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com
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3464 Supplement . april 14 2016 . not to be Sold Separately

S.o.S. planet
special simulation issue

CEA at the heart of innovation

for extreme computing
and Big Data
CEA and Bull are co-designing exascale technologies

Harnessing exascale computing and data processing

will open unexplored perspectives for the numerical
simulation of complex physical phenomena and
industrial objects, by 2020 and beyond.
In order to tackle this challenge, CEA, in partnership
with Atos, is co-designing technologies to:
Reduce energy consumption
Process and manage massive flows of data
Increase performance, efficiency and modularity of
supercomputer architectures
Design fault-tolerant architectures
1 - At the scale of a billion of billions of operations per second (exaFlops) and
memory bytes (exaBytes).

TERA 1000, developed in partnership with Atos/Bull

according to CEA requirements and installed in 2016,
is foreshadowing exascale supercomputers.

CEA boosts industrial innovation

Located at CEA Bruyresle-Chtel site, TGCC (CEA
Very Large Computing
Centre) hosts CCRT
(Computing Centre for
Research and Technology), a shared infrastructure
optimized for HPC. CCRT partners receive 1.4 Pflops of
computing power, as well as services and expertise
supported by CEA HPC team skills an essential asset for
their numerical simulations.

Numerical simulation of
combusion in an helicopter
turbo-engine - TURBOMECA

Aero-acoustic numerical simulation

of a car interior air conditioning
system - VALEO

CCRT partners as of March 2016

Airbus D&S, Areva, Cerfacs, EDF, Herakles, Ineris,
LOral, SafranTech, Snecma, Techspace Aero, Turbomeca,
Thales, Thales Alenia Space, Valeo, CEA as well as
FranceGnomique consortium (supported by French
government PIA).

To know more www-ccrt.cea.fr Contact christine.menache@cea.fr

Simulation of surface
currents on an aircraft nose
radome - THALES

SIMUlatIon

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Supplment du 3464 . 14 avril 2016 . ne peut tre vendu Sparment

S.o.S. plante
spcial simulation

Representation
of the magnetic
field in the
earths core.

9 Billion Humans,
onE planEt

Sommaire
ESSENTIALS

a year of simulation

p. 4

INTERVIEW

antoine petit, Ceo of Inria

p. 6

DOSSIER

We need to simulate the planet now

a French savoir faire p. 10
Keepers of the planet p. 16

p. 8

INTERVIEW

olivier Gupta, Mto Frances deputy director

general p. 18
MARKETS

SMeS, natural element experts

p. 20

A REAL STAR

Cybeletech, numerical farming p. 26

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

the new agricultural revolution

p. 28

PORTFOLIO

nature revealed p. 34
VIRTUAL REALITY

affordable immersion for everyone

p. 38

DESIGN OFFICE

the quest for fully autonomous vehicles

p. 42

INNOVATION

networks of connected objects,

its a challenge p. 44
AERONAUTICS

Solar Impulse 100% calculated

p. 46

Prsident-directeur gnral : Christophe Czajka

Directeur gnral dlgu : Julien Elmaleh
Directeur du ple industrie : Pierre-Dominique Lucas
Directrice de la rdaction : Christine Kerdellant
Directrice adjointe de la rdaction : Anne Debray
Coordinatrice ditoriale : Aurlie Barbaux
Chef ddition : Guillaume Dessaix
Direction artistique : Eudes Bulard
Ont particip ce numro : Claire Laborde et
Rebecca Lecauchois (secrtariat de rdaction) ;
Laurent Pennec (maquette)
Supplment de LUsine Nouvelle n 3464
du 14 avril 2016 (commission paritaire n 0712T81903)
Ne peut tre vendu sparment.
Une publication du groupe Gisi, Antony Parc II 10 place du Gnral-de-Gaulle - BP 20156 - 92186 Antony Cedex.
Directeur de publication : Christophe Czajka
Impression : Roto France Impression 77185 Lognes
Photo de couverture : Julien Aubert/Finlay, Jackson, Olson, Gillet,
Universit Paris Diderot/IPGP/CNRS

LUSINE NOUVELLE i n 3464 supplEmEnt i apRil 14 2016

e are going to need more than the good intentions of governments if we are to limit global
warming to less than 2 now and feed 9 billion
humans in the future. Public-sector and economic
players must do everything in their power to meet these
challenges. Although it is no miracle solution, simulation enables us to be good diagnosticians by predicting
changes, especially climate change. Simulation also
provides invaluable decision-making tools to improve
how we manage resources and deal with natural hazards.
By modeling living organisms, simulation will facilitate
AURLIE
human existence on the only planet weve got.
BARBAUX
Scientists already know how to model crop and microassistant EDitoR,
algae growth. And models can be created in every
lusinE DiGitalE
domain, as Antoine Petit, INRIAs CEO, explains. We
can use the same corpus of mathematics to simulate
physical and biological phenomena, such as biochemical reactions and cell migration. Fluid mechanics
techniques used to calculate
planes air penetration have Combined with artificial
been reused to model blood
flow around the body. Other intelligence technology, models
techniques adapted to the
will become better adapted.
pharmaceuticals industry will
soon help us simulate clinical
trials, thus reducing how long it takes for treatments
to come onto the market. Coupling patient data with
general models is leading the way for patient-specific
medicine and more reliable diagnoses.
Combined with artificial intelligence technology,
models will become better adapted and more able to be
rebuilt from huge amounts of data. This means scientists will have an even greater responsibility. Just as the
parameters chosen for climate models determines how
close they come to real conditions, so too the quality
of modeling living organisms is the key to renewing
medical science and even human existence. Despite
space exploration, 9 billion human beings will have to
live on a single planet with limited resources.

