Presentation

CReSTIC (UR 3804) is a research unit of the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne. It has premises on several locations (Reims, Troyes, Châlons-en-Champagne, Charleville-Mézières) and carries research and technology transfer activities in Digital Sciences in the western part of the French Grand-Est Region. As such it mainly made up of faculty conducting research in Automation, Computer Science and Signal Processing as well as including also a significant part of medical researchers.

With more than 60 permanent faculty, CReSTIC hosts approximately one hundred people in total. It is structured into 5 research teams whose fundamental activities cover Automation, Computer Science, Signal and Data Processing, Machine Learning and Images Analysis. This academic research activities fuel complementary multi- and interdisciplinary applied research on the themes of Health Engineering, Smart Agriculture, Industrial and Energy Transition and the global impact of Digital Transformations.

Through its expertise and general scientific impact, CReSTIC is involved in numerous national and international academic projects and is a major player in innovation in the French Grand-Est Region. Its partnership network with large national corporations, innovative SMEs as well as academic technology transfer hubs (SATT Nord) also allows it to develop targeted applied research and industrial transfer. CReSTIC actively involved in the University’s ExeBio programme through research in Smart Agriculture.

Scientific field(s)

• Automation and Control
• Computer Science
• Signal Processing

Members

• 61 Faculty (of which 9 clinical research MDs)
• 4 Technical and administration staff
• 23 PhD.
• 6 Post-doc
• 4 Associates

Keywords

• Advanced machine learning
• Sensors, signals and data processing
• Control and observation of dynamic systems
• Medical imaging
• Artificial intelligence
• Digital twins
• Learning Analytics
• Robotics
• Discrete event system
• Computer vision

Research Topics

• Acquisition, structuring and processing of data
• Machine Learning algorithms
• Continuous, discreet and hybrid control,
• Artificial intelligence
• Artificial Neural networks
• Robotics
• Discrete event systems
• Cyber ​​physical systems
• Information theory
• Image processing and analysis

What we do

• Development of joint fundamental academic research and applied R&D
• Cross-disciplinary research project management (health, biology, energy, etc.)
• Integration of clinical research processes
• Support for industrial R&D projects
• Experimental research in uncontrolled environments
• Machine learning on “real life” data
• Processing of the complete data chain from acquisition to decision support
• Varied source medical imaging
• Hyperspectral imaging
• Local images structure analysis and its statistical modelling
• Decision support through digital learning and statistical hypothesis testing
• Robust control for nonlinear systems
• Control of energy conversion systems (static converters, generators, etc.)
• Integrating humans into complex digital processes and studying mutual impacts

Research facilities

CReSTIC hosts the Cellflex4.0 platform. This platform approaches emerging technologies (big data, deep learning, simulation, digital twins, robotization, industrial internet of things, cloud, additive manufacturing, etc.) in an integrative manner and not as isolated bricks. It emphasizes their articulation by placing humans at the heart of the various processes. The platform hosts a fully automated and controllable industrial production chain, along with cobots and mobile robots. Cellflex4.0 is equipped with digital twins and a multi-renewable energy production unit allowing the study of energy efficiency for production and eco-design.

It is used for training purposes in automation and control through virtual commissioning while guaranteeing the safety of property and people (learning through error), but also for testing the various algorithms developed by the research teams (control, diagnosis, reconfiguration).

CReSTIC also has a series of advanced spectrometers in the mid- and near-infrared ranges, multispectral and hyperspectral near- and short-wave infrared cameras with acquisition systems adapted to smart-agriculture (including a drone equipped with a multispectral near-infrared camera). .

It also has a fleet of aerial and terrestrial mobile robots as well as other controllable cyber-physical devices, making it possible to conduct experimental research and validate theoretical models developed by the research teams (motion capture systems, manipulating robots, drones, conveyor…).

The research conducted at CReSTIC also relies on the University’s MaSCA platform for high performance computing and visualization.

Partnerships

Private Enterprise

BaseCamp Vascular ; Comité Champagne ; Siemens ; General Electric ; Kitware ; Schneider Electric ; SeckIoT ; SNCF ; RATP ; Real Games ; Renault ; Segula Engineering France ; Chochoy Conseil

Academies

Université Caddi Ayad Marrakech, Maroc, ; Université de Sétif, Algérie ; Université de Batrna, Algérie, ; Université des sciences et de la technologie Houari-Boumédiène, Algérie ; Université de Laghouat, Algérie ; ICube, Université de Strasbourg ; LORIA, Université de Lorraine ; Inria Grand-Est ; CREATIS, INSA Lyon ; LIRIS, Université Lyon 2 ; LATIM, IMT Atlantique ; Institut Pascal, Université Clermont Auvergne ; Inserm, Amiens ; Aalto University, Finlande ; Cadi Ayyad, Maroc ; Mechatronic department, CEFET-MG, Divinopolis, Brésil ; Department of Electrical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Silchar, Inde ; LAS laboratory, Université de SKIKDA, Algérie ; SUPCOM, Tunis, Tunisie

Specific Requirements

• Balance and fine articulation between academic research and applied R&D
• Integration of clinical research MD. faculty
• Transversal research in digital engineering for health and smart-agriculture
• Cyber-physical platforms and equipment with digital twins

Publications

https://auf.hal.science/CRESTIC/

Organizational chart