Examples of LAAS research fields
More resistant chips
The A380 is the first plane in which the use of the mobile phone is authorized, because the electronic components used resist to the waves. But, in an A400 M type military plane, chips can be electromagnetic aggression targets and must be much more performing. Alexandre BOYER, Sonia BEN DHIA and Etienne SICARD have developed methodologies and software allowing to accelerate new chips development predicting their level of emission and their susceptibility to interference. Continuing training courses are also offered.
Objects communicating better
As part of the future factories and smart cities development, it is necessary to develop new communication architectures but also software able to provide services necessary for the exploitation of objects. Thierry MONTEIL develops a software layer for the connected objects called OM2M (Open Platform for Machine to Machine), diffused all around the world by the Open Source Eclipse foundation and which is used at the same time in research, teaching, and industry.
Aircraft maintenance facilitated
When a plane lands abruptly, structures can be damaged by micro cracks. Locating them is a major safety issue. But automated surveillance has so far required the deployment of kilometres of cables. Daniela DRAGOMIRESCU and her team have developed a pioneering prototype in Europe of sensors that communicate wirelessly and can be integrated into easy to position patches. A means of continuously identifying defects considerable time savings for maintenance crews.
A better computer security
The coexistence of military and civilian applications in satellites, and of critical and other less sensitive applications in aircraft, poses safety problems. But it also allows reduction of considerable costs. It is therefore essential to design protective mechanisms to control interactions and the associated risks. It is Eric ALATA and Vincent NICOMETTE work’s objective in partnerships with Airbus particularly.
Ultra-sensitive alarms
They have protected Picasso’s paintings in the Musée d’Orsay. Discreet, wireless, sophisticated micro-sensors equipped, they locate any abnormal movement and they warn owners by SMS in case of intrusion. The technology of these innovating alarms have been developed by Jean-Yves FOURNIOLS and his team, being inspired the micro sensors conceived for airbags. It has been patented in partnership with Tag Technologies society which produces them in series.
“Honey jars” to spy computer hackers
On average, a connected computer is attacked after ten minutes. Hackers act by teams, using robots. Infiltrated computers are turned into weapons used for group attacks against organisations subjected to blackmail… Eric ALATA and Vincent NICOMETTE have conceived a “Honey jar”, a computer that looks banal but can study aggression. Their research is of great interest to company security officials.
Voice Therapy
Etienne SICARD, speech therapist husband, has put his skills in signal processing at the service of rehabilitation of people suffering from speech and voice problems. He invented and set up a software allowing them to “see” in real time and assess their sound production. Vocalab has become a best-seller, used daily by more than 3000 speech therapists in France.