Innovative inspection technologies: ILAMP and XNEXT explore infrared and terahertz solutions for real-time quality control

A new industrial PhD project, jointly developed by ILAMP laboratories at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and XNEXT, is pushing the boundaries of real-time inspection technologies for the food and automotive industries.

The research aims to design and implement an infrared and terahertz (THz) spectroscopy system to be integrated with XNEXT’s advanced multi-energy X-ray inspection technology. This combination promises a major leap forward in the detection of contaminants and foreign objects in products such as unpackaged food, enhancing both efficiency and consumer safety.

The project combines academic excellence and industrial innovation, involving a PhD student shared between Università Cattolica, KU Leuven, and XNEXT. Within the ILAMP laboratories, the research focuses on ultrafast and nonlinear optical techniques for THz generation and detection-key steps toward the development of next-generation inspection systems with applications extending beyond food safety, into automotive and pharmaceutical manufacturing.