EUROP platform, Carnot TSN, Carnot Télécom & Société numérique, Télécom Saint-Étienne

EUROP: Testing an Operator Network in a Single Room

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Belles histoires, bouton, CarnotThe next article in our series on the Carnot Télécom technology platforms and digital society, with EUROP (Exchanges and Usages for Operator Networks) at Télécom Saint-Étienne. This platform offers physical testing of network configurations, to meet service providers’ needs. We discussed the platform with its director, Jacques Fayolle, and assignment manager Maxime Joncoux.

 

What is EUROP?

Jacques Fayolle: The EUROP platform was designed through a dual partnership between the Conseil Départemental de la Loire and LOTIM, a local telecommunications company and subsidiary of the Axione group. EUROP brings together researchers and engineers from Télécom Saint-Étienne, specialized in networks and telecommunications and in computer science. We are seeing an increasing convergence between infrastructure and the services that use this infrastructure. This is why these two skillsets are complementary.

The goal of the platform is to simulate an operator network in a single room. To do so, we reconstructed a full network, from the production of services to consumption by a client company or an individual. This enabled us to depict every step in the distribution chain of a network, up to the home.

 

What technology is available on the platform?

JF: We are currently using wired technologies, which make up the operator part of a fiber network. We are particularly interested in being able to compare the usage of a service according to the protocols used as the signal is transferred from the server to the final customer. For instance, we can study what happens in a housing estate when an ADSL connection is replaced by FTTH fiber optics (Fiber to the Home).

The platform’s technology evolves, but the platform as a whole never changes. All we do is add new possibilities, because what we want to do is compare technologies with each other. A telecommunications system has a lifecycle of 5 to10 years. At the beginning, we mostly used copper technology, then we added fiber point to point, then point to multi-point. This means that we now have several dozen different technologies on the platform. This roughly corresponds to all technology currently used by telecommunications operators.

Maxime Joncoux: And they are all operational. The goal is to test the technical configurations in order to understand how a particular type of technology works, according to the physical layout of the network we put in place.

 

How can a network be represented in one room?

MJ: The network is very big, but in fact it fits into a small space. If we take the example of Saint-Étienne, this network fits into a large building, but it covers all communications in the city. This represents around 100,000 copper cables that have been reduced. Instead of having 30 connections, we only have one or two. As for the 80 kilometers of fiber in this network, they are simply wound around a coil.

JF: We also have distance simulators, objects that we can configure according to the distance we want to represent. Thanks to this technology, we can reproduce a real high-speed broadband or ADSL network. This enables us to look at, for example, how a service will be consumed depending on whether we have access to a high-speed broadband network, for example in the center of Paris, or in an isolated area in the countryside, where the speed might be slower. EUROP allows us to physically test these networks, rather than using IT models.

It is not a simulation, but a real laboratory reproduction. We can set up scenarios to analyze and compare a situation with other configurations. We can therefore directly assess the potential impact of a change in technology across the chain of a service proposed by an operator.

 

Who is the platform for?

JF: We are directly targeting companies that want to innovate with the platform, either by validating service configurations or by assessing the evolution of a particular piece of equipment in order to achieve better-quality service or faster speed. The platform is also used directly by the school as a learning and research tool. Finally, it allows us to raise awareness among local officials in rural areas about how increasing bandwidth can be a way of improving their local economy.

MJ: For local officials, we aim to provide a practical guide on standardized fiber deployment. The goal is not for Paris and Lyon to have fiber within five years while the rest of France still uses ADSL.

 

EUROP platform, Télécom Saint-Étienne

EUROP platform. Credits: Télécom Saint-Étienne

 

Could you provide some examples of partnerships?

JF: We carried out a study for Adista, a local telecommunications operator. They presented the network load they needed to bear for an event of national stature. Our role was to determine the necessary configuration to meet their needs.

We also have a partnership with IFOTEC, an SME creating innovative networks near Grenoble. We worked together to provide high-speed broadband access in difficult geographical areas. That is, where the distance to the network node is greater than it is in cities. The SME has created DSL offset techniques (part of the connection uses copper, but there is fiber at the end) which provides at least 20 Mb 80 kilometers away from the network node. This is the type of industrial companies we are aiming to innovate with, looking for innovative protocols or hardware.

 

What does the Carnot accreditation bring you?

JF: The Carnot label gives us visibility. SMEs are always a little hesitant in collaborating with academics. This label brings us credibility. In addition, the associated quality charter gives our contracts more substance.