simulation

Solar System

evenTs

CalCulatinG
PlanEt ninE

D.R. ; CAlTECH

the First numerical

simulation trophies
In 2015, TERATEC organized the first
numerical simulation trophies. The
six prizewinners were revealed on 23 June
at the TERATEC Forum, held at the cole
Polytechnique in Palaiseau (Essonne).
There were five categories, showcasing
the simulation expertise of start-ups
and SMEs, as well as the ability of the French
public-sector research ecosystem
to collaborate with private companies.
Since the simulation expertise of big French
companies is now well-established, they were
not included in these awards. The start-up
trophy was awarded to CybeleTech, which is
simulating plant growth [see page 26].
The SME trophy, showcasing a company
that has used
Five categories
numerical
to showcase
calculation
the expertise
technology
of French start-ups to develop
and smEs.
new products
or services was
awarded to Principia, which is simulating
seabed-surface links in offshore systems.
The European Center for Research and
Advanced Training in Scientific Computation
(CERFACS) was the joint winner (with
Turbomeca) of the collaboration trophy,
which rewards groupings between a big
company and an SME. This award was given
for collaborative simulation work on a turbojet
combustion chamber and first-stage turbine.
The innovation trophy was awarded
to HydrOcean, a start-up that has
industrialized its SPH (Smooth Particle
Hydrodynamic) simulation method
for application to fast, complex fluid flows
[see page 24]. Finally, the first jury prize for
SME projects displaying exemplary innovation
and promoting the use of numerical
computation was awarded to Distene
for its mesh generation tool, MeshGems.
TERATEC also made special mention of
Danielson Engineering, an SME that designs
and manufactures prototype thermal engines
for the automobile, aeronautics, and defense
industries. The company is using numerical
simulation to develop digital models with very
similar performance to real engines.
JeAn-FrAnois PrevrAud

Using mathematical models, researchers at the California Institute of

Technology (Caltech) believe they
have discovered a ninth planet in
the solar system. They reached this
conclusion while trying to explain
the behavior of celestial objects in
the Kuiper Belt, beyond Neptunes
orbit. Six of these objects have an
elliptical orbit converging to the
same point and on the same 30
tilt, suggesting that they are attracted by an invisible mass. Since the
probability of this being coincidence
is only 0.007%, the data could be
explained by the influence of a ninth

Planet nine could be ten times

heavier than earth.

planets gravity. This hypothetical

planet could have an extraordinary
mass ten times that of Earth
and orbit twenty times farther from
the sun on average than Neptune.
Planet Nine could also take 10,00020,000 years to rotate around the
sun. Julien Bergounhoux

Industry

a nEW 3D simulation ClustER

The it3D event, organized in autumn by the Bordeaux-based company Immersion, boosted the local 3D simulation industry. It even generated an idea
for a cluster bringing together companies such as ESI Group, Lumiscaphe,
and Diodasoft. Used intensively in the aeronautics and automobile industries
for the past decade, 3D simulation now needs to be assimilated by their
sub-contractors over the next five years. The hardware has become accessible and the Factory of the Future plan launched by the French state is
a fantastic opportunity to introduce this technology, explains Christophe
Chartier, Immersions CEO. nicolAs csAr

Training

FRanCEs FiRst RiVER

simulatoR
A consortium run by the Compagnie Nationale du Rhne took delivery of Frances first
river navigation simulator in mid-March.
This 3D simulator was designed by Alyotech
and is used for training and improving the
skills of boat pilots navigating the Rivers
Rhne and Sane, especially the trickiest sections. The device has a 10-metre cylindrical
screen with a 240 angle of vision, together
with a helm station that can be configured
into five types of boat. The pilots cabin
equipment, as well as the signaling system,
currents and water-column density, weather
conditions, river traffic, time of day, etc. are

An infinite number of scenarios can be tested

in complete safety.

also modular. The scenarios include various

types of breakdown and alerts to replicate as
many situations as possible. J. B.

simulation

Computing

tERa 1000 in sERViCE

at tHE CEa-Dam
Atos has just delivered the first phase of the
new TERA 1000 supercomputer to the French
Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies
Commission, Military Applications Division
(CEA-DAM). This supercomputer has double
the theoretical computing power of the previous generation TERA 100 supercomputer and is five times more energy efficient.

The TERA 1000 is the third generation

of supercomputer resulting from the Bull/
CEA-DAM partnership, which started in
the early 2000s. The computing power has
been increased 5,000-fold, says Franois
Geleznikoff, the CEAs director of military
applications. The first phase of TERA 1000
comprises two computing systems: one based
on an Intel Xeon E5 v3 processor and another
on an Intel Xeon Phi processor. This installation is a forerunner of the future generation
exascale (1,018 flops) supercomputers that
will come into service by 2020. J.-F. P.

