Pollutants, Département SAGE, Mines Douai, Frédéric Thévenet, COV

Removing pollutants from our homes

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Indoor air is polluted with several volatile organic compounds, some of which are carcinogenic. Frédéric Thévenet, a researcher at Mines Douai, develops solutions for trapping and eliminating these pollutants, and for improving tests for air purifying devices.

 

We spend nearly 90% of our time inside: at home, at the office, at school, or in our car. Yet the air is not as clean as we think – it contains a category of substances called volatile organic compounds (VOCs), some of which are harmful. Fighting these VOCs is Frédéric Thévenet’s mission. Frédéric is a researcher with the Department of Atmospheric Sciences and Environmental Engineering (SAGE) at Mines Douai, a lab specialized in analytical chemistry capable of analyzing trace molecules.

 

Proven carcinogens

VOCs are gaseous organic molecules emitted in indoor environments from construction materials, paint and glue on furniture, cleaning and hygiene products, and even from cooking. One specific molecule is a particular cause for concern: formaldehyde, both a proven carcinogen and the compound with the highest concentration levels. Guideline values exist (concentration levels that must not be exceeded) for formaldehyde, but they are not yet mandatory.

The first way to reduce VOCs is through commonsense measures: limit sources by choosing materials and furniture with low emissions, choose cleaning products carefully and, above all, ventilate frequently with outdoor air. But sometimes this is not enough. This is where Frédéric Thévenet comes into play: he develops solutions for eliminating these VOCs.

 

Trap and destroy

There are two methods for reducing VOCs in the air. They can be trapped on a surface through adsorption (the molecules bind irreversibly to the surface), and the traps are then replenished. The compounds can also be trapped and destroyed immediately, generally through oxidation, by using light (photocatalysis). “But in this case, you must make sure the VOCs have been completely destroyed; they decompose into water and CO2, which are harmless,” the researcher explains. “Sometimes the VOCs are only partially destroyed, thus generating by-products that are also dangerous.”

 

Polluants, Frédéric Thévenet, Mines Douai, Département SAGE

 

At the SAGE Department, Frédéric works in complementary fashion with his colleagues from the VOC metrology team. They take their measurement devices to the field. He prefers to reproduce the reality of the field in the laboratory: he created an experimental room measuring 40 cubic meters, called IRINA (Innovative Room for INdoor Air studies), where he recreates different types of atmospheres and tests procedures for capturing and destroying VOCs. These procedures are at varying stages of development: Frédéric tests technology already available on the market that the ADEME (The French Environment and Energy Management Agency) wants to evaluate, as well as adsorbent materials developed by manufacturers who are looking to improve the composition. He also works on even earlier stages, developing his own solutions in the laboratory. “For example, we test the regeneration of adsorbents using different techniques, particularly with plasma,” he explains.

 

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A long-overdue law

Only laws and standards will force manufacturers to develop effective solutions for eliminating volatile organic compounds. Yet current legislation is not up to par. Decree no. 2011-1727 of 2 December 2011 on guideline values for formaldehyde and benzene in indoor air provides that the concentration levels of these two VOCs must not exceed certain limits in establishments open to the public: 30 µg/m³ for formaldehyde and 5 µg/m³ for benzene, for long-term exposure. However, this law has not yet come into force, since the decrees implementing this measure have not yet been issued. The number of locations affected by this law make it very difficult to implement. The law’s implementation has been postponed until 2018, and even this date remains uncertain.

Furthermore, the Decree of 19 April 2011 on labelling volatile pollutant emissions for construction products, wall cladding, floor coverings, and paint and varnishes is aimed at better informing consumers on VOC emissions from construction materials, paint and varnishes. These products must include a label indicating the emission levels for 11 substances, on a four-category scale ranging from A+ to C, based on the energy label model for household appliances.[/box]

 

Improving the standards

What are the results? For now, the most interesting results are related to adsorbent construction materials, for example, when they are designed to become VOC traps. “They don’t consume energy, and show good results in terms of long-term trapping, despite variations due to seasonal conditions (temperature and humidity),” explains Frédéric. “When these materials are well designed, they do not release the emissions they trap.” All these materials are tested in realistic conditions, by verifying how these partitions perform when they are painted, for example.

