DICEAM Laboratories

Location : Engineering Building, Via Rodolfo Zehender - Building C - Floor 4 Scientific Director : Prof. Francesco Carlo Morabito The AILAB Laboratory is a center dedicated to research and development in the field of artificial intelligence (AI).  It is committed to exploring the frontiers of AI through innovative projects and collaborations both nationally and internationally.

Main lines of research

• AI for medical diagnostic support systems: Development of bio-inspired intelligent systems to discriminate subjects with neuropathologies through EEG electrical signal processing
• AI for Brain Computer Interface (BCI) systems: design of EEG-BCI systems for motion planning recognition
• development of decision support systems in industrial (e.g., defect detection at macro-, micro-, nanoscale) and spatial settings
• Explainable Artificial Intelligence (xAI): Techniques for making AI models interpretable.

The Laboratory has scientific collaborations with several university institutions (e.g., University of Florida, ETH Zurich, Imperial College, The Ohio State University, University of Edinburgh, University of Naples “Federico II”), important national and international agencies (e.g., Italian Space Agency, European Space Agency) and industries (e.g., ST Microelectronics, Thales Aleania Space, Aubay, g.tec). 
 

Location : Engineering Building, Via Rodolfo Zehender - Building E - 2nd floor

Scientific Director : Prof. Andrea Donato

The Chemistry Laboratory is committed to the study of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis for the transformation of molecules of industrial interest, through the development of innovative catalytic materials. In recent years, it has expanded its activities to include the valorization of waste lignocellulosic biomass, polyolefin plastics, electronic waste (e-waste), and agro-industrial waste, with the aim of developing sustainable processes with low environmental impact.
Thanks to a solid scientific background and a multidisciplinary and multiscale approach, the laboratory promotes Green Chemistry solutions transferable to the industrial scale, contributing to the transition to a circular economy.

Among the most recent activities is the development of resistive chemical sensors based on semiconductor metal oxides, intended for applications in the industrial, automotive, food, and biomedical sectors, for the creation of low-cost diagnostic instruments.
Part of the research is also focused on the synthesis of innovative nanocomposites based on transition metal oxides and graphene oxide, used as electrode materials for electrochemical energy storage, with the aim of improving their capacity and durability during charging cycles.
The laboratory collaborates with national and international academic institutions, including the Polytechnic University of Turin, the Universities of Bologna, Messina, Palermo, and Bari, and the Universities of Cordoba (Spain), Bochum (Germany), Sapporo (Japan), and Turku (Finland).

Scientific Director : Prof. Mario Versaci

Location: Engineering Building, Via Rodolfo Zehender - Building D - 1st floor

Scientific Director: Prof. Vincenzo Barrile

Description:

The Geomatics Laboratory was created with the aim of creating and applying a scientific culture, as accessible as possible to specialists from other sectors, to provide a multidisciplinary approach to the acquisition, analysis, integration, distribution and application of spatially referenced and distributed data. 

The activities concern the issues of monitoring/control of the territory, of the built environment (structures, infrastructure, cultural heritage), and of the environment in general, with respect to the use of methodologies (traditional surveying, satellite GNSS, digital photogrammetry, laser scanner, digital cartography, GIS, BIM, remote sensing, lidar, UAVs (drones), GPR) as spatial analysis tools aimed at the management/control/forecasting of natural and anthropogenic risks, territorial/environmental analyses, including forecasting, cultural heritage, pollutant monitoring, multi-temporal study of changes to the earth's surface, surveys for 3D modeling, morphological characterization and digital representation (digital twin) of the territory, built environment, and the subsoil. 

The adopted multidisciplinary approach favors the development of integrated, multi-source, and multi-sensor techniques and methodologies, contributing to technological and methodological innovation for analyses at different spatial and temporal scales, including through the application of algorithms based on artificial intelligence .