Computing

240 tERaFloPs at tHE CERFaCs

The European Center for Research and Advanced Training in Scientific Computation
(Cerfacs) took delivery of a new supercomputer. Built by the Chinese company Lenovo, with 240 teraflops of computing power
(1 teraflop is equivalent to 1 trillion floating
point operations per second), and will triple
the computing power at this Toulouse-based
research center. Some 1.2 million Euros have
been invested in this new computer, which
replaces a 20-teraflop HP supercomputer and
completes another 53-teraflop supercomputer
built by Bull. The Cerfacs is a fundamental
and applied research center specializing in
numerical modeling and simulation. It deals
with technical and scientific topics in various
fields of public-sector and industrial research:

Fluid Mechanics

siEmEns aCQuiREs
CD-aDaPCo

Siemens has acquired CD-adapco

for 970 million dollars to
complete its portfolio of
numerical simulation tools for
products and industrial
processes. CD-adapco specializes
in fluid mechanics (Star-CD),
solid mechanics,
electrochemistry, and acoustics.
The company generates turnover
of approximately 200 million
dollars, an increase of 12% a year
over the past three years, and
employs more than 900 people.
Environment

HYDRoCEan at
BuREau VERitas

240 x 1 trillion operations per second.

aeronautics, the automobile industry, space,

climate studies, etc. Approximately 150 researchers, engineers, and administrative staff
work at the Cerfacs. Ridha LoukiL

Bureau Veritas recently acquired

HydrOcean, a spin-off of the
cole Centrale de Nantes
specializing in numerical
simulation of fluid dynamics
for the maritime sector.
HydrOcean was set up in 2007
by Erwan Jacquin and the cole
Centrale de Nantes. It provides
design and optimization services
for ships, offshore structures,
racing yachts, and marine-energy
recovery systems.
Sound and Light

Consequences of a 100-year Flood in Paris

D.R.

if the River Seine bursts its banks, the floodwaters

will rise gradually and are not expected to cause
casualties. a prediction made by the organizers of the
Eu Sequana exercise, which between the 7 and 18 of
March 2016 simulated a 100-year flood. Nevertheless,
a flood like the one in 1910, when the floodwaters rose
8.62 meters, would have major consequences on the
ile-de-France regions life and economy. according to
numerical simulations by the Paris Police Prefecture,
such a flood could result in 5 million disaster victims,
affect 400,000 direct jobs, and leave 1.5 inhabitants
without electricity. a study by the organization for
Economic Cooperation and development estimates
that property damage could be 3-30 billion Euros and
cost 0.1-3% of Frances GdP over five years. A. B.
LuSiNE NouvELLE I N 3464 SupplEmENT I apRIl 14 2016

oPtis sWalloWs uP
GEnEsis

The French software vendor

Optis that specializes in light
simulation has acquired Genesis,
another French software vendor
with expertise in sound
simulation and perception.
Both companies share a common
simulation philosophy based on
using the physics of phenomena
they simulate. Tools simulating
human sight and hearing will help
both companies designers take
account of user experiences
to develop their products.

simulation

moDElinG is
a corE activity
at inria
Simulation, especially modeling, is a core activity
at the French National Institute for Research
in Computer Science and Automation (INRIA),
as its CEO, Antoine Petit, explains.
INTERVIEWED BY AURLIE BARBAUX

What type of simulation work does INRIA do?

Modeling is a long-standing core activity at INRIA since we
simulate models, which are needed in every field. But the big
difficulty lies in designing appropriate models. For example,
climate modeling is extremely difficult since there are several
models rather than just one. Climate change controversies
have all focused on whether or not these models are valid.
Its hard to know whether or not a model is correct, especially
since no single model can take into account every parameter.
You have to omit some of the less important parameters, and
this causes disagreements.
You say that everything can be modeled, but INRIA cant be
at the cutting edge of every field.
The French school of mathematics is regarded as one of
the best in the world. In some sense, were intrinsically
good at modeling. Whats good about modeling exercises
is that they require the cooperation of mathematicians and
computer scientists with people working in applied sectors.
Therefore, we are not better in any specific applied field than
in another. Weve developed our programs in response to

