IRCICA: Uniting the most influential bodies in the region

27/04/2010

IRCICA, the Institute for Research on Software and Hardware Components in Information Technologies and Advanced Communications, was established in 2002 by four regional laboratories with links to CNRS that are recognised in the field of information and communication technologies (ITC). They are CRIL (the Lens Computer Science Research Centre), IEMN (the Institute of Electronics, Microelectronics and Nanotechnology), LIFL (the Fundamental Computer Science Laboratory of Lille) and PhLAM (Laboratory for the Physics of Lasers, Atoms and Molecules).

The idea was to help the laboratories develop truly up-to-theminute research, which they were previously prevented from working on due to insufficient human and material resources. The aim was to take part in the great adventure of the information society and try to remove some of the numerous technological obstacles facing ITC today. Between 2002 and the end of 2005, this research resulted in over 350 international high-level communications and publications.

In 2006, thanks to the construction of a new building, it was possible to introduce three new technological platforms i.e. the construction of photonic-crystal-based optical fibres, virtual reality, and telecommunications and sensor networks. Since then, multidisciplinary multilaboratory projects have been favoured, focusing on the topic of ambient intelligence. 300 publications and communications have been produced and eight patents submitted during this time, confirming IRCICA’s international reputation.

Going forward, the federation aims to unite all influential bodies in the region operating in physics and ITC, so as to achieve a critical mass of over 1,000 people.

>> CONTACT :

Isabelle VELGHE

www.ircica.univ-lille1.fr