WaterSpy aims to develop water quality analysis photonics technology suitable for inline, field measurements. WaterSpy technology will be integrated, for validation purposes, to a commercially successful water quality monitoring platform, in the form of a portable device add-on. WaterSpy will be used in the field for the analysis of critical points of water distribution networks. Waterspy solutions will be demonstrated in two different demo sites in Italy.

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The MIRPHAB (Mid InfraRed PHotonics devices fABrication for chemical sensing and spectroscopic applications) consortium will establish a pilot line to serve the growing needs of European industry in the field of analytical micro-sensors. Its main objectives are to: • provide a reliable supply of mid-infrared (MIR) photonic components for companies incl. in particular SMEs already active in analytical MIR sensing • reduce investment cost to access innovative MIR solutions for companies already active in the field of analytical sensors, but new to MIR photonics based sensing • attract companies new to the field of analytical sensors, aiming to integrate μ-sensors into their products. To fulfil those objectives, MIRPHAB is organized as a distributed pilot line formed by leading European industrial suppliers of MIR photonic components, complemented by first class European R&D institutes with processing facilities capable of carrying out pilot line production. MIRPHAB provides: • access to MIR photonic devices via mounted/packaged devices for laser-based analytical MIR sensors • expert design for sensor components to be fabricated in the pilot line plus training services to its customers. The platform will be organized such that new developments in MIR micro- and integrated optic components and modules can be taken up and incorporated into the MIRPHAB portfolio. MIRPHAB will work on a convincing scheme for the flow of hardware and information, suitable to operate a distributed pilot line efficiently. MIRPHAB will develop sound business cases and a compelling business plan. Potential cost-performance breakthroughs will be shown for reliable MIR sensing products based on building blocks provided by MIRPHAB. MIRPHAB will become a sustainable source of key components for new and highly competitive MIR sensors, facilitating their effective market introduction and thus significantly strengthening the position and competitiveness of the respective European industry sector.

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PETRA will develop a prototype instrument for optical on-line analysis in petrochemical process streams. It will quantify percent-level composition of hydrocarbon mixtures and detect trace-level (parts-per-million) contaminants in an ethylene matrix. Such a product will replace high-maintenance chromatographs. The consortium will exploit disruptive broadband laser technology in the mid infrared spectral region to develop such an optical analytical tool.

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Cost effective multi-wavelength light sources are key enablers for wide-scale penetration of gas sensors at Mid-IR wavelength range. Utilizing a novel Mid-IR Si-based photonic integrated circuit filter and wide-band Mid-IR SLEDs, we aim at demonstrating an innovative light source that covers 2.7…3.5 µm wavelength range with a resolution [Homepage]

The objective of the KompLas project is to develop miniature laser chips to allow accurate analysis of substances during production processes. This would enable the composition of products to be continually monitored. Faulty products could then be quickly and efficiently detected, and promptly removed from the process chain. This would increase the quality of products and also save costs.

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The mid-infrared (MIR) region is emerging as the favourite wavelength band for a number of applications, including high sensitivity trace detection, chemical emission monitoring, process control, and biological sensing applications. An efficient way to get precise and reliable information is to rely on spectroscopic analysis and, among the existing technologies, Tunable Diode Laser Spectroscopy (TDLS) has been identified to be the most attractive solution due to the unique adsorption spectrum of chemicals, allowing their unambiguous detection. In the MIR region, the availability of Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCL) covering a broad portion of the spectral range (MIR, 3-12 µm), where many chemicals of interest for Safety & Security have their strongest absorption lines, has recently pushed forward the commercialisation of TDLS-based detection units.Further technology advancements are still needed in the TDLS and QCL domains, the crucial bottlenecks being the range of tuneability, the footprint, power consumption & wallplug efficiency. Besides high cost and poor versatility, these limitations set a barrier for the realisation of powerful versatile detection units. To address these issues, MIRIFISENS will bring major technological advancements in the field of miniaturisation, process development, heterogeneous integration and co-integration of MOEMS functionalities.The project will exploit state-of-the-art micro and nano-fabrication techniques. The major technologic achievements proposed will address the issues of sensitivity & selectivity, multi-gas capabilities, compactness, efficiency and cost effectiveness as specified by a number of selected Safety & Security applications. These achievements will be tested and validated for these applications. MIRIFISENS will deliver a new class of sensors with superior tuneability, better portability and extended detection capabilities, changing radically the current landscape of MIR chemical sensing spectroscopy.

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Border security is one of the key security challenges to be taken up by Europe in the following years. In particular, the deployment of practical efficient means to detect hidden persons and illegal substances at border crossing points is instrumental in avoiding terrorism, human trafficking or smuggling. The DOGGIES project aims at demonstrating (1) an operational movable stand alone sensor for an efficient detection of hidden persons, drugs & explosives, (2) the potential adaptation of this solution for the detection of a much wider range of illegal substances. The project addresses trace detection: it relies on the combination of two technologies based on completely different physical principles, therefore qualified as “orthogonal”: - Mid-Infrared spectroscopy technology, based on photoacoustic detection, which appears as the most powerful and promising to detect a very wide range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs); developments within DOGGIES will mainly target the demonstration of a widely tuneable integrated MIR source coupled with a miniature photo-acoustic cell; - Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) technology, more mature, as mentioned above; developments within DOGGIES will mainly target the use of non radio-active ionisation source. One of the main operational challenges is to provide reliable detection in real environments, in particular with the presence of “interferents”. It is expected that the use of specific pre-concentrators on one hand, and the combination of the signal emerging from these “orthogonal technologies” by advanced software on the other hand will improve the detection reliability. The Consortium is composed of 14 partners from 5 EU countries, including 2 End-Users; the project activities will cover basic studies in physics and chemistry, as well as sensor engineering and field tests.

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CLARITY is a 3-years research project funded under the seventh framework programme (FP7) in the research area: ICT-2011.3.5 Core and disruptive photonic technologies. The project envisions the development and demonstration of a set of technologies which will radically change the current scenery of mid Infrared photonic systems in terms of performance, size and cost. The technology vehicles are ultra-low noise quantum cascade laser sources and ultra-wideband frequency converters based on silicon nano-waveguides and microstructured soft-glass fibers.

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Ziel des Projekts IRLSENS war es ein Messsystem zu erarbeiten, das speziell Pestizide und andere chlorierte Kohlenwasserstoffe sekundenschnell detektieren und die Betreiber des Versorgungsnetzes noch schneller als bisher benachrichtigen kann.

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