Luc Prnom

INTERVIEW

interest in modeling from various disciplines, it happened in

healthcare twelve years ago. But we work with every sector
and, on the whole, the techniques are always the same.
What environmental research is INRIA carrying out and who
are you working with?
Were working with institutions such as Mto France, Institut Pierre-Simon-Laplace, and the University of Versailles
on climate modeling more specifically on air quality and
in partnership with companies such as EDF, modeling wind
circulation to help position wind turbines. Environmental
research is not limited to climate issues.
Have you developed the results of this research yet?
Generally speaking, I dont like the term development since
its often put into the same category as financial spin-offs. This
isnt necessarily the case and other types of value can take precedence over monetary value. For example, over the past thirty
years INRI has initiated 120 start-ups, which have created
3,000 jobs. Several start-ups a year are launched in the healthcare sector. Its a bit early for this in the environmental sector,
even though some topics lend themselves to development. In
collaboration with the cities of Paris and San Francisco, weve
designed a smartphone application called SoundCity, which
measures city noise pollution and enables users to collect data.
We also have a project looking at microalgae as a protein and
energy source, modeling how environmental conditions affect
growth according to microalgae type. This project is part of
the BIOCORE program in Montpellier.
Do you need new models to simulate living organisms
or can you adapt existing models?
Theres often a common basis. For example, fluid mechanics techniques used to simulate aeroplanes air penetration
are now being used to model blood flow around the body. We
can reuse an entire corpus of mathematics when we switch
from one application to another.
How many teams work on modeling?
INRIA employs 2,700 people, including 1,800 researchers
(600 of whom have permanent contracts). Modeling could
potentially interest any of our teams, especially life-science
research groups (25% of our total teams). Part of our work
involves running calculation codes on increasingly powerful
computers. To move from petaflops to exaflops, we have
dedicated simulation (rather than modeling) teams writing
software stacks to get the best use out of these new supercomputers. Were working with manufacturers especially
Bull and Hewlett Packard as well as on virtual supercomputers to take into account processor-failure probabilities.
Since some computer codes use much more electricity
than others, were designing algorithms to minimize power
consumption and are also working on dedicated hardware.
Research is a long-term effort whereas digital technology moves
very quickly. How do you reconcile these different paces?
Its a popular misconception that digital technology
moves very quickly, although its true that this technology
LUsINE NoUVELLE i n 3464 suPPLEmEnt i aPriL 14 2016

the French school of mathematics is regarded

as one of the best in the world. in some sense,
were intrinsically good at modeling.

can come onto the market very quickly. In 2003, the French
National Science Fund, which was replaced by the National
Research Agency (ARN), launched three new areas of activity: computer security, bulk data, and new mathematical
interfaces. These are todays research topics. But it would
be a mistake to think that some amazing new research topic
is going to emerge in six months time that will put all our
researchers out of a job. They know what the topics of the
future will be.
What are your main current areas of research?
Everything relating to modeling and simulation, of course.
Were conducting research on the Internet of Things, data
and big data, developing new algorithms for data processing,
display, encoding, and transport. Another major research
area is cybersecurity, cryptography, and protocols. Robotics
is also a key topic and were very interested in autonomous
cars. We also run many multi-disciplinary research programs
at the interface of various disciplines.
What happened to the initiative giving sMEs access to your
laboratories?
We cooperate with companies in several ways. First, companies benefit from skills transfers whenever our researchers
move into the business world. Weve also set up a dozen
joint laboratories with the main industrial groups: Microsoft,
Alcatel-Nokia, Total, EDF, Orange, Alstom, Airbus Group,
etc. Whats more, weve established many start-ups. Finally,
our INRIA innovation labs collaborate with SMEs on much
shorter deadlines than with big groups to change innovations into products. Weve already set up a dozen such
innovation labs and another is currently being established
with Safety Line, to reduce airplanes fuel consumption. In
2015, we also launched INRIA Tech in Lille, with support
from EuraTechnologie Center of Excellence. Although its
name is inspired by CEA Tech, were not doing the same
thing. INRIA Tech has a dozen engineers and not researchers providing initial responses to industrial needs. Its
got off to an encouraging start.
7

CD-aDapCo

we need to SIMULAte
tHe PLAnet now
Even if global warming slows down, it will continue to radically change our environment.
Numerical simulation is helping predict these changes.
BY ALAIN CLAPAUD, THIERRY LUCAS, AND JEAN-FRANOIS PREVRAUD

SIMULAtIon

he agreement signed by 195 countries at the COP21

conference in December 2015 is historic, imperfect, and very ambitious. Working towards global
warming of less than 2C with an aim of 1.5C to meet
the needs of the most vulnerable states was not easy
to negotiate. Furthermore, funding for energy transition
in developing countries is far from certain after 2020.
Nevertheless, things seem to be in motion. Apart from their
financial resources, Western countries have something else
to share and promote in the fight against global warming:
their technological expertise in numerical simulation.
Modeling natural systems helps understand and predict
climate change, of course, as well as the consequences of
climate disruption (flooding, rising sea levels, and catastrophes) and ways to optimize natural resources. In the
LUSINE NOUVELLE i n 3464 supplEmEnt i april 14 2016

race to calculate natural resources under threat such as

water and resources that need developing such as solar,
wind, tidal, and other renewable energy sources France,
with its long tradition of applied mathematics teaching,
is in a strong position. French researchers, industrialists,
and a start-up incubator are working on new simulation
models. They are aiming to reproduce ever more advanced
phenomena on their computer displays and study new
approaches to numerical simulation making it easier for
everyone to take up.

