5. Conclusion

The application of the Michelson interferometer and Fourier transform to infrared spectrometry revived this old spectroscopic technique in the 1990s. Over the last decade, leaps in precision and signal-to-noise ratio have made it possible to apply this technique to a whole range of samples that were previously impossible to explore (in aqueous media in particular) or too complex (industrial products, biological or environmental samples). It is now possible to use robust and reliable mid-infrared and, above all, near-infrared optical devices in laboratories and industrial environments. These devices, coupled with the signal processing and analysis techniques currently being developed, are often simple to use. It is clear that today, and in the near future, infrared spectroscopy applications will extend beyond the simple field of "molecular" analysis to include sensors or devices for measuring...