As well as testing the materials themselves, the research is also aimed at improving the standards governing anti-VOC measures, which seek to come as close as possible to real operating conditions. “We were able to create a list of precise recommendations for qualifying the treatments,” the researcher adds. The goal was to obtain standards that truly prove the devices’ effectiveness. Yet today, this is far from the case. An investigation published in the magazine Que Choisir in May 2013 showed that most of the air purifiers sold in stores were ineffective, or even negatively affected the air quality by producing secondary pollutants. There was therefore an urgent need to establish a more scientific approach in this area.

 

Polluants, Frédéric Thévenet, MInes Douai

A passion for research

For some, becoming a researcher is the fulfilment of a childhood dream. Others are led to the profession through chance and the people they happen to meet. Frédéric Thévenet did not initially see himself as a researcher. His traditional career path, taking preparatory classes for an engineering school (Polytech’ Lyon), was initially leading him towards a future in engineering. Yet a chance meeting caused him to change his mind. During his second year at Polytech’, he did an internship at a research lab under the supervision of Dominique Vouagner, a researcher who was passionate about her work at the Institut Lumière Matière (ILM), a joint research unit affiliated with the Claude Bernard University Lyon 1 and CNRS. “I thought it was wonderful, the drive to search, to question, the experimental aspect… It inspired me to earn my DEA (now a Master 2) and apply for a thesis grant.” He was awarded a grant from ADEME on the subject of air treatment… although his studies had focused on material sciences. Still, it was a logical choice, since materials play a key role in capturing pollutants. Frédéric does not regret this choice: “Research is a very inspiring activity, involving certain constraints, but also much room for freedom and creativity.”

City4age, the elderly-friendly H2020 project

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Projets européens H2020In the framework of the European research program H2020, the Institut Mines-Telecom is taking part in the project « City4age ». The latter is meant to offer a smart city model adapted to the elderly. Through non-intrusive technologies, the aim is to improve their quality of life and to facilitate the action of Health Services. The researcher and director of the IPAL[1], Mounir Mokhtari, contributes to the project in the test city of Singapor. Following here, is an interview given by the researcher to the Petitjournal.com, a french media for the French overseas.

 

Mounir Mokhtari, head of the IPAL

Mounir Mokhtari, Director of the IPAL

 

LePetitJournal.com : What are the research areas of and stakes involved in “City4age”?

Mounir Mokhtari : Today, in Europe as in Singapore, the population is ageing and the number of dependent elderly persons is rising sharply; even as the skilled labour force that can look after these people has decreased significantly. The management (of this issue) is often institutionalisation.  Our objective is to maintain the autonomy of this group of people at home and in the city, to improve their quality of life and that of their caregivers (family, friends etc.) by the integration of daily non-intrusive and easy-to-use technologies.

It involves the development of technological systems that motivate elderly persons in frail health to stay more active, to reinforce social ties and to prevent risks.  The objective is to install non-intrusive captors, information systems and communication devices in today’s homes, and to create simple user interfaces with everyday objects such as smartphones, TV screens, tablets, to assist dependent people in their daily living.

 

LPJ : What are the principal challenges in the research?

MM : The first challenge is to identify the normal behavior of the person, to know his / her habits, to be able to detect changes that may be related to a decline in cognitive or motor skills.  This involves the collection of extensive information available through connected objects and lifestyle habits, which we used to define a “user profile”.

Then the data obtained is interpreted and a service provided to the person.  Our objective is not to monitor people but to identify exact areas of interest (leisure, shopping, exercise) and to encourage the person to attend such activities to avoid isolation which could result in the deterioration of his / her quality of life or even health.