Location: Engineering Building, Via Rodolfo Zehender - Building C - 2nd floor

Scientific Director: Prof. Giuseppe Barbaro

The Laboratory conducts teaching and training, experimental and research activities, internships, and Transversal Skills and Orientation Programs (PCTO) in hydraulics, hydrology, hydraulic construction, aqueducts, sewerage, and land hydraulic protection.

The topics covered include: fluid statics, fluid dynamics, extreme events and climate change, sediment transport, risk analysis, mapping, and management, land hydraulic protection works and interventions, hydraulic-hydrological modeling, water hammer in long pipelines and fire-fighting systems, and experimental testing of fluids in unsteady flow.

The activities are highly multidisciplinary; they are also multiscalar and multilevel, and find application not only in the scientific and research fields but also in supporting stakeholders operating in the fields of hydraulics and land hydraulic protection, especially in the analysis, planning, and management phases of areas subject to natural hazards.

The laboratory has experimental equipment , hardware, and software, and collaborates with public and research institutions and national and international universities through collaborative activities, research projects, and regional, national, and international funding calls.

Location: Engineering Building, Via Rodolfo Zehender - Building C - 2nd floor

Scientific Director: Prof. Giovanni Leonardi

The Laboratory is a center dedicated to research in the field of railway infrastructure.

Teaching and research activities mainly concern the following areas :

• modeling of the railway superstructure
• railway maintenance
• use of innovative, sustainable and/or waste materials in the railway structure
• life cycle analysis; attenuation of vibro-acoustic disturbance.

The Laboratory is widely used in undergraduate and graduate degree programs for internships and dissertations. It also offers PhD students the opportunity to conduct advanced experimental and theoretical research.

The Railway Infrastructure Engineering Laboratory is equipped with hardware and software for railway design and the study and finite element modeling of railway infrastructure. It also collaborates with national and international research institutions and universities through joint projects and activities.

Location: Engineering Building, Via Rodolfo Zehender - Building D - First Floor
  
Scientific Director: Prof. Nicola Moraci

The Laboratory's activities focus on characterizing soils from a geotechnical perspective, defining the main physical, mechanical, and hydraulic characteristics necessary for the design of civil and environmental engineering projects, with particular reference to land defense and the protection and sustainable management of the environment. The goal is to provide professionals with the tools to operate competently in the geotechnical field and researchers with the opportunity to conduct experimental (and subsequently theoretical) research in advanced sectors of international geotechnical research.

The Laboratory works on central research topics at national and community level such as:

• hydrogeological instability
• liquefaction and seismic risk
• environmental geotechnics
• the development of innovative materials for civil and environmental engineering
• the design of sustainable works.

To this end, the research activities conducted concern:

• the mechanics of geomaterials, the study of complex terrains under static and cyclic conditions
• landslides, slope stability and landslide risk mitigation
• land consolidation
• engineering with geosynthetics, traditional and sustainable geotechnical works
• soil dynamics, liquefaction and seismic risk
• the use and development of innovative materials, also based on the recovery and reuse of waste materials, for geotechnical applications
• controlled landfills and the remediation of contaminated sites.

Location: Engineering Building, Via Rodolfo Zehender - Building D - First Floor

Scientific Director: Professor Matilde Pietrafesa

The Energy and Environment Laboratory's studies, within the context of energy transition, focus on the analysis of energy production and transformation technologies and processes, both fossil and renewable, and their impacts on the human environment. In this context, the LEA devotes particular attention to energy and environmental sustainability analyses, energy efficiency, and measures to reduce polluting emissions, primarily targeting buildings, including at the neighborhood scale, through the analysis of communities and energy districts.

The renewable energy generation technologies most suitable for urban use, photovoltaic systems, are being combined with hydrogen-based storage systems, through the development of a prototype for its solar generation and its conversion into electricity in fuel cells. Innovative building envelope solutions are being developed, such as passive components, green roofs, insulation, and composite materials made from a mixture of waste and plant materials, to be used for retrofitting infill walls. Indoor and outdoor environmental conditions are also being analyzed, with a particular focus on acoustics, air quality, and thermohygrometric aspects. 
For environmental monitoring, a fuel cell-powered drone has been designed and built for beyond-visual-line-of-sight flights in the upper atmosphere.

