The activity of the laboratory is aimed at the development of light-based sensors and temperature measurement techniques. Fiber-optic luminescence sensors have been studied and refined for contact and non-contact measurements. Photonic thermometry techniques based on thermographic phosphors for the in situ measurement of surface temperatures have been successfully applied to industrial processes in the manufacturing, automotive, energy and medical-biological fields. A special probe (covered by patent) permits to make accurate temperature measurements in wear tests on engineered and nanostructured surfaces.