For this, we use the tools of decision and system learning, the Machine Learning or Semantic Web.  It’s the same principle, if you like, that Google uses to suggest appropriate search results (graph theory), with an additional difficulty in our case, related to the human factor.  It is all about making a subjective interpretation of behavioural data using machines that have a logical interpretation.  But it is also where the interest of this project lies, besides the strong societal issue.  We work with doctors, psychologists, ergonomists, physio and occupational therapists and social science specialists, etc.

 

LPJ : Can you give us a few simple examples of such an implementation ?

MM : To assist in the maintaining of social ties and activity levels, let’s take the example of an elderly person who has the habit of going to his / her Community Centre and of taking his / her meals at the hawker centre.   If the system detects that this person has reduced his / her outings outside of home, it will generate a prompt to the person to encourage him / her to get out of the home again, for example, “your friends are now at the hawker centre and they are going to eat, you should join them”.  The system can also simultaneously notify the friends on their mobiles that the person has not been out for a long time and to suggest that they visit him/ her for example.

Concerning the elderly who suffer cognitive impairment, we work on the key affected functions that are simple daily activities such as sleeping, hygiene, eating, and risks of falls.  For example, we install motion captors in rooms to detect possible falls.  We equip beds with optic fibre captors to manage the person’s breathing and heart rate to spot potential sleep problems, apnea or cardiac risks, without disturbing the person’s rest.

 

LPJ : An application in Singapore ?

MM : Our research is highly applied, with a strong industry focus and a view to a quick deployment to the end-user.  The solutions developed in the laboratory are proven in a showflat, then in clinical tests.  At the moment, we are carrying out tests at the Khoo Teck Puat hospital to validate our non-intrusive sleep management solutions.

Six pilot sites were chosen to validate in situ the deployment of City4age, including Singapore for testing the maintenance of social ties and activity levels of the elderly, via the Community Centres in HDB neighbourhoods.  The target is a group of around 20 people aged 70 and above, fragile and suffering from mild cognitive impairment, who are integrated in a community – more often in a Senior Activity Centre.  The test also involves the volunteers who help these elderly persons in their community.

 

LPJ : What is your background in Singapore?

MM : My research concentrated mainly on the area of technology that could be used to assist dependent people.  I came to Singapore for the first time in 2004 for the International Conference On Smart Homes and Health Telematics or ICOST which I organised.

I then discovered a scientific ecosystem that I was not aware of (at that period, the focus was turned towards the USA and some European cities).  I was pleasantly surprised by the dynamism, the infrastructure in place and the building of new structures at a frantic pace, and above all, by a country that is very active in the research area of new technologies.

I continued to exchange with Singapore since then and finally decided to join the laboratory IPAL, to which I am seconded by the “Institut Mines-Télécom” since 2009.  I took over the direction of IPAL in 2015 to develop this research.

 

LPJ : What is your view of the MERLION programme?

MM : The PHC MERLION is very relevant and attractive for the creation of new teams. There was an undeniable leverage of French diplomacy and MERLION in the launch of projects and in the consolidation of collaborations with our partners.

The programme brings a framework that creates opportunities and encourages exchanges between researchers and international conference participants and also contributes to the emergence of new collaborations.

Without the MERLION programme, for example, we would not have been able to create the symposium SINFRA (Singapore-French Symposium) in 2009, which has become a biennial event for the laboratory IPAL.  In addition, the theme of « Inclusive Smart Cities and Digital Health » was initiated into IPAL thanks to a MERLION project which was headed by Dr. Dong Jin Song who is today the co-director of IPAL for NUS.

Other than the diplomatic and financial support, the Embassy also participates in IPAL’s activities through making available one of its staff members on a part-time basis, who is integrated into the project team (at IPAL).

 

LPJ : Do you have any upcoming collaborations?