Location: Engineering Building, Via Rodolfo Zehender - Building E - First Floor

Scientific Director: Prof. Paolo Salvatore Calabrò

The Laboratory studies technologies and processes of a predominantly biological nature aimed at the valorization, treatment, and disposal of wastewater, by-products, and waste. Research lines focus in particular on the development of biorefining processes for the production of high-value products from waste matrices, with a specific focus on the anaerobic digestion process.

The primary objective is process optimization through the application of pretreatments, the use of additives, and the implementation of innovative strategies. Research activities include the recovery of chemical compounds, functional materials, biofuels, fertilizers, and soil improvers from biomass and wastewater of various origins.

The Laboratory maintains international collaborations with leading institutions such as Toronto Metropolitan University, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), University of Edmonton, and Democritus University of Thrace, which support joint research and development activities.

It is integrated with the Chemistry Research Laboratory and the Materials for Environmental and Energy Sustainability Laboratory, with which it shares expertise and tools for multidisciplinary approaches to ecological transition.

Location: Engineering Building, Via Rodolfo Zehender - Building D - First Floor

Scientific Director: Professor Domenico Gattuso 

The LOGICA Laboratory is an advanced research center, active since 2006, specializing in transportation, logistics, and transportation economics. Established as an interdisciplinary facility, it integrates expertise in transportation and systems engineering, logistics, sustainable mobility (including pedestrian mobility), public transportation, geography, and land-use planning.

LOGICA conducts applied research on models and tools for the analysis of freight transport networks and intermodal hubs, intelligent transport systems (ITS) and ICT technologies, logistics processes and agro-food processing, demand and cost analysis, freight tracking, and decision support.

It has advanced hardware and software and collaborates with international research centers and universities, including ISTL in Sousse (TUN), Polytechnic University of Lille (F), IFSTTAR in Paris (F), ETH Zurich (CH), CRET-LOG in Aix-en-Provence (F), CRAT in Constantine (ALG), Secheny University in Gyor (H) through research projects, training collaborations, and scientific networks.

Director : Prof. Pasquale Filianoti 

Director : Prof. Pasquale Giovine     

Scientific Director : Prof. Patrizia Frontera  

Location: Engineering Building, Via Rodolfo Zehender - Building D - 2nd floor

Scientific Director: Prof. Francesco Carlo Morabito

NeuroLab is a center dedicated to research and development of methodologies, algorithms, and systems based on machine learning, deep learning, neural networks, fuzzy systems, and soft computing for processing electrophysiological signals and biomedical images. 

The primary goal is to address real-world problems through a multidisciplinary research team with expertise in the analysis and synthesis of nonlinear signals and circuits, the study and management of time series and multivariate nonlinear images, multimodal data fusion, uncertainty management techniques, and the development of intelligent systems such as brain-machine interfaces, regression, and classification systems.

The Laboratory has scientific collaborations with various university institutions (e.g., University of Florida, ETH Zurich, Imperial College, The Ohio State University, University of Edinburgh, University of Naples “Federico II”), hospitals and clinical research centers (e.g., Bianchi-Melacrino-Morelli Hospital of Reggio Calabria and industries, IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo Messina).

Location: Lungomare Italo Falcomatà, Via delle Mura Greche, 89127 Reggio Calabria RC
Scientific Director : Prof. Felice Arena

https://maps.app.goo.gl/BSiEA3DuEyZrVxqSA

Scientific Director: Prof. Felice Arena

NOEL Natural Laboratory of Maritime Engineering

The NOEL laboratory enjoys a unique coastal location, including a private beach and an adjacent experimental body of water spanning over 60,000 square meters. This location allows direct access to natural marine conditions, characterized by wind-generated waves, for conducting small-scale field experiments.

The laboratory's infrastructure includes several specialized spaces: a modern conference room for meetings and workshops, an electronics station equipped with data acquisition systems and a computer network for real-time monitoring, offices dedicated to researchers, and a small, fully equipped workshop for instrument maintenance and calibration.