Modeling
the behaviour
of industrial
buildings before
construction helps
assess and limit
the dispersion
of pollutants into
the atmosphere.

simulation

environment

a FREnCH
savoiR FaiRE
French laboratories have become experts at
simulating our environment whether airconditioning systems, storms or major industrial
catastrophes as demonstrated below.
By AlAin ClApAud

ust when we are seeing the first consequences of

climate change including in France simulation is
playing an increasingly important role in protecting
our environment and combating global warming. Simulation
calculations are used on all fronts to protect the environment: optimizing human infrastructures and water/energy
resources, predicting coastal erosion in the face of rising
sea levels, forecasting catastrophes, modeling pollution
phenomena, etc. And French experts at EDF, Suez, Veolia,
the CNRS, the National Institute for Research in Computer
Science and Automation (INRIA), the Scientific and Technical Center for Building (CSTB), and the National Research
and Safety Institute (INRS) are often at the cutting edge of
innovation, providing original solutions.

proteCtion From ClimAte

HAZArdS

The worldwide agreement signed at the COP21 conference in December 2015 set nations new targets to limit
CO2 discharged into the atmosphere. Many countries
are already facing climate change. France especially its
coastline has not been spared, as Antoine Rousseau, an
INRIA researcher in charge of the LEMON team (coastline,
environment, models, and numerical tools), underlines:
Coastlines face three risks: storms and tsunamis, erosion
and flooding. We need to design mathematical models to
understand whats happening long term, as well as realtime risk-management simulation tools to evacuate flood
zones in time, he explains.
Its not easy. Every process brought into play whether
winds, currents or ground motion is very complex. The
equations require vast amounts of calculation, not to
mention the difficulty of coupling these simulations when
each process changes at its own pace. Erosion is caused
by water/sediment interactions when seabeds influence
coastal currents and vice versa. Currents change within
hours whereas modifications to sandy seabeds occur over
several months or years. From a mathematical perspective,
10

in Bordeaux, the ramses supercomputer delivers real time flood

prevention and control of wastewater treatment plants.

coupling phenomena is very difficult, says Rousseau. But

its not impossible. A program funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR) enabled Rousseaus research
team to limit silting up in the Ste (Hrault) area. The team
used their calculation codes to place geotextile socks on
the seabed; these socks modify currents and hence limit
coastal erosion.
While simulation is invaluable for long and medium-term
environmental forecasting, it is also essential for dealing with
natural catastrophes. The LEMON team is collaborating closely with the University of Montpellier on real-time modeling
of city flood scenarios. Their goal is to design tools for use
by the Prefecture and firefighters during evacuations. The
issue here is working out whether we need a rough, very
quick forecast or should wait for a better quality forecast.
Its about finding a compromise. Mathematics has role to
play in improving the model (at constant calculation time)
and hence forecasting quality, says Rousseau.

simulation

Were working on more

eco-friendly materials
KaRim at-moKHtaR,
Director of the Environmental
Engineering Laboratory
(LaSIE FRE CNRS 3474)
What progress have you made
on numerical simulation
research?
Were working on
materials, especially on
simulating transfer of
aggressive agents. This
will help work out how
long structures such
as the Millau Viaduct will
last in relation to their
environment. The goal is to
design more eco-friendly
coatings than those used
currently, which often
consist of chemical
compounds with low

biodegradability. Another
area of research is focusing
on buildings energy
consumption and quality
of life.
one of your teams is working
on theoretical aspects, why
is that?
Our theorists are aiming to
make simulation cheaper
and faster by developing
new calculation methods.
Computational Fluid
Dynamics (CFD) codes use a
lot of computing resources,
especially for long-term
simulations. But if you use
more approximate models,
such as zonal or empirical
models, you lose the
subtlety of meshing.

William Daniels ; D.R.

Better uSe oF nAturAl reSourCeS

Suez Environnement is also interested in this operational

simulation. In the event of storms, we have to manage water
arriving suddenly in the network, explains Bertrand Vanden
Bossche, who manages the R&D portfolio of the Smart Solutions business. In the Paris region, Vanden Bossches team
has started installing extremely complex calculation models
combining meteorological data and radar image analysis
from Mto France. This enables us to calculate runoff, i.e.
the volume of water that is going to pour into our network.
Once we know the water levels in our storage basins and
networks, we can organize the correct pumping strategy to
ensure wastewater treatment plants are not sent any more
water they can actually accept. At the same time, we try to
avoid discharging potentially polluted water into the natural
environment, says Vanden Bossche. In Bordeaux, Suez has
gone even further using algorithms to control sluice-gate
height and launch pumping operations to absorb rainwater
as effectively as possible.
luSine nouvelle i n 3464 supplement i apRil 14 2016

Simulation can also be used to act on the causes of global

warming, helping the main industrial countries reduce their
CO2 emissions. In particular, simulation helps increase the
level of renewable energy sources in each countrys energy
mix by making them more cost-effective. Photovoltaics, wind
power, tidal turbines and new energy sources require heavy
investment. The five offshore wind farms authorized for
construction off the French coast represent a 7-billion Euro
investment. It is therefore essential to have reliable calculations of each turbines potential wind power, i.e. estimate as
accurately as possible how much energy it will produce over
its life span. Calculating wind turbines potential power over
their 20-25-year life span requires sophisticated statistical
and dynamics models to understand wind interactions
where turbines are located, explains Pierre-Guy Thrond,
director of new technology at EDF nergies Nouvelles. To
achieve this, EDF is increasingly abandoning simple simulation models based on laminar flow. Instead, the company
is turning to Navier-Stokes fluid mechanics equations (or
CFD equations for fluid dynamics calculations), which have
until now been used in aeronautics. Thrond justifies this
far more expensive choice in terms of computing power.
CFD models give a better representation of turbulence
effects. In complex zones i.e. very rugged terrain on which
wind turbines are surrounded by complex wind movements
11