 

What is the future of the platform?

JF: Our goal is to shift towards Openstack[1] technology, which is used in large data centers. The aim is to launch into Big Data and Cloud Computing. Many companies are wondering about how to operate their services in cloud mode. We are also looking into setting up configuration systems that are adapted to the Internet of Things. This technology requires an efficient network. The EUROP platform enables us to validate the necessary configurations.

 

 [1] platform based on open-source software for cloud computing

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The TSN Carnot institute, a guarantee of excellence in partnership-based research since 2006

 

Having first received the Carnot label in 2006, the Télécom & Société numérique Carnot institute is the first national “Information and Communication Science and Technology” Carnot institute. Home to over 2,000 researchers, it is focused on the technical, economic and social implications of the digital transition. In 2016, the Carnot label was renewed for the second consecutive time, demonstrating the quality of the innovations produced through the collaborations between researchers and companies. The institute encompasses Télécom ParisTech, IMT Atlantique, Télécom SudParis, Télécom, École de Management, Eurecom, Télécom Physique Strasbourg and Télécom Saint-Étienne, École Polytechnique (Lix and CMAP laboratories), Strate École de Design and Femto Engineering.[/box]

Arago, IMT Atlantique, Jean-Louis de Bougrenet

Arago, technology platform in optics for the industrial sector

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Belles histoires, bouton, CarnotArago is a technology platform specializing in applied optics, based at IMT Atlantique’s Brest campus. It provides scientific services and a technical environment for manufacturers in the optics and vision sectors. It has unique expertise in the field of liquid crystals, micro-optics and health.

 

Are you in the industrial sector or a small business wanting to experiment with a disruptive innovation? Perhaps you are looking for innovative technological solutions, but don’t have the time, or the technical means, to do so? The solution might be to try your luck with a technology platform.

Arago can help you to turn your new ideas into a reality. Arago was designed to foster innovation and technology transfer in research. It is home to highly-skilled scientists and technological facilities. Nexter, Surys and Valéo are among the companies who have already placed their trust in the platform, a component of Carnot Télécom and Société Numérique, specialized in the field of optics. Arago has provided them with access to a variety of high-end technology solutions for design, modeling, creating micro-optics, electro-optic functions based on liquid crystals, and composite materials for vision and protection. The fields of application are varied, ranging from protective and corrective glasses to holographic marking. It all involves a great deal of technical expertise, which we discussed step by step with Jean-Louis de Bougrenet, researcher at IMT Atlantique and the creator of the Arago platform.

 

Health and impact measurement of new technologies

Health is a field which benefits directly from Arago’s potential. The platform can directly count on the Health Interest Group 3D Fovéa, which includes IMT Atlantique, the University Hospital of Brest, and INSERM, and which led to the creation of the spinoff Orthoptica (the French leader in digital orthoptic tools). Thanks to Orthoptica, the platform was able to set up Binoculus, an orthoptic platform.

Arago, IMT Atlantique, Jean-Louis de BougrenetThis operates as a digital platform and aims to replace the existing tools used by orthoptists, which are not very ergonomic. This technology consists solely of a computer, a pair of 3D glasses, and a video projector. It makes the technology more widely available by reducing the duration of tests. The glasses are made with shutter lenses, allowing the doctor to block each eye in synchronization with the material being projected. This othoptic tool is used to evaluate the different degrees of binocular vision. It aims to help adolescents who have difficulties with fixation or concentration.

Acting for health now is worthwhile, but anticipating the needs of the future is even better. In this respect, the platform plays an important role for ANSES[1] in the evaluation of risks involved in deploying new immersive technology such as the Oculus Vive augmented reality headsets. “When the visual system is involved, an impact study with scientific and clinical criteria is essential”, explains Jean-Louis de Bougrenet. These evaluations are based on in-depth testing carried out on clinical samples, in liaison with hospitals such as Necker, HEGP (Georges Pompidou) and the University Hospital of Brest.

 

Applications in diffractive micro-optics and liquid crystal

At the same time, Arago has the expertise of researchers with several decades of experience in liquid crystal engineering (Pierre-Gilles de Gennes laboratory). “These materials present significant electro-optical effects, enabling us to modulate the light in different ways, at very low voltage”, explains Jean-Louis de Bougrenet.

