Laboratories and Equipment

This cluster represents a center of excellence in biomedical research, specializing in the development of state-of-the-art biomedical devices, advanced signal, image, and medical data processing techniques, imaging technologies, artificial intelligence, and innovative digital health solutions with applications across multiple domains.

The cluster’s research and development activities focus on biomedical instrumentation, including the design of medical devices and innovative analytical methods primarily aimed at neuromuscular system assessment and human movement analysis. These technologies support applications in ergonomics, rehabilitation, sports science, and occupational medicine. The cluster also conducts research in cardiology, analyzing and interpreting complex biomedical signals to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

In addition, the cluster is active in medical image analysis, with a particular focus on the processing and reconstruction of optical, microscopic, and photoacoustic images, thereby expanding diagnostic and research capabilities. The cluster also works on artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to develop clinical decision support systems and perform data mining activities.

Its interdisciplinary approach enables the cluster to address complex biomedical challenges, foster innovation, and make a significant contribution to scientific and technological advances in healthcare.

This cluster focuses on research and innovation spanning micro- and nanoelectronics, intelligent systems, and the latest technologies in quantum electronics.

Its activities range from the development of integrated architectures and circuits to the design of embedded and IoT devices and systems applied to a variety of technological domains, including biomedicine and climate-smart agriculture. Several laboratories within the cluster are engaged in the development of digital, analog, and power electronic circuits, including Beyond-CMOS technologies, with a focus on quantum computing, molecular electronics, and electromagnetically robust circuit design.

The cluster also promotes research on wearable and implantable electronic systems, applied artificial intelligence, and human–machine interaction. Its laboratories represent centers of excellence in the development of innovative technological solutions, covering areas such as CAD tools for advanced technologies, artificial intelligence algorithms for beamforming and real-time audio signal classification, integrated circuits for digital signal processing, and nanoscale devices for computing and sensing applications.

Electronic integration and packaging technologies are also the subject of extensive testing and validation activities, ensuring the optimization, reliability, and performance of the developed systems. Through its interdisciplinary approach, the cluster addresses complex technological challenges, fostering innovation and delivering advanced, tailored solutions across multiple application domains.

This cluster comprises three state-of-the-art laboratories dedicated to the development of innovative solutions in robotics, control systems, data science, and optimization algorithms, with applications in sectors such as aerospace, automotive engineering, autonomous systems, and artificial intelligence.

One of the laboratories specializes in the development of robotic applications for safe and interactive human–robot collaboration, leveraging open-source algorithms and artificial intelligence-based approaches. Research activities are validated on a wide range of robotic platforms, including both mobile robots and robotic manipulators.

Another laboratory focuses on advanced research in complex systems, numerical optimization, large-scale data analysis, and learning systems, with applications spanning computational finance, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, intelligent vehicles, and traffic management.

The third laboratory specializes in industrial methodologies, algorithms, and equipment for the automatic control of dynamic systems, with a particular focus on aerospace and automotive applications.

Through the complementary expertise of its laboratories, the cluster promotes interdisciplinary research and technological innovation, addressing complex challenges and developing advanced solutions for next-generation intelligent systems.

This cluster brings together the Department’s research groups and laboratories primarily active in the fields of measurement science and metrology. Its activities cover a broad range of topics, including the development of measurement systems for electrical impedance, low-current and noise measurements, impedance and time–frequency reference standards, customized measurement systems for electrical, mechanical, and acoustic quantities, as well as electrical and fiber-optic sensors.

A significant part of the cluster’s research is devoted to the theoretical and experimental characterization of measurement systems through uncertainty analysis in accordance with international standards, as well as testing, calibration, and certification activities.

The laboratories within the cluster are equipped with periodically calibrated instrumentation, including multifunction calibrators, high-resolution digital multimeters, power analyzers, electrical and mechanical sensors, impedance and DC voltage standards, cesium-beam frequency standards, and testing facilities such as climate chambers and vibration tables. These resources enable the provision of traceable measurements and customized solutions for the most demanding applications in both industry and research.

Through its expertise in metrology, instrumentation, sensors, and measurement science, the cluster supports innovation, quality assurance, and technological development across a wide range of scientific and industrial domains.

The cluster develops innovative technologies and methodologies based on signal processing, machine learning, and closed-loop optimization to advance the state of the art in wireless communications and networks, artificial vision and visual data processing, as well as in the analysis and simulation of Global Navigation Satellite Systems.

The cluster’s laboratories are active in the automotive, telecommunications, services, mobile applications, and space sectors. The cluster has expertise in models for network service management, configuration and evaluation of virtual radio access networks, testing of resource allocation mechanisms in edge environments — including UAVs and robots — experiments with private 5G cells, and the implementation of network-edge mobile applications.

In addition, the cluster develops deep learning models for image analysis, compression, and inverse problems, and addresses secure sensing and information processing. Space-related activities include satellite imaging, onboard artificial intelligence for satellites, hyperspectral image compression, GNSS receiver design, space radionavigation, the development of algorithms for radio interference detection and mitigation, localization, and ionospheric monitoring.

This cluster brings together research groups and laboratories dedicated to advancing photonic technologies across devices, systems, and networks, addressing both fundamental and applied challenges in optical communications and optoelectronics. Research activities include the modelling, design, and optimization of optoelectronic components—such as semiconductor materials, semiconductor lasers, modulators, photodetectors, and photonic integrated circuits—as well as the development of high-capacity optical transmission systems and intelligent optical networks.

Key research areas include ultra-wideband and coherent optical fiber systems, optical networks based on hollow-core fiber technologies, next-generation Passive Optical Networks (PONs), optical performance monitoring, and optical sensing techniques. The cluster is also active in the field of open and software-programmable optical networks, promoting the integration of artificial intelligence-based digital twins and open-source planning and control tools (such as GNPy), the coexistence of quantum and classical communication channels, and the use of optical networks as distributed sensing platforms.

At the device level, research activities focus on the design and modelling of photonic integrated circuits, semiconductor lasers—including quantum-dot lasers, quantum cascade lasers, and VCSELs—LEDs, electro-optic modulators, high-efficiency photodetectors, and integrated optical components for silicon photonics platforms. The cluster also develops advanced simulation tools for investigating the physical behaviour of materials and devices, employing state-of-the-art approaches ranging from quantum transport modelling to multiphysics simulation.

Through the combination of expertise in photonic devices, optical systems, and intelligent networks, the cluster contributes to the development of next-generation communication infrastructures and advanced photonic technologies for research, industry, and society.

This cluster specializes in the characterization, design, and prototyping of high-frequency systems. Materials, devices, circuits, and systems are thoroughly measured and evaluated across the RF, microwave, millimeter-wave, and terahertz frequency ranges, with the aim of identifying robust technologies and providing experimental support for the development and validation of advanced engineering solutions.

Research activities span a wide range of application domains, including wireless communications, automotive systems, biomedical electronics, and electromagnetic compatibility. The methodologies employed range from fundamental scientific research to industry-oriented solutions, enabling the translation of innovative concepts into practical technologies and real-world applications.

By combining advanced measurement capabilities, design expertise, and experimental validation, the cluster contributes to the development of next-generation high-frequency systems and supports innovation across both academic research and industrial sectors.