Abstract: A triggering element for a fire protection system may be provided, the triggering element comprising at least one rupture body, which includes an optical waveguide, into which optical waveguide at least one predetermined breaking point is introduced. A sprinkler head or a smoke evacuation damper having at least one triggering element of this type may be provided. A method may be provided for detecting the triggering of a sprinkler head or of a smoke evacuation damper of a fire protection system.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical insulation monitoring device for power cables, having at least one optical waveguide for transmitting an optical signal integrated into a polymer film. The polymer film is arranged in such a way that the radially outer surface of the cable is surrounded by the polymer film in at least one longitudinal portion of the cable. At least some of the optical waveguides can be designed as multimode waveguides. The optical waveguides may be integrated in a plurality of layers in the polymer film, the optical waveguides of a first layer being arranged in staggered fashion with respect to the optical waveguides of a second layer arranged above or below the first layer. In this way, at least a section of the polymer film in the film plane is completely covered by the optical waveguides without any unwanted crosstalk between adjacent optical waveguides resulting.

Abstract: A device may be provided comprising at least one optoelectronic component and at least one optical waveguide, which are configured to transfer light between the optoelectronic component and the optical waveguide, wherein the optical waveguide contains at least one first longitudinal portion in which at least one Bragg grating is introduced, which has a grating constant which is variable along the longitudinal extent of said Bragg grating, and the optoelectronic component is arranged at a lateral distance from the optical waveguide. Alternatively or in addition, a method may be provided for transferring light between at least one optoelectronic component and at least one optical waveguide.

Abstract: A method for determining the shape of an optical waveguide (1) having a plurality of fiber Bragg gratings (15) includes the following steps: coupling light (20) of a light source (2) into the optical waveguide (1), coupling the reflected light out of the optical waveguide (1), determining a spectrum (35) of the reflected light by measuring the intensity (I) versus the wavelength (1), the spectrum (35) being fed to a self-learning neural network (4) and the shape of the optical waveguide (1) being determined by the neural network. A device for determining the shape of an optical waveguide (1) may be used in a catheter or an endoscope or a biopsy needle or an aerodynamic profiled element. A device for producing training data for a neural network to implement the above is also contemplated.

Abstract: A gas diffusion electrode may be provided comprising an electron conducting layer with a first side and an opposite second side, wherein the first side is provided with a microstructuring, wherein the gas diffusion electrode additionally has a hydrophobic membrane with a first side and an opposite second side, wherein the second side of the membrane is arranged on the first side of the electron conducting layer. A battery or an accumulator or an electrolyser or a galvanic cell may be provided with a gas diffusion electrode of this type.

Abstract: An optical sensor has a substrate with first and second sides, one side being provided with first and second waveguides. The first and second waveguides have respective first and second measuring points along their respective lengths, each measuring point includes at least one interruption. The first measuring point, which belongs to the first waveguide, is functionalized by at least one coating while the second measuring point, which belongs to the second waveguide, is not functionalized by that same coating. The functionalized coating may include a substance (e.g., antibody) which corresponds to a pathogenic germ. A light source may simultaneously direct light into both waveguides and a light detector may simultaneously detect light signals exiting the waveguides. Differences in light intensities of the received light signals at one or more wavelengths, may reveal the presence of a pathogenic germ in a liquid sample applied to the first and second measurement points.

Abstract: The invention relates to a continuous flow reactor having a wall which delimits a channel, wherein at least one sub-area is arranged in the channel that has microstructuring which includes individual structures, the diameter of which on a base is between about 10 ?m to about 100 ?m. The invention further relates to methods for reacting a gaseous or liquid educt under the action of a catalyst.

Abstract: A fiber-optic sensor (1) is configured to detect curvature of an article (6). The sensor includes at least one light source (2), at least one optical fiber (4) and at least one receiver (3). The optical fiber (4) has at least one longitudinal portion (41, 42, 43) in which the refractive index for light at a predetermined wavelength is reduced with respect to the remaining longitudinal portions. A method for detecting curvature of an article such as a data glove (6) or an endoscope may utilize such a fiber-optic sensor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a seal containing a substrate which can be applied to an object to be sealed, so that said seal is changed when it is removed without authorization, wherein the substrate contains or comprises a polymer and/or a glass and at least one optical waveguide is arranged in the substrate, at least one first Bragg grating being arranged in said optical waveguide, wherein the substrate has a thickness of less than 200 ?m. The invention further relates to a system having a seal of this kind and having an evaluation device, and also to a sealing method.

Abstract: A device may be provided comprising at least one optoelectronic component and at least one optical waveguide, which are configured to transfer light between the optoelectronic component and the optical waveguide, wherein the optical waveguide contains at least one first longitudinal portion in which at least one Bragg grating is introduced, which has a grating constant which is variable along the longitudinal extent of said Bragg grating, and the optoelectronic component is arranged at a lateral distance from the optical waveguide. Alternatively or in addition, a method may be provided for transferring light between at least one optoelectronic component and at least one optical waveguide.

