SPECIAL SESSION #01

Mariangela Latino

Institute for Chemical-Physical Processes, National Research Council of Italy (IPCF-CNR)

• mariangela.latino@cnr.it

Laura Arruzzoli

University of Messina, BIOMORF Department, Italy

• laura.arruzzoli@unime.it

Federico Randazzo

University of Messina, BIOMORF Department, Italy

• Federico.randazzo@unime.it

Giovanni Gugliandolo

University of Messina, Department of Engineering, Italy

• giovanni.gugliandolo@unime.it

Sensing devices are pervasive in today’s world, spanning applications from industrial automation and healthcare to environmental monitoring and smart infrastructure. Over the last decade, research has increasingly focused on innovative materials and fabrication approaches that reduce environmental impact while preserving, or even improving, sensing performance. In this framework, sustainable materials, biomaterials, and biocomposites have been explored as substrates and functional layers for sensors and sensing systems, e.g., wood, paper, natural fibers, bioplastics, algae-derived materials, and other bio-based alternatives, enabling lightweight, low-cost, and green solutions. In parallel with material innovation, alternative and more environmentally friendly manufacturing technologies have gained interest. Additive and printed-electronics approaches, such as inkjet printing and micro-screen printing, support cost-effective and scalable fabrication of flexible and lightweight devices, typically with reduced material consumption and minimal waste compared with conventional subtractive microfabrication methods. Beyond fabrication, the “green” paradigm also calls for robust metrological characterization: reproducibility, stability, calibration strategies, and uncertainty evaluation, are essential to make sustainable sensors truly effective and reliable.

In this context, the proposed special session welcomes contributions addressing sustainable materials and eco-designed technologies for sensing solutions, including their fabrication, characterization, validation, and metrological assessment.

Topics include but are not limited to:

• Bio-based, recyclable, and biodegradable substrates/functional layers for sensors;
• Sustainable conductive/functional inks for device fabrications;
• Additive manufacturing for sensors (e.g., inkjet, screen printing, 3D printing);
• Low-waste and low-energy fabrication methods;
• Flexible, wearable, disposable, sensors;
• Self-powered and low-power sensors (e.g., energy harvesting, ultra-low-power electronics, duty-cycling);
• Reliability, aging, biodegradation studies, and stability in real operating environments;
• Metrological characterization of sustainable sensors (calibration, metrological traceability, uncertainty evaluation).

Mariangela Latino received the M.S. degree in physics from the University of Messina, Messina, Italy, in 2005, and the Ph.D. degree in materials for energy and environment from the University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy, in 2013. She is currently a Junior Researcher - with the Institute for Chemical-Physical Processes, National Research Council of Italy (IPCF-CNR). Her current research interests are focused on the development processes and the characterization techniques of solid-state gas sensors.

Laura Arruzzoli received the B.S. degree in electronic engineering and computer science and the M.S. degree in electronic engineering for industry from the University of Messina, Italy, in 2022 and 2024, respectively. She is currently a second year PhD student in Bioengineering Applied to Medical Sciences at the University of Messina. Her current research interests include the development of wearable sensing systems for physiological monitoring, the design and characterization of printed sensors up to microwave range, and the development of measurement hardware interfaces equipped with embedded electronics for biomedical applications.

Federico Randazzo received the B.S. degree in electronic engineering and computer science and the M.S. degree in electronic engineering for industry from the University of Messina, Italy, in 2022 and 2024, respectively. He is currently a second year PhD student in Bioengineering Applied to Medical Sciences at the University of Messina. His current research interests include the development and metrological evaluation of sensor array interfaces, the design of microcontroller-based boards and the integration of electronic hardware with biomedical signal analysis for neurological monitoring.

Giovanni Gugliandolo received his B.S. degree in Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, and his M.S. degree in Electronic Engineering from the University of Messina, Italy, in 2013 and 2016, respectively. He earned a Ph.D. in Metrology from the Politecnico di Torino, Italy, in 2020, in collaboration with the National Institute of Metrological Research (INRiM). In the same year, he joined the University of Messina and currently works in the Department of Engineering as an Assistant Professor in the field of electrical and electronic measurements. His research interests include sensors and sensor-based measurement systems, sensor metrology, microwave sensors, and environmental measurement systems.