Fondazione Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia

Vibram S.p.a.

Fondazione Istituto Italiano Di Technologia

Virgilio Mattoli

Barbara Mazzolai

Francesco Greco

Lucia Beccai

Joseph Ashley Taylor

Shinji Takeoka

Paolo Dario

Toshinori Fujie

Kento Yamagishi

Alessio Mondini

Majid Taghavi

Alessandra Zucca

Marco Carlotti

Tom Krupenkin

Omar Tricinci

The present invention fits into the 3D microprinting sector and relates to a process for producing degradable 3D polymeric nano- or microstructures having sub-micrometre resolution. The process of the invention uses a photoresist formulation comprising a mixture of: (i) cyclic ketene acetal monomers; (ii) vinyl and/or (meth)acrylic monomers; and (iii) at least one photoinitiator. The process of the invention is based on two-photon polymerisation photoinitiated by focusing a laser beam within said photoresist formulation, with the obtainment of polymeric nano- or microstructures degradable under mild conditions and having sub-micrometre resolution.

Photoresist formulations 3D microprinting techniques

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of films of conductive polymers, by the technique so-called roll-to-roll, which allows to obtain freestanding films having advantageous features such as toughness, flexibility, ability to adhere to different substrates, a submicron thickness and a very high ratio surface area/thickness; the present films are suitable for use in several technological applications, in particular for the development of biosensors, and in the production of flexible electronic components with large surface, suitable for wearable devices and also intended for contacting skin.

Process for preparing free-standing films of conductive polymers

A sole for footwear capable of recovering part of the energy produced during deambulation including: at least one energy harvesting means, including: a tubular body, fixed in use, having a first and a second end and a movable part slidable in the tubular body; the energy harvesting means being provided, in use, for generating electrical energy following the sliding of the movable part with respect to the tubular body that is fixed in use, during the deambulation; at least one actuator group for the energy harvesting means, including at least one fluid-dynamic circuit including: at least one first and one second tank including a fluid, the first tank being housed at a rear area of the sole and the second tank being housed at a front area of the sole; at least one first and one second joining conduit in fluid connection between the first tank and the first end of the at least one tubular body, and the second tank and the second end of the tubular body, respectively, where, the first tank has a configuration in plan view which is substantially elongated and curved.

Sole for footwears capable of recovering part of the energy produced during deambulation

Composite material comprising a matrix of elastic and electrically insulating material, and a filler of electrically conducting material embedded within the matrix. The filler forms a conductive path defining an active electrode adapted to be associated with a reference electrode for forming an electrical signal output. A deformable gap is formed between an outer surface of the conductive path and an inner surface of the matrix, in such a way that the application of a mechanical load to the composite material causes the surface of the conductive path and the surface of the matrix to be brought closer together, and the removal of the mechanical load causes the surface of the conductive path and the surface of the matrix to be moved away from one another as a result of the elastic force of the material of the matrix.

Triboelectric composite for mechanical energy harvesting and sensing

A human skin moisture measuring device having an interdigitated resistive sensor formed on a plate-like transparent support is described, with a face designed to be placed into contact with the skin to be subjected to the moisture degree measurement. The device further comprises image sensing means turned towards the opposite face of the support and a lighting device arranged sideways relative to the support to direct the light radiation in the support at a prefixed angle. Means for processing the signal coming from the interdigitated resistive sensor and from the image sensing means give as output a value of the measured moisture degree that is normalized with respect to the actual surface of contact between skin and sensor.

Sensing moisture level of human skin

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Vicopisano, Italy

Virgilio Mattoli