The institute in Chalon-sur-Saône, also known as the Image Institute, is playing a key role in the digital transition of businesses in the region. Its ties with local businesses and the region are being strengthened by plans to move to new premises.
At the Institute in Chalon-sur-Saône, the birthplace of photography, there is a strong culture of images from yesterday and tomorrow. The Image Institute was founded in 1997, with the advent of virtual reality, under the impetus of Dominique Perben, former mayor of the city. Specializing in virtual reality for digital engineering in industry, it is now at the forefront of technological research focused on engineering sciences.
The institute has the best equipment, such as a virtual immersion room acquired with the support of the region, the city, and the UIMM (more information). "This is important equipment, similar to that found at Airbus or Renault, " explains Frédéric Mérienne, its director. It is therefore no surprise that the Chalon institute enjoys an international reputation, enriched by exchanges with professors and the arrival of many foreign students from Colombia, Malaysia, and Australia.
VR innovation serving businesses and the region
Rooted in local heritage, the Image Institute quickly became a socio-economic player serving businesses in the region. "We started out working with large industrial groups such as Renault, with whom we have shared a laboratory for 12 years. In the early 2000s, when virtual reality became more widespread, smaller companies came to see us," explains Frédéric Mérienne. Today, he is delighted with this balance between upstream work with large groups on sophisticated technologies and technology transfer to SMEs.
For example, the institute is working on the OVNI-PMI project, co-financed by the UIMM, which brings together five SMEs from the region. Its objective is to develop VR technology demonstrations and transfer them to the industrial world. There are many use cases. For example, Alfa Laval, a company that builds large heat exchangers shipped worldwide, needs connected augmented reality to assist operators remotely with the installation and maintenance of its systems.
"We are developing numerous projects in the region," says Frédéric Mérienne, " which are used by local industries. For Verallia, for example, one of our engineers created a VR control station to train operators in alert and risk situations for its industrial furnaces."
An old mill for future premises
Heritage and innovation will be further intertwined through the development project, scheduled for the start of the 2021 academic year, in former industrial buildings. Chalon’s oldest mill, built in 1825, will be renovated and expanded with funding from the region and the Greater Chalon area. It will house the Institut Image (training, lab, technology platform), the digital engineering program jointly run by the CNAM (for the bachelor’s degree) and Arts et Métiers for the Master of Science), Nicéphore Cité, the digital transition hub for Chalon businesses, as well as an incubator. The cornerstone will be laid in November.