The researchers have used liquid crystals for many industrial purposes (protection goggles, spectral filters, etc.). In fact, liquid crystals will soon be part of our immediate surroundings without us even knowing. They are used in flat screens, 3D and augmented reality goggles, or as a camouflage technique (Smart Skin). To create these possibilities, Arago’s manufacturing and testing facilities are unique in France (including over 150m² of cleanrooms).

Other objects are also omnipresent in our daily lives, and even involve our smartphones: diffractive micro-optics. One of their specific features is that they exist in different sizes. Arago has all the tools necessary to design and produce these optics at different scales both individually and collectively, with easily-industrialized nano-imprint duplication processes. “We use micro-optics in many fields, for example manufacturing security holograms, biometric recognition, quality control and the automobile sector”, explains Jean-Louis de Bougrenet. Researchers recently set up a so-called two-photon photopolymerization technique, which allows the direct fabrication of fully 3D nanostrutures.

 

European ambitions

Arago is also involved in many other projects. Since 2016, it has hosted an IRT BCom platform. This platform is dedicated to creating very high-speed optical transmission systems in free space, for wireless connections for virtual reality headsets in environments such as the Cave Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE).

Arago is already firmly established in Brittany, having recently finalized a technology partnership with the INL (International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, a European platform similar to CERN). The partnership involves pooling resources, privileged access to technology, and the creation of joint European projects. The INL is unique in the European field of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Arago contributes the complementary material components it had been lacking. For Jean-Louis de Bougrenet, “in the near future, Arago will become part of the European technology cluster addressing new industrial actors, by adding to our offering and more easily integrating European programs with a sufficient critical mass. This partnership will enable us to develop our emerging activity in the field of intelligent sensors for the environment and biology”.

 

 [1] ANSES: French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety

Some examples of products developed through Arago

 

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Night-vision driving glasses

These glasses are designed for driving at night, and prevent the driver being dazzled by car lights. They were designed in close collaboration with Valéo.

These glasses use two combined effects: absorption and reflection. This is possible due to a blend of liquid crystals and absorbent material, which creates a variable density. This technology is the result of several years’ research. Several patents have been registered, and have been licensed to the industrial partner.

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Holographic marking to fight counterfeiting

This marking was entirely designed by Arago. Micro-optics are integrated in banknotes, for example, to fight counterfeiting. The come in the form of holographic films or strips. Their manufacture uses a copying system which reduces production costs, making mass production possible. The work was carried out in close collaboration with industrial partner Surys. Patents have been registered and transferred. The project also led to a copying machine being created for the industrial partner. The machine is currently being used by the company.

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The TSN Carnot institute, a guarantee of excellence in partnership-based research since 2006

Having first received the Carnot label in 2006, the Télécom & Société numérique Carnot institute is the first national “Information and Communication Science and Technology” Carnot institute. Home to over 2,000 researchers, it is focused on the technical, economic and social implications of the digital transition. In 2016, the Carnot label was renewed for the second consecutive time, demonstrating the quality of the innovations produced through the collaborations between researchers and companies. The institute encompasses Télécom ParisTech, IMT Atlantique, Télécom SudParis, Télécom, École de Management, Eurecom, Télécom Physique Strasbourg and Télécom Saint-Étienne, École Polytechnique (Lix and CMAP laboratories), Strate École de Design and Femto Engineering.[/box]

Carnot TSN, Scalinx, electronics

Scalinx: Electronics, from one world to another

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Belles histoires, bouton, CarnotThe product of research carried out by its founder, Hussein Fakhoury, at the Télécom ParisTech laboratories (part of the Télécom & Société numérique Carnot institute), Scalinx is destined to shine as a French gem in the field of electronics. By developing a new generation of analog-to-digital converters, this startup is attracting the attention of stakeholders in strategic fields such as the defense and space sectors. These components are found in all electronic systems that interface analog and digital functions, whose performance depends on the quality of the converters they use.

 

“We live in an analog world, whereas machines exist in a digital world,” Hussein Fakhoury explains. According to this entrepreneur, founder of the startup Scalinx, all electronic systems must therefore feature a component that can transform analog magnitudes into digital values. “This converter plays a vital role in enabling computers to process information from the real world,” he insists. Why is this? It makes it possible to transform a value that is continually changing over time, like electrical voltage, into digital data that can be processed by computer systems. And designing this interface is precisely what Hussein Fakhoury’s startup specializes in.

