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Laboratory for Analysis and Architecture of Systems

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Laboratory for Analysis and Architecture of Systems
LAAS-CNRS
Established1968
Laboratory type
Unité Propre de Recherche (UPR)
Research typeInformation Sciences and Technologies
Field of research
Decision and Optimization (DO), Energy Management (GE), Microwaves and Optics: from Electromagnetism to Systems (HOPES), Micro Nano Bio Technologies (MNBT), Trustworthy Computing Systems and Networks (RISC), Robotics (ROB)
Address7, av. du colonel Roche

BP 54200 31031 Toulouse cedex 4

France
LocationToulouse, Haute-Garonne, France
31031
AffiliationsCNRS
Unité Propre de Recherche (UPR) means that this research laboratory is affiliated to CNRS only and is not affiliated to any university.

The Laboratory for Analysis and Architecture of Systems (French: Laboratoire d'analyse et d'architectures des systèmes, LAAS) is a research laboratory linked with the French National Centre for Scientific Research (French: Centre national de la recherche scientifique, CNRS). This facility is located near other important higher education facilities in Toulouse, France: the Paul Sabatier University, SUPAERO, the ENAC, the INSA, as well as other research centers (the ONERA and the CNES).

Founded in 1968 as the Laboratory of Automation and its Space Applications (French: Laboratoire d'automatique et de ses applications spatiales), LAAS has grown significantly. As of January 1, 2019, the laboratory consists of 577 people, including researchers, technical and administrative staff, and doctoral students, and is organised into 26 research groups across 8 scientific departments. LAAS conducts cutting-edge research in computer science, robotics, automation, and micro and nano systems.

In addition to its core research, LAAS actively promotes interdisciplinary collaboration through four strategic areas: Ambient Intelligence, Living Systems (including biology, environment, and medicine), Space, and Energy. According to the High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (Hcéres), LAAS is recognised as a leading research unit in France with outstanding scientific influence. [1]

History

Jean Lagasse founded LAAS in 1968 when automation was still a young field, computing was emerging, and robotics was in its infancy. Space exploration was a major scientific and geopolitical driver, and Lagasse convinced CNRS to establish a lab focused on automation and space applications.

Over time, LAAS shifted its focus to complex systems across various domains, evolving into a leading research center that helped shape new disciplines and elevate French science globally. [2]

Activities

In industrial robotics, LAAS-CNRS participates to the French project Air-Cobot. Picture of the robot in an hangar of Air France Industries.

The laboratory's research focuses primarily on Information Sciences and Technologies. It is organised into six scientific departments [3]:

  • Decision and Optimization (DO)
  • Energy Management (GE)
  • Microwaves and Optics: from Electromagnetism to Systems (HOPES)
  • Micro Nano Bio Technologies (MNBT)
  • Trustworthy Computing Systems and Networks (RISC)
  • Robotics (ROB)

These six scientific research departments represent twenty-four teams.

Its research spans automatic control, computing, micro- and nano-systems, and robotics, along with the following areas:

  • Methods and Algorithms in Control
  • Telecommunication Networks and Systems
  • Qualitative Diagnosis and Supervisory Control
  • Software and Tools for Communicating Systems
  • Dependable Computing and Fault Tolerance
  • Robotics and Artificial Intelligence
  • Microsystems and Systems Integration
  • Micro and Nano-structures Technologies
  • Power Integration and Devices
  • Photonics
  • Microwave and Milli-meter Wave Integrated Components for Telecommunication
  • Nano-addressing, Nano-biotechnologies
  • Modelling, Optimisation and Integrated Management of Systems of Activities

Platforms

LAAS counts six platforms [4]:

  • The Micro and Nanotechnologies Platform provides both academics and industry professionals with access to its facilities, enabling the development, patterning, and processing of materials for prototyping micro and nano components across various technological domains.
  • The Characterisation Platform encompasses over 1,300 m² and features 150 test benches, organising the characterisation of components and micro-nano systems across the fields of electrical engineering, microwave, optics, and biology-chemistry.
  • The Design Platform combines numerous high-performance workstations for simulating system behaviour across various fields, including mechanical, chemical, electromagnetic, and thermal, at nano-metric, micro-metric, and milli-meter scales.
  • The Robots Platform supports experiments for the teams in the ROB department.
  • The Embedded Systems for space applications Platform is dedicated to the development of embedded systems for space applications. Beyond the space sector, embedded systems serve as a key component in many of the laboratory's scientific and technical projects, with a focus on the cross-cutting "Space" axis.
  • The Computation Platform includes an HPC cluster and a team of engineers responsible for its maintenance and development, as well as for supporting research teams in utilising the computing resources.

National partnerships

The Micro and Nanotechnologies Platform features a clean room, one of the five national platforms within the Renatech network [5]. Renatech is a French network of advanced micro and nanotechnology facilities coordinated by CNRS. Its goal is to provide national research and industry with access to top-tier infrastructure for high-level R&D projects in micro and nanotechnologies. Key features include 8,300 m² of clean rooms and 150 clean room engineers and technicians. [6]

International collaborations

On October 10-11, 2025, the EURALIMMS IRN Europe/Asia network project was launched at the University of Tokyo, Japan, by a member of LAAS-CNRS. The network includes several leading institutions: CNRS (France), University of Tokyo (Japan), EPFL (Switzerland), NTU (Taiwan), University of Twente (Netherlands), SNU (South Korea), Helmholtz (Germany), and NUS/NTU (Singapore). The discussions encompassed institutional overviews and focused on specialized topics in quantum and molecular technologies, energy, and biological sciences. Another member of the LAAS-CNRS team represents CNRS in the Bio Technologies axis of this initiative. [7]

References

  1. ^ "LAAS - Laboratoire d'analyse et d'architecture des systèmes". Hcéres. Retrieved 2025-02-01.
  2. ^ "UN LABORATOIRE À LA POINTE DE L'INNOVATION DEPUIS 1968 - LAAS-CNRS". www.laas.fr. Retrieved 2025-02-01.
  3. ^ "Departments - LAAS-CNRS". www.laas.fr. Retrieved 2025-02-01.
  4. ^ "Platforms - LAAS-CNRS". www.laas.fr. Retrieved 2025-02-01.
  5. ^ "Micro and Nanotechnologies Platform - LAAS-CNRS". www.laas.fr. Retrieved 2025-02-01.
  6. ^ Delprat. "OUR NETWORK". Renatech (in French). Retrieved 2025-02-01.
  7. ^ "Lancement du projet de réseau IRN EURALIMMS - LAAS-CNRS". www.laas.fr. Retrieved 2025-02-01.

See also

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