MM : We are planning a new collaboration between IPAL and the University of Bordeaux – which specialises in social sciences – for a behavioural study to help us in our current research.  We are thinking of applying for a new MERLION project in order to kickstart this new collaboration.  It is true that the Social Sciences aspect, despite its importance in the well-being of the elderly and their entourage, is not very well-developed in the laboratory. This PHC MERLION proposal may well have the same leverage as the previous one.

Beyond the European project City4Age, IPAL just signed a research collaboration agreement with PSA Peugeot—Citroën on mobility aspects in the city and well-being with a focus on the management of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and respiratory illnesses.  There is also an ongoing NRF (National Research Foundation) project with NUS (National University of Singapore), led by Dr. Nizar Quarti, a member of IPAL, on mobile and visual robotics.

Interview by Cécile Brosolo (www.lepetitjournal.com/singapour) and translation by Institut Français de Singapour, Ambassade de France à Singapour.

[1] IPAL : Image & Pervasive Access Lab – CNRS’s UMI based in Singapore.

Biomécanique au service de la santé

Biomechanics serving healthcare

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Stéphane Avril, a researcher at Mines Saint-Étienne, describes himself as a “biomechanics” but would like to become a “mechanobiologist”, a switch from studying the mechanical properties of the body to decoding its biological mechanisms using engineering tools. Focused in particular on analysis of the behavior of normal and pathological vessels, his work should have significant consequences on treatment for various vascular illnesses, and has already led to several industrial partnerships.

 

“Research at Mines Saint-Étienne was originally organized around three main activities: mechanics and materials, manufacturing and processes engineering, and company performances. After adjustments and reorientation within the manufacturing industry in France, the idea emerged of setting up an ‘Engineering and health’ research center, which would develop the School’s three main activities but orientate them towards the fields of biology and medicine”, explained Stéphane Avril.

The researcher was hired in 2008 to develop biomechanics in health, a discipline that analyzes the mechanical behavior (movements, deformations) of tissue and organs (blood circulation, articulations etc.). He has been managing the ‘Engineering and health’ center at Mines Saint-Étienne, made up of sixty or so people, since 2010.

 

Two main themes: vessels and compression

The work of the biomechanics team led by Stéphane Avril, composed of twenty or so engineers and researchers, has a “double backbone”, he explains. “The first subject, more biologically-themed, tends towards predicting the development of certain cardiovascular illnesses, such as aneurysms (dilatations) of the aorta, thanks to studies on the resistance of the vascular wall”. The second focuses on the treatment offered by medical fabric in the general sense including, principally, compression stockings but also knee braces, lumbar belts etc. “This second field was developed at the request of certain industrial players. The region is the largest in Europe for manufacturing these textiles”, the researcher added. “The approach we have adopted entails working on an application, such as a piece of software, in order to see if it can resolve a medical problem. This translational research, driven by its practical benefits, is one of the school’s specialties.”

 

Biomécanique au service de la santé

Predicting the effects of elastic compression on a subject’s leg

A team recognized for its research in the treatment of aortic aneurisms

Since 2008 the biomechanics team has been working with vascular surgeons at Saint-Étienne who implant stent grafts (prostheses placed inside the diseased vessel) in patients with aortic aneurisms that are in danger of breaking, with the aim of protecting the aneurism sac from the blood flow. This operation rebuilds a solid aortic ‘wall’.

Stéphane Avril has started an important program that has received grants from the French National Research Agency (ANR). The program’s objective is to better adapt stent grafts to the characteristics of the aneurism through mechanical calculations and the use of industrial software. “These questions, which may seem applied research, have raised fundamental issues that have been acknowledged by the international community”, the researcher indicated. In particular the team is interested in enzymes (metalloproteases) and their participation in the weakening then dilation of the artery wall.