Scalinx develops next generation analog-to-digital converters. Based on a different architectural approach than that used by its competitors, the components it has developed offer many advantages for applications that require a fast digitization system. “By using a new electronic design for the structure, we provide a much more compact solution that consumes less energy,” the startup founder explains. However, he points out that the Scalinx interfaces “are not intended to replace the historical architectural in every circumstance, since these historical structures are essential for certain applications.”

Hussein Fakhoury, the founder of Scalinx

These new converters are intended for specific markets, in which the performance and the efficient use of space are of upmost importance. This is the case in the space electronics, defense, and medical imaging sectors. For this last example, a prime example is ultrasound. While today we can see the fetus in a woman’s womb in two dimensions using ultrasound technology, medical imaging is increasingly moving towards 3D visualization. However, to transition from 2D to 3D, probes must be used that use more converters. With the traditional architectures, the heat dissipation would become too great, and would not only damage the probe, but could inconvenience the patient.

And the obstacles are not only of a technical nature; they are also strategic. The quality of an electronic system depends on this analog/digital interface. Quality is therefore of utmost importance for high-end systems. Currently, however, “the global leaders for high-performance components in this field are American,” Hussein Fakhoury observes. Yet the trade regulations, as well as issues of sovereignty and confidentiality of use can represent a limit for European stakeholders in critical areas like the defense sector.

 

A spin-off from Télécom ParisTech set to conquer Europe

Scalinx therefore wants to become a reference in France and Europe for converters intended for applications that cannot sacrifice energy consumption for the sake of performance. For now, the field appears to be open. “Few companies want to take on this strategic market,” the founder explains. The startup’s ambition seems to be taking shape, since it benefited from two consecutive years of support from Bpifrance as the winner of the national i-Lab contest for business start-up assistance in 2015 and 2016. It also received an honor loan from The Fondation Télécom in 2016.

Scalinx’s level of cutting-edge technology in the key area of analog-digital interfaces can be attributed to the fact that its development took place in an environment conducive to state-of-the-art innovation. Hussein Fakhoury is a former Télécom ParisTech researcher (part of the Télécom & Société numérique Carnot institute), and his company is a spin-off that has been carefully nurtured to maturity. “Already in 2004, when I was working for Philips, I thought the subject of converters was promising, and I began my research work in 2008 to improve my technical knowledge of the subject,” he explains.

Then, between 2008 and the creation of Scalinx in 2015, several partnerships were established with industrial stakeholders, which resulted in the next generation of components that the startup is now developing. NXP — the former Philips branch specialized in semiconductors—France Télécom (now Orange) and Thalès collaborated with the Télécom ParisTech laboratory to develop the technology that is today being used by Scalinx.

With this wealth of expertise, the company is now seeking to develop its business and acquire new customers. Its business model is based on a “design house” model, as Hussein Fakhoury explains: “The customers come to see us with detailed specifications or with a concept, and we produce a turnkey integrated circuit that matches the technical specifications we established together.” This is a concept the founder of Scalinx hopes to further capitalize on as he pursues his ambition of European conquest, an objective he plans to meet over the course of the next five years.

 

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The TSN Carnot institute, a guarantee of excellence in partnership-based research since 2006

Having first received the Carnot label in 2006, the Télécom & Société numérique Carnot institute is the first national “Information and Communication Science and Technology” Carnot institute. Home to over 2,000 researchers, it is focused on the technical, economic and social implications of the digital transition. In 2016, the Carnot label was renewed for the second consecutive time, demonstrating the quality of the innovations produced through the collaborations between researchers and companies. The institute encompasses Télécom ParisTech, IMT Atlantique, Télécom SudParis, Télécom, École de Management, Eurecom, Télécom Physique Strasbourg and Télécom Saint-Étienne, École Polytechnique (Lix and CMAP laboratories), Strate École de Design and Femto Engineering.[/box]

OpenAirInterface, Eurecom, 5G

OpenAirInterface: An open platform for establishing the 5G system of the future

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Belles histoires, bouton, CarnotIn this article, we continue our exploration of the Télécom & Société numérique Carnot institute technological platforms. OpenAirInterface is the platform created by EURECOM to support mobile telecommunication systems like 4G and 5G. Its goal: to develop access solutions for networks, radio and core networks. Its service is based on a software suite developed using open source.

 

The OpenAirInterface platform offers a 4G system built on a set of software programs. These programs can each be tested and modified individually by the user companies, independently of the other programs. The goal is to establish the new features of what will become the 5G network. To find out more, we talked with Christian Bonnet, a communications systems researcher at EURECOM.

 

What is OpenAirInterface?