simulation

Cyclone Xynthia Simulation goes to court

in February 2010, Cyclone Xynthia
combined with a high tidal coefficient
caused breaches of several dikes
and flooding in the Vende. some 29
people were killed, despite the
warning issued by mto France.
the French Geological survey
(BRGm) has been active in
explaining Cyclone Xynthias physical
causes in reports submitted to the
authorities. these assessments were
based largely on numerical
simulation, says Fabrice Dupros, the
BRGms head of high-performance
computing. the insurance
companies maif, aXa and maaf
funded the Johanna research project,
which cross-checked simulation data
with insurance claims. a model has
been drawn up linking very high
resolution coastal flooding data
(water height, current speed) with
building damage. this model will
help choose construction materials
and urban development strategies to
prevent the consequences of such
catastrophes as far as possible.

and vortexes the laminar flow hypothesis is no longer

sufficient, he states. EDFs approach has optimized windturbine location in relation to relief and to one another.
This approach prevents the wake of the first wind turbines
facing the wind from compromising the efficiency of those
placed behind them.
Water is another natural resource that must be optimized.
As a result of rising average temperatures and the worlds
population increasing to 8 billion people by 2025, the
amount of water available per inhabitant will drop by almost
a third worldwide. France will not escape this trend since farmers in southern France are already affected by watercourse
pumping restrictions every summer. Here too, simulation
has a role to play, as the Astuce & Tic consortium which
studied water-table changes on the Crau Plain has shown.
The triangle formed by Arles, Salon-de-Provence and Fos12

sur-Mer (south of the Alpilles) covers a water table that is

very important for this region and is subject to both climate
constraints and heavy demographic pressure. Fabienne Trolard, director of research at INRA, has assessed the impact
of global warming and economic development on this area.
Her calculations show that a 14% reduction in grassland
combined with a 30% drop in irrigation water and a 30%
rise in drinking water extraction would cause a 1.5-13-meter
drop in the water table, depending on the location studied.
This key data must guide political decisions for urban development in this area.
Water supply network operators are also directly confronted
with the need to protect water resources, especially from
pollution threatening water quality. Suez Environnement is
simulating how pollutants spread through soil to assess the
impact of agricultural fertilizer on groundwater.

eDF ; umR6143 m2C - quipe ClaReC / CnRs photothque.

representation
of wind-force
distribution on
a wind farm.

simulation

June, 28th 2016 Teratec Forum

cole Polytechnique 2nd edition

REVEAL AND REWARD

THE DIGITAL SIMULATION, HPC
AND BIG DATA CHAMPIONS

A flooding scenario in la Faute-sur-mer (vende), based on detailed

topography of one of its neighborhoods.

improvinG inFrAStruCture deSiGn

While simulation promotes better use of renewable

energy, it can also be used to improve construction work
and make buildings more energy efficient. Weve developed
a simulation code called MATHIS (modeling buildings
aeraulics, thermics and unsteady humidity), explains
Maxime Roger, director of climatology, aerodynamics,
pollution, and water purification at the CSTB. This is no
conventional fluid mechanics code, such as those used to
model wind, but rather a nodal code representing every
room within a building in the form of nodes. Each node is
interconnected to models representing air vents and other
accessories in systems. Buildings ventilation, hygrometry,
and other parameters can also be represented over a year,
taking into account many different use scenarios.The CSTB
believes this simplified simulation will facilitate its uptake
by architects and design offices, especially for compliance
with RT 2012 thermal regulations.
Nevertheless, CFD calculations are still essential for simulating more complex phenomena, e.g. studying the impact
of buildings and infrastructures on their environment.
Cheaper access to computing capacity makes it possible
to simulate how wind acts on a structure and takes into
account the surrounding buildings within a several hundred-meter radius. More developed numerical models can
also simulate phenomena such as rain. We know how to
model driving rain in stadiums or semi-open spaces, such as
shopping malls partly covered by a canopy, explains Sylvain
Aguinaga, head of the CSTBs numerical modeling division.
It is impossible to carry out small-scale simulation of water
droplet dispersion in wind tunnels; such phenomena can
only be predicted via numerical simulation. Our clients
design offices and architects therefore use concomitant
rain/wind scenarios to predict whether or not terraces and
gangways will be in the rain. We then suggest modifications
to a buildings geometry before construction and hence limit
these phenomena, continues Aguinaga.
Simulations of buildings microclimate are increasingly
sophisticated. The Center for Research in Architectural
Methods (CERMA) a CNRS laboratory now merged into
the Nantes Center for Research in Urban Architecture has
developed solar simulation software called Solene. This
software enables architects to view shade buildings will cast
luSine nouvelle i n 3464 supplement i apRil 14 2016

You have a project or an innovative approach

? Send us your application file and confront
yourself with the best people in the digital
simulation field !
The prize list will be unveiled by the Usine Digitale
team and its sponsors during a night
at the heart of Teratec Forum
on June, 28 2016 at Ecole Polytechnique