In December 2014 Pierre Badel, a researcher in the laboratory, was given a ‘starting grant’ by the prestigious European Research Council (ERC) for his work on the prevention of aneurism rupture as part of the AArteMIS (Aneurysmal Arterial Mechanics: Into the Structure) project. At the beginning of 2015 Stéphane Avril was also honored by the ERC with the ‘consolidator grant’ for the BIOLOCHANICS project. Through this project, the team of researchers aims to develop a new approach to treatment of aortic aneurisms. Mines Saint-Etienne will thus receive 3.5 million euros over 5 years for research into aneurism rupture. In addition, within 5 years Stéphane Avril’s team hope to identify the signs of arterial instability with the support of companies specializing in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Over time the research should lead to work on medication and regenerative cell treatments, in connection with industry.

All this work takes us from classical biomechanics (analysis of movements and deformations) to mechanobiology which aims to predict the changes in the microstructure of an organ, in this case vessels, taking into account the mechanical constraints acting on its location. We could even talk of cellular mechanobiology, inasmuch as the researchers at Mines Saint-Étienne attempt to understand better the influence of mechanical changes on the cellular working itself (protein constructions, chemical reactions etc.)

 

Atheromatous plaques in the carotid artery, coronary dilation complications: a better understanding

After starting at Mines Saint-Étienne, Stéphane Avril received funding from the ANR (French National Research Agency), using MRI to identify what may cause atherosclerotic plaques formed in the carotid arteries to break in patients.

Recently, the team’s biomechanics looked at complications of coronary angioplasty, work which consists of dilating the coronary arteries of the heart, shrunken by atheroma, in order to improve flow. One of these complications, called a dissection, occurs when part of the dilated coronary artery wall tears lengthways. Using simulations, Stéphane Avril and his researchers have identified the pathological processes that occur and have shown that some of these occurrences may be factors of secondary coronary obstruction.

A leader in medical compression

Within a few years Stéphane Avril’s team was a European leader in soft tissue biomechanics, “one of the cutting edge subjects at Mines Saint-Étienne”. The researchers are especially well-known for their work in the field of medical mechanical compression. Some of this research aims to better understand venous compression devices, associated with the wearing of contention stockings, and is carried out in collaboration with the companies Sigvaris and Thuasne which specialize in the manufacture of these fabrics. Thanks to a recent study using ultrasound by a young PhD student, in partnership with Sigvaris, it has been shown that elastic compression exercises a type of pressure on soft tissue that tends to reduce stagnant blood in venous microcirculation. This would explain the positive effect of contention on superficial varicose veins.

Other work, using magnetic resonance images, suggests that this compression has an effect on deep veins in the leg more through contraction of the leg muscles than by the passive transmission of pressure to the vein wall itself.

 

A good example of the importance of biomedical engineering

It is clear that Stéphane Avril’s work is an excellent illustration of the multiple possibilities made available by the development of biomedical engineering techniques, including a better understanding of physiological and pathological processes and an improvement of treatments.
Biomechanics and mechanobiology are necessarily multidisciplinary fields because they are situated at the interface of engineering, the health profession and industrial development, and should offer even more contributions in the years to come.

 

StéphanPortrait_Stéphane_Avrile Avril, cutting edge research
dedicated to health

Aged 38, he joined Mines-Saint-Étienne in 2008 as a professor and researcher. After a degree in math and studies in engineering followed by a PhD at Mines Saint-Étienne, he chose a career as a researcher in engineering sciences, first applied to the field of materials and then health. During his PhD thesis he applied new photomechanics technology to analysis of the properties of materials. Then in 2003 he worked in Châlons-en-Champagne in the mechanics and manufacturing laboratory, directed by Fabrice Pierron, at Arts et Métiers ParisTech, where he developed new mathematical tools for using photomechanical data. In 2006 a year spent in the laboratory directed by Jon Huntley at Loughborough University in Great Britain enabled him to better understand the advantages of MRI data for analyzing living tissue. Between May and August in 2014 Stéphane Avril completed his training with a sabbatical in the American laboratory directed by Jay Humphrey at Yale University in the USA, in order to start working on mechanobiology. In January 2015 he received the prestigious European research grant from the ERC.