Christian Bonnet: This name encompasses two aspects. The first is the implementation of the software that makes up a 4G-5G system. This involves software components that run in a mobile terminal – those that increment the radio transmissions, and those that are in the core network.

The second part of OpenAirInterface is an “endowment fund” created by EURECOM at the end of 2014, which is aimed at leading an open and global software Alliance (OSA – OpenAirInterface Software Alliance).

 

How does this software suite work?

CB: The aim is to implement the software components required for a complete 4G system. This involves the modem of a mobile terminal, the software for radio relay stations, as well as the software for the specific routers used for a network core. Therefore, we deal with all of the processes involved in the radio layer (modulation, coding, etc.) of communication protocols. It runs on the Intel x86 processors that are found in PCs and computer clusters. This means that it is compatible with Cloud developments. To install it, you must have a radio card connected to the PC, which serves as the terminal, and a second PC, which serves as a relay station.

Next, depending on what we need to do, we can take only a part of the software implementation. For example, we can use commercial mobile terminals and attach to a network composed of an OpenAirInterface relay and a commercial network core. Any combination is possible. We have therefore established a complete network chain for 4G, which can move towards the 5G network using all of these software programs.

 

openairinterface

 

Who contributes to OpenAirInterface?

CB: Since the Alliance was established, we have had several types of contributors. The primary contributor, to date, has been EURECOM, because its teams are those that developed the initial versions of all the software programs. These teams include research professors, post-doctoral students, and PhD students who can contribute to this platform that provides participants with an experimental environment for their research. In addition, through the software Alliance, we have acquired new kinds of contributors: industrial stakeholders and research laboratories located throughout the world. We have expanded our base, and this openness enables us to receive contributions from both the academic and industrial worlds. (Editor’s note: Orange, TCL and Ercom are strategic OpenAirInterface partners, but the Alliance also includes many associate members, such as Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC), IRT Bcom, INRIA and, of course, IMT. The full list is available here.)

 

What does the Carnot Label represent for your activities?

CB: The Carnot Label was significant in our relationship with the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications in China (BUPT), a university specializing in telecommunications. The BUPT asked us to provide a quality label reference that would allow us to demonstrate the recognition of our expertise. The Carnot Label was presented and recognized by the foreign university. This label demonstrates the commitment of OpenAirInterface developments to the industrial world, while also representing a seal of quality that is recognized far beyond the borders of France and Europe.

 

Why do companies and industrial stakeholders contact OpenAirInterface?

CB: To develop innovation projects, industrial stakeholders need advances in scientific research. They come to see us because they are aware of our academic excellence and they also know that we speak the same language. It’s in our DNA! Since its very beginning, EURECOM has embodied the confluence of industry and research; we speak both languages. We have developed our own platforms, we have been confronted with the same issues that industrial stakeholders face on a daily basis. We are therefore positioned as a natural intermediary between these two worlds. We listen attentively to the innovation projects they present.

 

You chose to develop your software suite as open source, why?

CB: It is a well-known model that is beginning to spread. It facilitates access to knowledge and contributions. This software is covered by open source licenses that protect contributors and enable wider dissemination. This acts as a driving force and an accelerator of development and testing, since each software component must be tested. If you multiply the introduction of this software throughout the world, everyone will be able to use it more easily. This enables a greater number of software tests, and therefore increases the amount of feedback from users for improving the existing versions. Therefore, the entire community benefits. This is a very important point, because even in industry, many components are starting to be developed using this model.

 

In addition to this approach, what makes OpenAirInterface unique?

CB: OpenAirInterface has brought innovation to open source software licensing. Many types of open source licenses exist. It is a vast realm, and the industrial world is bound to large patent portfolios. The context is as follows: on the one hand, there are our partners who have industrial structures that rely on revenue from patents and, on the other hand, there is a community who wants free access to software for development purposes. How can this apparent contradiction be resolved?

We have introduced a specific license to protect the software for non-commercial operations –everything related to research, innovation, tests – as for classic open source software. For commercial operations, we have established a patent declaration system. This means that if industrial stakeholders implement their own patented components, they need only indicate this and, for commercial operations, people will therefore contact the rights holders to negotiate. These conditions are known as FRAND (fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory) terms, and reflect the practices industrial players in the field follow with standardization organizations such as GPP. In any case, this procedure has been well accepted. This explains why Orange and Nokia (formerly Alcatel-Lucent Bell Labs), convinced by the benefits of this type of software license, are featured among the Alliance’s strategic partners.

