The DII (Department of Industrial Engineering) is one of the 19 Departments of the Industrial and Information Engineering area within the Italian public universities that was named Department of excellence by MIUR (Italian Ministry of Teaching, University and Research). Thanks to this award, in the five-years period 2018-2022, the department received a special funding of 6,6 million euros, finalized to acquiring new faculty members and infrastructures, in addition to investment in teaching and dissemination activities of high scientific profile.
The scientific project presented by the DII within this specific call of the MIUR is entitled Flexible and wearable mechatronic systems based on multifunctional materials. The project is perfectly included in the context of the scientific subjects associated with the Industry 4.0 paradigm, and has the goal of creating a new class of technologies based on smart and adjustable structures, possibly with integrated actuators and sensors. Such systems are useful in several application areas, including active ageing, rehabilitation, civil protection and sports.
The main strategic goals of the project include:
- trengthening the cross-disciplinary collaborations, promoting holistic research approaches;
- devoting special attention to the collaboration with the industry and, specifically, with the SMI of the territory, interested in developing joint projects in the areas of Industry 4.0;
- Strengthening the international collaboration network, also by funding PhD students in co-tutorship with prestigious European partners.
The main actions foreseen in the project are:
- the creation of a specific laboratory, the MIND Lab (Multidisciplinary INtegrated Design Laboratory): a place where the different expertise converge for realizing projects characterized by a unified and optimized use of modern technologies;
- recruiting of new faculty members, in particular a full professor, an associate professor, three assistant professors (RTD-B);
- hiring new PhD students.
Main milestones of the project
2018-2019
- Initial steps for the recruiting of new faculty members
- Acquiring new devices for research and teaching activities of high scientific profile
- Constitution and activation of the MIND Lab
- Two different open calls for PhD students
- Activating the first agreements with the industrial partners.
2020-2022
- Finalizing the acquisition of the new faculty members
- Acquiring the missing equipment
- Strengthening the relations with the local industry
- Promoting the creation of spin-offs and startups
Actions Performed in 2018
Recruitment of new Faculty
Senior Researcher, SC 09/D2 - SSD ING-IND/23 (Applied Chemistry-Physics).
Senior Researcher, SC 09/G1 - SSD ING-INF/04 (Automation); position partly cofunded by the University.
Main Equipment Acquired
- Speedgoat Simulink real time Target Systems for rapid prototyping
- cDAQ Acquisition systems with interfaces and accessories
- FCA 3100 Counter 2x300 MHz 50 Ps Timer + PC Scope MS0 200 MHz 4 channels + FLUKE T6 -600 electric tester FieldSens
- LoRa Gateway IP65 outdoor EU 868 MHzC
- KEITHLEY 2450 SMU 1 channel 200 V
- Augmented Reality Kit
- Formlab 2 for multi-material cartridge-based stereolithography
Highly qualified teaching activities
Activation of 7 PhD grants - 34° cycle (a.y. 2018/19).
Actions Performed in 2019
Recruitment of new Faculty
External Associate Professor - SC 09/A3 - SSD ING-IND/14 (Mechanical Design and Construction of Machines).
Main Equipment Acquired
- HW / SW architectures for wireless communication - 3 Sensors for air quality
- High-accuracy semiconductor parameter analyzer
- Power Analyzer Yokogawa WT5000
- LCR meter LCR-8105G
- Flir A615 thermal imaging camera
- Augmented Reality "Hand Held" Interfaces - REKORDATA
Highly qualified teaching activities
Activation of 11 PhD grants - 35° cycle (a.y. 2019/20).
Actions Performed in 2020
Recruitment of new Faculty
Upgrade of an Associate Professor, SC 09/G1 - SSD ING-INF/04 (Automation).
Main Equipment Acquired
- Servohydraulic system for biaxial mechanical tests
- 2 Lulzbot TAZ 3D printers
- Fully 3D printed prototype of a quadrupedal robot
- Piezoelectric meter PKD3-2000-F10N
- Power supplies, spectrum analyzer and radio-programmable front-end for RF analysis
Actions Performed in 2021
Recruitment of new Faculty
Senior Researcher, SC 09/G2 - SSD ING-IND/34 (Bioengineering).
Senior Researcher, SC 09/G1 - SSD ING-INF/04 (Automation).
Main Equipment Acquired
- Extruded filament deposition 3-D printer
- Flexible printed circuit board machine
- LFA instrument for measuring thermal conductivity
- HFM instrument for measuring thermal conductivity
- Cellink X 3D Bioprinter
- Rheometer DHR2 for DMA analysis
- NEYA 16R Pro refrigerated centrifuge
- Nikon A1 Confocal Microscope Upgrade
- Elecrtoforce DMA grips
- Real Time Indoor Localization System (RTLS), with centimeter accuracy