Editor: Umaps, Corinne Tutin

Augmented Reality and Surgery: helping surgeons achieve ever-greater accuracy

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Questions of health, well-being and personal independence are central preoccupations of all modern societies. Age-related illnesses, and our ageing populations, pose a number of social and economic challenges. Over the last two decades, information sciences and technologies have helped us rise to these challenges. Concepts such as distance health care and online treatment are now accepted as a part of everyday life. Among these new technologies, successive innovations in the field of medical imaging have been of particular significance. The Institut Mines-Télécom is a leading centre of research in this sector. Based at Télécom Bretagne, where she works with a multi-disciplinary team bringing together clinical scientists and researchers specialising in information processing, Chafiaâ Hamitouche has had a hand in numerous discoveries which have helped pave the way for the use of augmented reality technology in surgery.

 

Chafiaâ Hamitouche, a researcher at Télécom Bretagne, has long been interested in the potential of modelling technologies, starting from morphology modelling. “Form and function are interdependent. It’s thanks to the movement of the foetus inside the mother’s womb that joints are formed,” Dr. Hamitouche explains. Her work seeks to find  a new representation space forboth the morphology (form) and movement (function) of joints.

This research allows us to achieve a clearer understanding of certain joint and bone disorders, reflected in symptoms such as sprains and arthritis; treatment generally requires physiotherapy or surgery.

The rise of  Navigated Surgery

In 2001, Chafiaâ Hamitouche first began to take a particular interest in Computer Assisted  Orthopaedic Surgery. As she points out, “this is a sector where stakes are high: every year over 150,000 prostheses are implanted in France alone.” But decisions regarding the implant operation are still generally made on the basis of 2D X-rays, with no quantifiable control method. There is therefore always the risk that errors might arise, making the operation a failure.

The aim of  assisted surgery is to optimise the surgeon’s gesture, ensuring  its accuracy. This requires a change in the layout of operating room – introducing a 3D localizer and specially-adapted surgical instruments – and the use of guiding tools, some of which were developed at LaTIM[1]. These techniques allow surgeons to make their interventions less invasive, and sometimes shorter. They can also help avoid or limit X-ray exposure for patients and medical  staff.

And, as Dr. Hamitouche explains, “with 3D modelling and advanced imaging technology the surgeon can get a clear look at the bone structure of the patient before the operation, select the surgical instruments and plan the surgery accordingly.” During the operation, real-time fusion of multimodal (data from various sensors) information  is perfomed. This fusion of pre-operative and intra-operative data  allows the surgeon to see things which would otherwise be invisible or inaccessible due to the limited size of the incision or the presence of other tissues. Data  fusion can also help predict the consequences of a gesture (intervention) before it is made.

Mathematical modelling of biological forms, based on the morphogenesis process

Personalised treatment and surgery

Dr. Hamitouche continues to explore and expand the possibilities of guided surgery, and since 2010 has been working on radiofrequency ablation for bone tumours. “Augmented reality technology is the future of surgery,” she declares. Dr. Hamitouche and her team are currently working on an ambitious EU-backed project (ITEA2 programme), developing the interventional environment of next generation. The project is led by one of the world’s leading medical imaging specialists, Philips Healthcare, bringing together 27 partners from 4 different countries, including 6 French SMEs. Dr. Hamitouche is the coordinator of the French arm consortium, focusing on boosting the productivity and efficiency of surgical treatments and reducing patient risk and discomfort by helping doctors make the transition from invasive surgery towards minimally-invasive, image-guided techniques.

The operating room of tomorrow will be interactive and highly flexible, allowing professionals to tailor their procedures to the specific requirements of the patient. The techniques pioneered by Dr. Hamitouche and her team allow surgeons to plan their operations in great detail before they begin, and also to be more accurate and efficient in their use of radiation therapy to treat tumours.