 

What is the next development phase for OpenAirInterface?

CB: Several areas of development exist. The projects that are proposed as part of the European H2020 program, for which we are awaiting the results, will allow us to achieve scientific advances and will benefit the software range. The Alliance has also defined major areas for development through joint projects led by both an industrial partner and an academic partner. This type of structure enables us to bring people together from around the world. They volunteer to participate in one of the steps towards achieving 5G.

 

 

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The TSN Carnot institute, a guarantee of excellence in partnership-based research since 2006. 

Having first received the Carnot label in 2006, the Télécom & Société Numérique Carnot institute is the first national “Information and Communication Science and Technology” Carnot institute. Home to over 2,000 researchers, it is focused on the technical, economic and social implications of the digital transition. In 2016, the Carnot label was renewed for the second consecutive time, demonstrating the quality of the innovations produced through the collaborations between researchers and companies.

The institute encompasses Télécom ParisTech, IMT Atlantique, Télécom SudParis, Télécom, École de Management, EURECOM, Télécom Physique Strasbourg and Télécom Saint-Étienne, École Polytechnique (Lix and CMAP laboratories), Strate École de Design and Femto Engineering.

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FEMTO Engineering: a new component of the TSN Carnot institute

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Belles histoires, bouton, CarnotIn July 2016 the Ministry for Education and Research renewed the Télécom & Société numérique Carnot institute accreditation and at the same time, the institute presented a new component: the FEMTO Engineering Center for Technological Development. We interviewed the Director of the FEMTO-ST laboratory, Laurent Larger, who told us a little more about the identity of this new component of the TSN Carnot institute and its domains of expertise which could be of interest for companies for their partnership research projects.

 

What is the difference between FEMTO-ST and FEMTO Engineering?

Laurent Larger: FEMTO Engineering was created in 2013 by FEMTO-ST and is associated with the FC’Innov foundation (Franche-Comté Innovation). FEMTO Engineering and the FEMTO-ST laboratory have a strategic proximity. In fact, the researchers in the two structures share the same building and their research overlaps. The experts at FEMTO Engineering can benefit from advice from those in the laboratory. FEMTO Engineering is devoted to the promotion and technology transfer of research developed at FEMTO-ST. The advantage of having a structure like FEMTO Engineering is that it constitutes a partner which is more attractive for the industry and SMEs.

 

What are FEMTO Engineering’s fields of work?

LL: In principle, all the research topics in which FEMTO-ST has expertise. FEMTO-ST has seven main departments: automation and micro-robotics; IT; energy; applied mechanics; micro-nano-science and systems; optics; time and frequency analysis (metrology of time, high-end radiofrequency and microwave sources). In practice, we have identified a certain number of topics which meet the requirements of a Carnot institute in terms of promotion and technology transfer or development.

Carnot TSN, FEMTO Engineering, FEMTO-ST

Laurent Larger, Director of FEMTO-ST institute

Let’s take energy for example. FEMTO-ST has internationally-acknowledged expertise in the field of fuel cell systems. FEMTO Engineering rolls out this expertise in the context of renewable energy using hydrogen. We are also currently working with a vehicle manufacturer on Stirling engines using the technique of heat recovery. FEMTO Engineering is also involved in the biomedical field. Work is currently being carried out on creating biochips allowing for the identification of living species. This allows us, for example, to propose new solutions for proteomic analysis on gold and silica chips using SPR (surface plasmon resonance).

 

What are FEMTO Engineering’s strengths?

LL: FEMTO-ST’s strengths relate to its technological expertise in high-tech components and systems. As an example, let’s take two technologies related to FEMTO-ST’s proprietary expertise.

Femtosecond laser machining is an activity based on expertise in the formation of a femtosecond laser beam. It allows for nano-machining with accurate control in terms of both time and space. In other words, it allows us to make nano holes in materials (glass, silicon, diamond etc.) with unprecedented speeds of execution and extremely high aspect ratios. This method can be used for ultra-fast cutting or for making nano holes to structure thin films. Last but not least, it can be used in surface texturing, which allows us to change the adhesive properties of a surface, to make it hydrophilic or hydrophobic, for example.

Another example of FEMTO Engineering’s strengths is its expertise in the field of time and frequency metrology. We have designed a cryogenic sapphire oscillator at the high end of state-of-the-art technology on an international level, and which has set new records for stability. These oscillators are used to obtain baseline frequencies for calibrating observation systems and have already been used by the ESA (European Space Agency). It also has applications in the field of radiofrequencies and microwaves.