Discover
our Award
categories :

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fore
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!
April 22, 2016

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J Collaboration Award
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13

simulation

Sabellas d10 turbine runs

on numerical simulation

on the ground, calculate how long sunshine will last at any

point in a 3D scene, and estimate direct natural light levels
outside buildings and in their rooms. Although these tools
are now standard in architects and design offices palettes,
Solene has developed and integrated increasingly complex
factors. The impact of grassy areas, ponds and trees planted
around buildings is now integrated into calculations. In
addition, for buildings thermo-aeraulic calculations, the
Solene software can be coupled with fluid dynamics simulation tools such as those supplied by the software vendor
Fluent. Simulating local microclimates means architects
can calculate as accurately as possible how comfortable
buildings will be (both inside and outside) for their users.
This would avoid buildings such as the recently constructed
20 Fenchurch Street skyscraper in London, whose solar
glare dazzles strollers by and melts the plastic components
of vehicles parked in front of it.

ComBAtinG pollution

D.R.

modeling sea currents and sea beds helped decide the best location
for the tidal turbine.

this tidal turbine was submerged

in June 2015 and connected to
ushant islands (Finistre) power
grid in november 2015. the D10
is the first tidal turbine designed
by sabella to be tested full-size.
sabella turned to the engineering
company artelia which had
modeled the seabed around
ushant island to choose a
location for its tidal turbine.
Currents were modeled using
bathymetric readings and seacurrent measurements. the
installation site was chosen on
14

the basis of this data, the swell

and its planarity, says erwann
nicolas, head of mechanical
engineering design at sabella.
the tidal turbines structure and
blades were also sized using
simulation calculations. CFD
simulation, which was required
for detailed design of the nacelle
and carbon fiber blades, was
done by hydrocean. engineers
studied the mechanical and
vibratory strength of the shaft
and blades, as well as the
turbines fatigue.

Although a lot of resources have been poured into simulating natural phenomena, considerable investment has also
been made in simulating the effects of human activity. There
is nothing unusual these days about consulting pollution
maps for major cities, in the same way as we check weather
forecasts. Vivien Mallet, an INRIA researcher, underlines
the progress made in forecasting since the 1980s: Simulation and observations made using sensor networks now
correlate more closely, which has really helped improve
weather forecasts. This is especially true for air-quality
forecasts, which are often very uncertain, explains Mallet.
For this reason, researchers improving these models have
installed many new sensors. Data from weather and airquality monitoring stations e.g. AIRPARIF is already
supplemented by satellite images and is increasingly
established using the Internet of Things. Smart pollution
sensors have been installed on Lyons tramways and are
expected to appear on public streetlights in more and more
French cities. All these data sources will feed into numerical models to produce more reliable pollution forecasts.
Even cell phones can serve as sensors. For example, the
SoundCity application uses cell phones to measure city
noise pollution.
Besides forecasting atmospheric pollution levels several
hours in advance, simulation also helps respond to catastrophes. For example, we can simulate how a dirty bomb
would explode in Place de lHtel-de-Ville in Paris; depending on the weather, this will tell us the arrondissements
in which to raise the alarm. Numerical simulation is also
used when constructing new petrochemical facilities to see
the impact of toxic discharged into the atmosphere. During
the Fukishima disaster, the French Institute for Radiological
Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) made operational
forecasts to find out whether or not the population was
going to be exposed to radionuclide emissions. We need
high-quality weather data for reliable forecasts, says
Mallet. Radioactive smoke plumes move according to wind
direction and the risk to the population varies according to
whether the wind is blowing inland or out to sea. Weather

simulation

SoundCity listening to cities via smartphones

noise pollution map in paris, drawn up using data sent from smartphones.

the soundCity application was developed as

part of inRias Citylab initiative on smart
cities. the application uses smartphone
microphones to measure noise all day long.
the application gives people an idea of their
personal noise exposure, while the data also
helps correct city noise maps, explains Vivien
mallet, an inRia researcher. the main problem
is the poor quality of readings, which are
measured using mobile applications that are,
by definition, very unstable. this project also
plans to make progress on combining
numerical simulation with observations using
poor-quality mobile sensors. Currently,
although the application sends about 1 million
measurements every 4 days, only about 2-3%
of them can be used to correct noise maps.
Were hoping that participatory data collection
will enable us to correct and hone our
simulations and forecasts.

info@noesissolutions.com
id8.noesissolutions.com

luSine nouvelle i n 3464 supplement i apRil 14 2016

15

simulation

forecasts can be very uncertain, especially in light winds.

During the Fukishima disaster, Japanese scientists used
operational simulation to predict smoke-plume movements
and decide when they could discharge gas into the atmosphere to stop the reactor chamber exploding. We now want
to calculate not only where smoke plumes will go, but also

how much confidence we can have in these forecasts. We

want to quantify models uncertainty in order to make the
best possible decisions, explains Mallet. Numerical simulation is about aiding humans make the best decisions to
protect their environment. Equations developed in French
laboratories help achieve this goal.