Abstract: A method for determining a curvature and/or torsion of an optical waveguide of a fibre-optic sensor, comprising at least two Bragg gratings introduced into the optical waveguide and extending through a common cross-sectional plane, situated in a radial direction, through the optical waveguide, wherein the Bragg gratings are introduced in the core and/or on the boundary between the core and the cladding and/or in an inner edge region of the cladding within an evanescence region of the light, the method comprising: providing reference data of intensities of reflected light portions of light coupled into the optical waveguide, in particular depending on known reference deformations of the optical waveguide, measuring at least one light intensity of reflected light portions of light coupled into the optical waveguide, wherein the optical waveguide has a deformation to be determined, and determining the deformation by comparing the light intensity with the reference data.

Abstract: A light distributor, a system consisting of a light distributor and an LED luminaire, and a method for producing a light distributor are provided. The light distributor may include a transparent main body having a light entrance area and a light exit area, at least one light-scattering structure with a changed refractive index inside the main body for scattering light, and at least one light-guiding structure with a changed refractive index inside the main body for guiding light. The light-scattering structure and the light-guiding structure may be produced by means of ultrashort pulse laser processing. The light-scattering structure and the light-guiding structure with a changed refractive index may be arranged in the main body.

Abstract: An optical component may be provided having a substrate with a first refractive index, in which space regions with a second refractive index are arranged, wherein the optical component contains at least one optical metamaterial, which contains a plurality of individual pixels each comprising a space region which has the first or the second refractive index, wherein the substrate contains at least one polymer. Further, a sensor may be provided with such an optical component and a process for measuring any of an expansion or a temperature.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical insulation monitoring device for power cables, having at least one optical waveguide for transmitting an optical signal integrated into a polymer film. The polymer film is arranged in such a way that the radially outer surface of the cable is surrounded by the polymer film in at least one longitudinal portion of the cable. At least some of the optical waveguides can be designed as multimode waveguides. The optical waveguides may be integrated in a plurality of layers in the polymer film, the optical waveguides of a first layer being arranged in staggered fashion with respect to the optical waveguides of a second layer arranged above or below the first layer. In this way, at least a section of the polymer film in the film plane is completely covered by the optical waveguides without any unwanted crosstalk between adjacent optical waveguides resulting.

Abstract: An optical component comprising at least one first waveguide having a first core and a casing surrounding the first core, and comprising at least one second waveguide having a second core, wherein the first core and the second core are guided adjacent and at a distance to one another in a longitudinal section, and at least one Bragg grating is arranged in said longitudinal section, and at least the first core, the first casing the second core and the Bragg grating are arranged in a single substrate.

Abstract: A method for determining a curvature and/or torsion of an optical waveguide of a fibre-optic sensor, comprising at least two Bragg gratings introduced into the optical waveguide and extending through a common cross-sectional plane, situated in a radial direction, through the optical waveguide, wherein the Bragg gratings are introduced in the core and/or on the boundary between the core and the cladding and/or in an inner edge region of the cladding within an evanescence region of the light, the method comprising: providing reference data of intensities of reflected light portions of light coupled into the optical waveguide, in particular depending on known reference deformations of the optical waveguide, measuring at least one light intensity of reflected light portions of light coupled into the optical waveguide, wherein the optical waveguide has a deformation to be determined, and determining the deformation by comparing the light intensity with the reference data.

Abstract: The invention relates to a battery comprising a battery housing and at least one battery cell and at least one fiber optic sensor which has at least one waveguide with a core and a material surrounding said core. At least one fiber Bragg grating is introduced in the core and is mechanically coupled to the battery housing and/or to the battery cell in order to detect a change in size of the battery housing and/or of the battery cell. At least a second fiber Bragg grating is introduced in the core and is mechanically decoupled from the battery housing and the battery cell. The invention further relates to a method for the open loop or closed loop control of the charging and/or discharging of a battery, measurement values being acquired by at least one fiber optic sensor.

Abstract: A fiber optic sensor may be provided comprising an optical waveguide having at least one first core and a cladding surrounding the first core, wherein the first core extends substantially over the entire length of the optical waveguide and at least one Bragg grating is introduced into the first core, wherein the Bragg grating has an elongated cross section, wherein the short semi-axis is smaller than the diameter of the first core and the center of gravity of the cross section of the at least one Bragg grating lies on the axis of symmetry of the optical waveguide. A method may be provided for determining torsion with such a sensor. A method for the production of such a sensor may be provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a seal containing a substrate which can be applied to an object to be sealed, so that said seal is changed when it is removed without authorization, wherein the substrate contains or comprises a polymer and/or a glass and at least one optical waveguide is arranged in the substrate, at least one first Bragg grating being arranged in said optical waveguide, wherein the substrate has a thickness of less than 200 ?m. The invention further relates to a system having a seal of this kind and having an evaluation device, and also to a sealing method.

Abstract: A device for determining a refractive index may be provided. The device including at least one waveguide having a core and a cladding surrounding the core, the cladding being at least partly removed in at least one first longitudinal portion and the core including at least one fiber Bragg grating in at least one second longitudinal portion. A method for determining a refractive index or a pressure change in a fluid may also provided. The method may include at least one waveguide having a core and a cladding surrounding the core, the cladding being at least partly removed in at least one longitudinal portion. A method for producing such a device may also be provided.