More broadly speaking, our very close links with FEMTO-ST enable FEMTO Engineering to rely upon a vast range of experimental knowledge and high-tech facilities structured around platforms and notably including MIMENTO, our micro-nano-manufacturing plant (a member of the French CNRS RENATECH network).

 

Carnot TSN, FEMTO Engineering, FEMTO-ST

Manufacturing a resin mask. This mask will be used to create motifs on substrate materials. For example, for making metallic electrodes or for engraving. Photo credits: CC Ludovic Godard – UFC

 

What was the reason for wanting to join the TSN Carnot institute, what are your expectations and how will you benefit from it?

LL: We were already familiar with the Carnot institute environment because we belonged to it between 2006 and 2011. We wanted to return in order to benefit from new opportunities in terms of promotion and transfer. In this sense, the deciding factor with the TSN Carnot institute was its solidity. Out of all the Carnot institutes, it is very well positioned in terms of the level of activity. This standing appealed to us and we plan on contributing to it!

In terms of expertise, this is the most complementary Carnot institute in relation to our technology offering. Thanks to this complementarity, we can offer new opportunities in terms of promotion and industrial relations/partnerships. Another important thing to mention is our location. We are on the border with Switzerland, with which we have a lot of international interactions level, and in 2015 thus generated more than 40% of turnover from abroad. This trend was strengthened in 2016 with twice the amount of turnover.

 

Will FEMTO Engineering evolve after joining the TSN Carnot institute?

LL: For the moment, the workforce at FEMTO Engineering stands at 14 people, compared with 800 in the laboratory. This ratio provides significant room for growth, particularly in relation to the pool of expertise within FEMTO-ST. We benefit from this interaction with the laboratory, which offers us plenty of other topics that could be rolled out at FEMTO Engineering. The people with this expertise are mainly former PhD students and engineers from the laboratory. The concept is to offer members of industry the best possible interface to facilitate their innovation projects. Joining the TSN Carnot institute is an opportunity for us to grow and develop new activities with the business world.

 

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The TSN Carnot institute, a guarantee of excellence in partnership-based research since 2006

 

Having first received the Carnot label in 2006, the Télécom & Société numérique Carnot institute is the first national “Information and Communication Science and Technology” Carnot institute. Home to over 2,000 researchers, it is focused on the technical, economic and social implications of the digital transition. In 2016, the Carnot label was renewed for the second consecutive time, demonstrating the quality of the innovations produced through the collaborations between researchers and companies.

The institute encompasses Télécom ParisTech, IMT Atlantique, Télécom SudParis, Télécom École de Management, Eurecom, Télécom Physique Strasbourg and Télécom Saint-Étienne, École Polytechnique (Lix and CMAP laboratories), Strate École de Design and Femto Engineering.[/box]

Recherche partenariale, Carnot TSN, Carnot M.I.N.E.S., Carnot 3

M.I.N.E.S and Télécom & Société numérique Carnot institutes have again been awarded the Carnot label

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Belles histoires, bouton, CarnotOn July 6th, the Secretary of State for Higher Education and Research, Thierry Mandon, announced the recipients of the Carnot 3 Label. M.I.N.E.S Carnot institute and Télécom & Société numérique Carnot institute were among the winners: having both held the label since 2006, they again earned concrete recognition of the quality of their partnership-based research.

 

 

“I am strongly committed to the Carnot label,” Thierry Mandon reminded the audience at the opening of the annual 17/20 meeting of the Carnot network, before announcing the list of the 29 Carnot institutes that received the label and 9 Carnot Springboards (new in 2016) as part of the Carnot 3 call for proposals. Since 2006, this accreditation has sought to encourage partnerships between public research labs and companies, in order to develop technology transfer and innovation.

After getting very good assessments from the National Agency for Research (ANR) for the Carnot 2 period (2012/2015), the two Carnot institutes of Institut Mines-Télécom received confirmation of their quality label for partnership-based research. In practical terms, this Carnot 3 will result in a financial contribution awarded over a period of several years, aimed at supporting the professionalization of corporate relations departments, the internationalization of partnerships, and upstream research.

 

The 2 Institut Mines-Télécom’s Carnots :

Find out more about M.I.N.E.S. Carnot institute, composed of six Mines schools, as well as some teams from Ecole Polytechnique and ENSTA Paris Tech, in partnership with the contract research organization Armines.