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OSTESYS and IMASCAP, two companies born in our laboratories

High tibial osteotomy is a surgical technique for treating arthritis in the knees. It is a cheap, non-invasive and relatively quick surgical procedure performed on around 7,000 patients every year. But to achieve satisfactory long term results, the operation needs to be extremely accurate. OSTESYS was founded in March 2009, a spin-off from a project developed by Chafiaâ Hamitouche’s research team and focusing on osteotomy of the knee. The company produces intelligent medical equipment integrating augmented reality technology, with innovative surgical instruments and implants which allow surgeons to achieve maximum accuracy using minimally-invasive techniques.

IMASCAP is an innovative start-up launched in 2009 as part of an ANR project conducted in partnership with LaTIM and Nice University Hospital, specialising in Image Guided Shoulder Surgery. Total Shoulder Arthroplasty pose a number of problems: the soft tissue environment where the muscles are of utmost importance, and it can be difficult to visualise the structure of the shoulder. The new technology developed, provides a 3D reconstruction showing the different structures in the shoulder, which can be reliably connected to key points identified by palpation of the target area. This process makes the operation possible even in highly complex cases. This procedure is performed on around 25,000 patients every year in France alone. Find out more [/box]

From fundamental research to clinical application

Augmented reality technologies of this nature are now widely used in clinical contexts. These new solutions have been developed with substantial input from surgeons, helping to make their interventions more precise, cut costs and above all to protect patients’ well-being. This is certainly true of the work undertaken by the team since 2006 on the development of a new generation of predictive autonomous implants  . These prostheses incorporate electronic components and adjustable mechanical elements allowing for post-operative functional modifications.

The team’s researchers are currently working on four key technological challenges: achieving autonomous power by generating energy within the prosthesis, analysing ligament imbalance, installing telemetry system and  actuation. Further opportunities to launch new start-ups and create new jobs? Watch this space…

[author title=”” image=” https://imtech-test.imt.fr/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Portrait_Chafiaa_réduit.jpg”]Chafiaâ Hamitouche would have been able to study medicine, but ultimately decided that her real passion was mathematics. She obtained her engineering degree in Algeria in 1987, winning an international doctoral scholarship in the process. More interested in signal processing than electronics, Dr. Hamitouche embarked upon a research career and was soon drawn to the medical sector. In 1988 she developed an interest in three-dimensional medical imaging, and in 1991 submitted her doctoral thesis, prepared at the Image and Signal Processing Laboratory of the University of Rennes 1 and focusing on a very promising subject: the analysis of three-dimensional medical images, applied to the extraction of anatomical structures.

Having always lived close to the sea, she chooses to continue her work in Brest, attracted by both the quality of research and the quality of life in Brittany. In 2005 she was officially accredited as a Research Director in the field of geometric and kinematics modelling in 3D medical imaging. She is now Professor of Image and Signal Processing at Télécom Bretagne, and deputy Director of LaTIM.

Dr. Hamitouche is involved with a number of projects in the field of augmented reality and its surgical applications, and has coordinated various national and European projects as well as supervising more than 12 doctoral theses. She is listed as co-inventor of 5 national and international patents and software innovations.

Nonetheless, Dr. Hamitouche is always keen to underline the importance of teamwork. When she first arrived at Télécom Bretagne, Christian Roux, now the school’s Scientific Director, was already working on bone and joint structures. Éric Stindel, an orthopaedic surgeon and the current Director of LaTIM, played a crucial role in the development of numerous innovations in orthopaedic surgery, innovations to which Dr. Hamitouche contributed. “I’ve also been lucky enough to work with some great doctoral researchers,” she hastens to add, describing their passion for Computer Assisted surgery which, in some cases, has resulted in business start-ups.[/author]

[1] LaTIM, is the Laboratoire de Traitement de l’Information Médicale (Laboratory of Medical Information Processing),  a combined research unit affiliated to INSERM (UMR1101) and including researchers from Brest University Hospital, the Université de Bretagne Occidentale and Télécom Bretagne.