3D object and to a system adapted to implement the method, wherein the method comprises: —providing a powder material (G); —providing a radiation absorbent material, in the form of optically resonant particles (P), on a region to be sintered of the powder material; and—sintering the region to be sintered of the powder material (G), by exposing to light the optically resonant particles (P) to radiation. The method comprises providing the optically resonant particles (P) according to a distribution and proportion, with respect to the powder material (G) included in the region to be sintered, selected: —to disperse the optically resonant particles (P) within the powder material (G) included in said region, and—to avoid substantial agglomeration and substantial self-sintering of the optically resonant particles (P).

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing an electrically conductive composite, wherein the method includes: a) providing a bed of a polymer in a non-continuous solid form; b) providing, on the polymer bed, a composition that comprises a chemical precursor dissolved in a liquid medium made to inhibit a chemical reaction of the chemical precursor into forming an electrically conductive inorganic component; c) forming an electrically conductive inorganic component from a chemical reaction of the chemical precursor, by at least evaporating the liquid medium; and d) exposing to electromagnetic radiation an electromagnetic radiation absorber of the composition, to sinter those portions of said polymer bed in thermal contact therewith, to form a polymer network that percolates an electrically conductive network formed with the electrically conductive inorganic component. Also provided are a system and a package adapted to implement the presently disclosed method.

Abstract: A device configured for antimicrobial, in particular bacteriostatic or bactericidal, activity, and a method for manufacturing the device. The device includes a device body having a surface. The device body is configured to anchor thermal nanoparticles supporting optical resonance, in particular localized surface plasmon resonance, at its surface. The device body includes thermal nanoparticles supporting optical resonance, in particular localized surface plasmon resonance, bonded to the surface of the device body. The thermal nanoparticles are capable of increasing their temperature by light irradiation in a wavelength range that matches with the wavelength of the optical resonance, in particular localized surface plasmon resonance, of the thermal nanoparticles. The device body also includes an antimicrobial substance that is releasable from the device body.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for self-repairing an object, wherein the object (O) comprises a matrix of a material in a continuous solid form, with optically resonant particles dispersed there within, and that has been made by fusing together particles and/or particulates of the material in a non-continuous solid form with heat transferred from the optically resonant particles that has been generated thereby when optically resonating induced by their exposure to building electromagnetic radiation. The method comprises exposing a damaged region (D) of the object (O) to repairing electromagnetic radiation (R) to be absorbed by the optically resonant particles that are dispersed therein to optically resonate to generate heat to fuse together portions of the matrix in thermal contact therewith. The system is adapted to implement the method of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hand-held microfluidic detection device, comprising: —a microfluidic cell (M) having at least one chamber intended to at least contain a sample; —a support (S) comprising a housing for the removable attachment thereto of the microfluidic cell (M); —excitation light means arranged at least in part in the support (S) to side illuminate the at least one chamber of the microfluidic cell (M) to excite the sample contained therein; —an optical detector (D) configured and arranged to detect light emitted from the sample when excited with said side illumination; and —a casing (C) constituting an envelope into which at least the support (S) is housed and attached.

Abstract: The present application relates to a method for producing a three-dimensional object, comprising:—providing a first material (A) and, thereon, a second material (B) which is a reversible chromic material;—applying a stimulus to the second material (B) to change its optical properties from non-strong optical or substantially non-strong optical absorption properties to strong optical absorption properties, regarding a specific wavelength, and—exposing the second material (B) to electromagnetic radiation to be absorbed thereby to photothermally fuse portions of the first material (A) in thermal contact with the second material (B). A second aspect of the application relates to a system adapted to implement the method of the first aspect. A third aspect of the application concerns a kit of materials for producing a three-dimensional object. In a fourth aspect, the application relates to a sensing device comprising a three-dimensional object manufactured according to the method presented in the application.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for measuring a distance to a target, comprising: a) supplying an excitation signal to a heating element in thermal contact with a thermo-optical material of a thermo-optical lens to change the focal length of said thermo-optical lens to focus on a target; and b) analysing said supplied excitation signal or a control signal originating the same, to determine, based at least on the magnitude of said analysed signal, a distance between said focused target and one of said thermo-optical lens and an optical element arranged in an optical path going from the target to the thermo-optical lens. A system and a computer program adapted to implement the method of the invention are also provided by the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hand-held microfluidic detection device, comprising: a microfluidic cell (M) having at least one chamber intended to at least contain a sample; a support (S) comprising a housing for the removable attachment thereto of the microfluidic cell (M); excitation light means arranged at least in part in the support (S) to side illuminate the at least one chamber of the microfluidic cell (M) to excite the sample contained therein; an optical detector (D) configured and arranged to detect light emitted from the sample when excited with said side illumination; and a casing (C) constituting an envelope into which at least the support (S) is housed and attached.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a 3D object and to a system adapted to implement the method, wherein the method comprises: —providing a powder material (G); —providing a radiation absorbent material, in the form of optically resonant particles (P), on a region to be sintered of the powder material; and —sintering the region to be sintered of the powder material (G), by exposing to light the optically resonant particles (P) to radiation. The method comprises providing the optically resonant particles (P) according to a distribution and proportion, with respect to the powder material (G) included in the region to be sintered, selected: —to disperse the optically resonant particles (P) within the powder material (G) included in said region, and —to avoid substantial agglomeration and substantial self-sintering of the optically resonant particles (P).