Find out more about Télécom & Société Numérique Carnot institute, which encompasses Télécom ParisTech, Télécom Bretagne, Télécom SudParis, Télécom Ecole de Management, Eurecom, Télécom Saint-Etienne, Télécom Physique Strasbourg, two Ecole Polytechnique labs and Strate Design.

 

PLEASE NOTE!

The next Carnot meeting will be the corporate meetings on October 5 and 6, 2016 in Lyon, with the objective of presenting the partnership offering in the area of R&D between the institutes and companies, from SME-SMI to large corporate groups.

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The Carnot label

Carnot 3, Carnot M.I.N.E.S., Carnot TSN

The Carnot label, created in 2006, is aimed at developing partnership-based research, conducting research studies led by public laboratories in partnership with socioeconomic stakeholders, primarily companies (from SMEs to large corporate groups), in order to address their needs.

The Carnot label is awarded to public research structures, Carnot institutes, which simultaneously carry out upstream research activities, enabling the renewal of their scientific and technological skills, while also committing to a proactive policy in the area of partnership-based research that benefits the socioeconomic worlds. The Ministry for Research awards the label to Carnot institutes following a very selective call for applications.[/box]

 

SECURE-IC: PROTECTING ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS AGAINST PHYSICAL ATTACKS

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Belles histoires

Secure-IC is a spin-off of the Télécom ParisTech and Télécom Bretagne incubators specializing in the security of telecommunications networks. It markets solutions for securing embedded electronic systems.

The electronic circuits which encode messages can suffer physical attacks and leak the security codes. So Secure-IC has developed a wide range of IP cores, which secure embedded systems from end to end of the network, in accordance with the requirements of its clients.  It also markets an advanced analysis platform, the “Smart-SIC Analyzer”, for testing the security of any embedded system of the chip card and integrated circuit type.

Le smart SIC analyzer

The innovative technologies developed by Secure-IC are the result of work undertaken by Télécom ParisTech’s Comelec department. Since 2003, researchers Jean-Luc Danger, Sylvain Guilley and Laurent Sauvage (the three co-founders of Secure-IC) have been designing security testing methods for the use of system designers, as well as design methods for manufacturing components which are resistant to physical attack. Five patents and 4 protected software programs developed by the research team are currently being used by Secure-IC.

In 2013, Institut Mines-Télécom, Secure-IC and Doremi set up a shared laboratory, the Secure Compression Lab. Secure-IC and Télécom-ParisTech are also developing, under the aegis of the DGA,  a processor that is secure both against physical attacks and cyber-attacks. At the Journées Carnot 2014, Jean-Luc Danger and his team won the FIEEC  first prize for Applied Research for their work which led to the creation of Secure-IC.

The company

Secure-IC is a start-up founded in 2010 by Jean-Luc Danger, Sylvain Guilley and Laurent Sauvage, and incubated by Télécom ParisTech and Télécom Bretagne.

YoGoKo Systèmes de transport intelligents

Intelligent transport systems: juggling with communication methods to stay connected

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Belles histoiresYoGoKo is a Brittany-based start-up specializing in the field of cooperative intelligent transport systems (ITS). It markets a multipurpose communication box with multiple access technologies, associated with a services and intelligent communication management platform, which ensures permanent connectivity between vehicles and road infrastructures. The idea is to use several communication standards, either simultaneously or in accordance with their availability, in a transparent and optimized manner. In practice, it can be used to manage road traffic, ensure road safety, and, very soon, even to control fleets of autonomous vehicles.

YoGoKo : connexion multistandards V2V et V2I

Télécom Bretagne’s Networks, Security & Multimedia department has developed Internet-type connectivity for YoGoKo solutions. By working on the ISO and ETSI standards Jean-Marie Bonnin and his team of researchers have developed a communications architecture which defines in particular the multi-standard mobile router designed to be embedded in vehicles. It concerns the detailed management of decisions on routing along this or that communication interface (wifi, 3G, 4G…). To improve the technology even further, the researchers are currently developing interaction between vehicles and cities as well as information gathering. They are working in particular on interactivity with the home in order to control the charging of electric cars, as well as the securing of Internet connectivity.

The company

YoGoKo was co-founded in June 2000 by two research engineers: Emmanuel Thierry and Thierry Ernst. Its solutions are the result of research work by Mines ParisTech (CAOR), Télécom Bretagne (RSM and Inria Rocquencourt (RITS).