Experimental activities take place in the coastal area, where prototypes and survey instruments are installed to study wave dynamics, hydrodynamic forces, and energy conversion processes. The instruments are connected via submarine and land cables to the electronics station, allowing for continuous data transmission and visualization. During symposia and training events, visitors can follow the experiments in real time through live monitoring systems, enhancing the educational and demonstrative value of the research.

Founded in 1989, our laboratory is the first marine engineering facility to conduct research directly in the field, rather than relying on traditional wave-generating tanks. This innovative approach builds on the pioneering small-scale field experiments conducted by Professor Paolo Boccotti off the coast of Reggio Calabria, Italy.

The Laboratory has developed a consolidated expertise in marine engineering, with research activities primarily focused on wave dynamics, numerical and experimental wave modeling, and the development of renewable energy technologies.

Mission

Our mission is to advance understanding of wave phenomena through field research, developing innovative methodologies and technologies in marine and civil engineering.

Activity

The NOEL Ocean Engineering and Marine Energy research group is composed of full professors, associate professors, and researchers specializing in marine engineering, supported by postdoctoral fellows, doctoral students, and undergraduate students. The group conducts both experimental and numerical research in the fields of marine hydrodynamics, coastal engineering, and marine renewable energy.

In addition to fundamental research, the group is actively involved in the design and analysis of coastal protection structures, such as cofferdams, and in the development of innovative systems that integrate wave energy conversion technologies into coastal defenses. A notable achievement is the REWEC (Resonant Wave Energy Converter) device, a patented technology that allows coastal structures to generate clean energy from sea waves while preserving their protective function.

The NOEL team has acquired renowned, internationally recognized expertise in the following areas:

• water wave mechanics
• short-term wave statistics
• long-term wave statistics
• coastal processes
• wave energy converters
• offshore structures
• reliability of marine structures.

Over the past few decades, the group has conducted small-scale experiments in a natural basin, using real sea waves rather than those created in artificial tanks. This hands-on experience has allowed researchers to develop unique skills for conducting experiments directly in natural marine environments.

Location: Engineering Building, Via Rodolfo Zehender - Building C - ground floor

Scientific Director: Prof. Raffaele Pucinotti

The Laboratory performs third-party activities in the field of acceptance testing of construction materials, in accordance with the provisions of Law 1086/71, art. 20. This legislation recognizes as "official" laboratories belonging to universities, polytechnics, engineering faculties, and architecture institutes or faculties.

In addition to ensuring control over materials, the Laboratory is also active in the fields of experimental research and teaching, collaborating on scientific and training projects.

Over the years, he has conducted numerous in-situ experimental activities, including load tests on existing structures, destructive and non-destructive investigations, and checks on historic buildings and infrastructure.

It features a contrast frame designed for testing full-scale structural elements and substructures. The available test space measures 500 cm x 300 cm, with a contrast capacity of up to 500 kN. Stresses can be applied either monotonically or cyclically (pseudo-static), acting on the upper crosspiece or the lateral uprights of the frame itself.

Location: Engineering Building, Via Rodolfo Zehender - Building C - 2nd floor

Scientific Director: Prof. Giovanni Leonardi

The Laboratory is a center dedicated to research in the field of environmental protection and safeguarding.

Teaching and research activities primarily concern issues related to the protection, safeguarding, and enhancement of the multiple ecosystems affected by new human interventions in the area .

Transport infrastructures, and in particular road and railway infrastructures, due to their specific characteristics, generally affect different ecosystems, often heterogeneous among themselves.

In this context, aware of the need for diversified specialist skills, suited to the increasingly pressing needs of environmental protection, safeguarding, and enhancement, the Territorial Infrastructure EIA Laboratory operates, which deals not only with the road and transport sectors.

The laboratory has scientific equipment (software and hardware) and collaborates with national and international research institutions and universities through collaborative projects and activities.