Nowadays, advanced infrared techniques are a key ingredient in disparate applications, ranging from medical diagnostics and treatment to industrial inspection and environmental monitoring. We believe that the success of such infrared applications strongly depends on a continuous exchange between scientific advances and technological progresses. After the 11th International Workshop Advanced Infrared Technology and Applications held in L'Aquila (Italy), September 2011, it has been decided to organize a special issue of Advances in Optical Technologies with the main objective to further foster such synergy by assessing the state of the art of the technology in the near, thermal, and far Infrared and by presenting its most interesting and innovative applications. We invite investigators to contribute high-quality original research articles as well as review articles that will stimulate the continuing efforts to understand infrared technologies, to improve existing methods, or to discover new ones. Progresses in the application of such technologies to all possible fields are also welcome. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Advanced technology and materials
• New detectors, cooled and uncooled, and sources
• Smart and fiber-optic sensors
• Biomedical applications
• Environmental monitoring
• Aerospace and industrial applications
• Astronomy and Earth observation
• Nondestructive tests and evaluation
• Systems for cultural heritage; law enforcement
• Image processing and data analysis
• Near-, mid-, and long-wavelength systems

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