Abstract: Provided are methods for producing magnetic composites. In some embodiments, the methods include providing a material in a non-continuous solid form; providing optically resonant particles dispersed within at least a region of said material; and exposing the optically resonant particles to electromagnetic radiation to be absorbed thereby to optically resonate to generate heat to fuse together portions of the material in thermal contact therewith. In some embodiments, the optically resonant particles have magnetic properties and/or are adapted to have magnetic properties induced by a stimulus, and the material is a non-magnetic material. Also provided are systems, computer program products, and packages adapted to implement the presently disclosed methods.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a microcomplex containing a modified nanoparticle adsorbed on a host microparticle and to a process to obtain it. The microcomplex is particularly useful for photoepilation. The present invention also relates to a composition containing the microcomplex and to the method for enhanced photoepilation based on the microcomplexes.

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing an electrically conductive composite, wherein the method includes: a) providing a bed of a polymer in a non-continuous solid form; b) providing, on the polymer bed, a composition that comprises a chemical precursor dissolved in a liquid medium made to inhibit a chemical reaction of the chemical precursor into forming an electrically conductive inorganic component; c) forming an electrically conductive inorganic component from a chemical reaction of the chemical precursor, by at least evaporating the liquid medium; and d) exposing to electromagnetic radiation an electromagnetic radiation absorber of the composition, to sinter those portions of said polymer bed in thermal contact therewith, to form a polymer network that percolates an electrically conductive network formed with the electrically conductive inorganic component. Also provided are a system and a package adapted to implement the presently disclosed method.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a modified surface capable of having bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity when it is light irradiated, thus converting the surface of the substrate into a bacteriostatic and a bactericidal surface as many times as it is desired, and for a long time. According to the invention, the modified surface upon light irradiation avoids the attachment of a microorganism to this surface, inhibits the formation of a biofilm on this surface and destroys an already formed biofilm on this surface. These effects can be achieved as many times as it is desired, and for indefinite time.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a thermally modulated optical lens apparatus that includes an electrically resistive element that has patterned features. The patterned features may be micro-sized or smaller and may create an electrical resistance density across the electrically resistive element. The electrically resistive element is capable of electrically connecting to a controllable electrical source. The apparatus also includes at least one thermo-optical material in thermal contact with the patterned features of the electrically resistive element. The at least one thermo-optical material can have an optical refractive index profile that corresponds to the electrical resistance density.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a microcomplex containing a modified nanoparticle adsorbed on a host microparticle and to a process to obtain it. The microcomplex is particularly useful for photoepilation. The present invention also relates to a composition containing the microcomplex and to the method for enhanced photoepilation based on the microcomplexes.

Abstract: A system having a micro lens array is provided. In some embodiments, the system includes a plurality of individual adaptive photo thermal lenses that have at least one cell, each cell provided with at least one photo absorbing particle; and a thermo-optical material in thermal contact with the cells; and at least one controllable light source for illuminating the photo absorbing particles, the light source having at least one spectral component which can be absorbed by the photo-absorbing particles, each cell being defined by the optical interaction area between the at least one photo absorbing particle and the at least one controllable light source, wherein the at least one controllable light source is controllable in one or more of wavelength, power, and polarisation, to locally modify the focal lengths of the individual adaptive photo thermal lenses having the cells.

Abstract: A system having a micro lens array is provided. In some embodiments, the system includes a plurality of individual adaptive photo thermal lenses that have at least one cell, each cell provided with at least one photo absorbing particle; and a thermo-optical material in thermal contact with the cells; and at least one controllable light source for illuminating the photo absorbing particles, the light source having at least one spectral component which can be absorbed by the photo-absorbing particles, each cell being defined by the optical interaction area between the at least one photo absorbing particle and the at least one controllable light source, wherein the at least one controllable light source is controllable in one or more of wavelength, power, and polarisation, to locally modify the focal lengths of the individual adaptive photo thermal lenses having the cells.

Abstract: An adaptive photo thermal lens comprising at least one cell, each cell provided with at least one photo absorbing particle, a thermo-optical material in thermal contact with the cells and at least one controllable light source for illuminating the photo absorbing particles, the light source having at least one spectral component which can be absorbed by the photo-absorbing particles and being controllable in wavelength and/or power and/or polarization.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a modified surface capable of having bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity when it is light irradiated, thus converting the surface of the substrate into a bacteriostatic and a bactericidal surface as many times as it is desired, and for a long time. According to the invention, the modified surface upon light irradiation avoids the attachment of a microorganism to this surface, inhibits the formation of a biofilm on this surface and destroys an already formed biofilm on this surface. These effects can be achieved as many times as it is desired, and for indefinite time.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a thermally modulated optical lens apparatus that includes an electrically resistive element that has patterned features. The patterned features may be micro-sized or smaller and may create an electrical resistance density across the electrically resistive element. The electrically resistive element is capable of electrically connecting to a controllable electrical source. The apparatus also includes at least one thermo-optical material in thermal contact with the patterned features of the electrically resistive element. The at least one thermo-optical material can have an optical refractive index profile that corresponds to the electrical resistance density.