Objects of Tomorrow
On April 9,the Institute of Electronics and Systems (IES) opened its doors. It was an opportunity for the general public to discover the smart devices that foreshadow the world of tomorrow.
It has dethroned the “electricity fairy”: electronics is at the heart of our societies. Whether they’re physicists, doctors, urban planners, or public administrators, no one can do without its applications anymore. Electronics? “The discipline that transforms the physical world into actionable information” said Alain Foucaran, director of the IES.
A Deep Dive into the Electronics of the Future
On the Saint Priest campus in Montpellier, the brand-new Center for Research s in Information Science and Technology is home to 220 IES employees. On April 9, it opened its doors for an immersive experience in the electronics of the future. The program featured lasers and next-generation Wi-Fi, sensors and nanosatellites, and the energy solutions of tomorrow—as well as the less spectacular innovations that are at the heart of the smart city. “Water, energy, security, health, the environment… these are all challenges that electronic applications help us address in our modern cities.”
Another major challenge: information processing. Alain Foucaran paints a striking picture of this. “In 2003, humanity had finished scanning all the documents produced throughout its history. An enormous amount of information… the equivalent of which was generated in 2011 alone. Today, it takes only 48 hours to produce the same amount of data.”
By 2017, 80 billion “connected objects” will populate the planet. At the IES, researchers are working to miniaturize these devices and make them more reliable. But they’re also working to make them autonomous. That is the ultimate challenge: providing the necessary energy to these discreet and ubiquitous servants.
Environment: The Sensors That Protect Us
Identifying pollutants at a glance: that’s what the lasers designed by the Nanomir group at IES make possible. By tuning their wavelength, these infrared lasers can identify the gaseous species present in the air. The applications? There are many, explains Aurore Vicet. “Monitoring greenhouse gas emissions, urban air quality, detecting pollutants inside buildings or vehicles… Today, these environmental issues are crucial, and they represent a rapidly expanding market.” Agronomy is also interested: by measuring the amount of ethylene emitted by fruits, the IES sensors can help control their ripening on-site, without the use of chemicals.
Health: When Your Joints Tell Your Doctor Something
They are equipped with a “SIM card” similar to the one in your cell phone. These next-generation surgical implants contain all relevant data: implant type, date of surgery, as well as information on any potential deformities. This allows your doctor to monitor the condition of your implant in real time. “The traceability provided by this device also offers a real solution to a public health issue,” explains Stéphane Nodi, an orthopedic surgeon. “What happens to the implants once they’re in place? How do the various models perform over time? We will finally have a comprehensive understanding of these issues.” Developed by the M2A Group (Materials, Microsensors, and Acoustics) and the company Bonetag, the system is currently available for hip and knee prostheses. It will eventually be available for all joints.
Energy: Electricity Without Borders
Every storm serves as a reminder: in France, burying power lines is a priority. Safety, aesthetics, the environment—there are countless reasons to reduce the number of overhead power lines. “It’s also about transmitting energy over very long distances, from one country to another, or providing offshore connections to offshore wind farms,” explains Serge Agnel of the “Energy and Materials” Group. This team is now providing cable manufacturers and grid operators with a revolutionary technique for testing the reliability of buried or submerged cables. It’s a world first for a massive international market, at a time when energy demand is skyrocketing worldwide… The team is currently working on the insulation for the high-voltage direct-current networks connecting France to Spain. Next step: the connection to Italy.