KEEpERs oF tHE planEt

Climate simulation models served as the basis for the conclusions of the IPCC report.
Teams of researchers around the world are striving to complete and improve their models.
By tHierry luCAS

one of them appeared on the podium at COP21 or

made any decisions affecting the future of our planet.
And yet without them nothing can be done. Were
referring to the hundreds of researchers and engineers
throughout the world who are modeling climate change,
i.e. converting global climate phenomena into equations.
The goal, after lengthy calculations using the worlds most
powerful computers, is to predict likely temperature and
precipitation changes over the next twenty, fifty, and even
one hundred years.

prediCtinG ClimAte CHAnGe

CollABorAtive WorK

This enormous task, coupling vast amounts of simulation,

is largely collaborative. Global atmosphere, landmasses (with
their relief and vegetation), oceans, pack ice, clouds, atmospheric dust, CO2 and other greenhouse gases have all been
simulated. Experts are now striving to validate and couple
their models. The first atmosphere models appeared in the
1960s and were derived from those developed for weather
forecasting. Simplified ocean models have been around since
the 1970s, but only became 3 D from the 1990s onwards,
says Michel Dqu, a researcher at the French National
Center for Meteorological Research (Mto France).

ComBininG 20-30 modelS

Increasingly powerful computers mean that atmosphere

and ocean models can now be coupled. Demand from the

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has

boosted development of this technology since it is impossible
to calculate CO2-linked global warming without a coupled
atmosphere/ocean model. This core climate simulation is
central to the worlds 20-30 climate models.
The French research community has focused on two global
models: one produced by Mto France and another by the
Institut Pierre-Simon-Laplace (IPSL), a federation of nine
specialist environmental laboratories. Other major research
groups have been formed: the National Center for Atmospheric Research (Colorado) and the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics
Laboratory (Princeton University, New Jersey) in the USA; the
Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research in the UK;
and the Max-Planck Institute for Meteorology in Germany.

diSCrepAnCieS BetWeen reSeArCHerS

meSHeS

There are no fundamental discrepancies between research

teams core models, even though each team has its own
method of dividing up the atmosphere for calculations. For
example, each mesh in one type of meshing devised is
a parallelepiped, 100-200 km long on both sides but becoming
thinner as it approaches the earths surface. The parameters
(temperature, wind speed, etc.) within each mesh are average
values, which are varied over time to simulate climate change.
Laboratories are also developing many specific models for
glaciers, aerosol impact, changes in vegetation, etc. These
models have either not yet been integrated into climate models

a Global tEst bEd

Climate-modeling researchers have been
regularly comparing their results since 1995.
every five or six years, Cmips (Coupled model
intercomparison projects) invite research
teams throughout the world to run their
models on shared scenarios. these projects
aim to assess climate models performance,
16

see where they diverge, and thus further

progress in climate science.
simulation carried out for Cmip5 served as
the basis for the fifth intergovernmental panel
on Climate Change (ipCC) reports conclusions
in 2013. Researchers are currently designing
scenarios in preparation for Cmip6. this time,

small amounts of simulation will help compare

the various core models, while specialized
models for example on the effect of
aerosols will undergo a series of tests.
the exercises are expected to start in 2016
and 2017. several years research will then
be needed to capitalize on the results.

simulation

or have been done so in simplified form. Its not necessarily

worthwhile integrating everything since this isnt the best use
of computing resources or budgets, says Dqu.

nasa / sVs

empiriCAl eQuAtionS For SuB-meSH pHenomenA

The regularly observed discrepancies between climate

models especially during international atmospheric model
intercomparison projects [see box opposite] have already
given researchers a lot to do. The cause of this problem has
been identified by researchers as sub-mesh phenomena,
which play a key role at a sub-mesh (i.e. smaller) scale. Submesh phenomena include radiation exchanges, air turbulence
in the atmospheric layer near the earths surface, the role of
clouds and sulfate-containing aerosols, etc.
Basing calculations on theory alone is not enough. Researchers need to fine-tune their models using empirical equations, which are gradually being improved by the results of
measurements and observations. Clouds in particular, which
cover large areas above oceans, play a key role. Although
clouds have a significant impact on global temperature
changes, their role remains poorly understood. Clouds are
luSine nouvelle i n 3464 supplement i apRil 14 2016

responsible for many of the discrepancies between various

climate models results, says Jean-Yves Grandpeix, a
researcher at the Dynamic Meteorology Laboratory (LMD),
a joint research unit on three sites: the cole Polytechnique
in Palaiseau (Essonne), the cole Normale Suprieure, and
Universit Pierre-et-Marie-Curie in Paris.

Simulated
precipitation
rates for
typhoon
Hagupit,
which struck
the philippines
in 2014.

improvinG dAtA ACCurACy

Climate-model discrepancies led to projects using satellites

to measure clouds in 2007, the results of which are starting to
be taken into account. As with other sub-mesh phenomena,
each research team is fine-tuning its models by moving back
and forth between actual results and expected values.
Another challenge for climatologists is to fine-tune their calculations, i.e. reduce mesh size. This presupposes simulation
programs that can use supercomputer power to maximum
advantage by distributing calculations over many parallel
processors. For this reason, teams of computer scientists
(20-30 people at the Institut Pierre-Simon-Laplace) work
alongside physicists and now play a key role transforming
climate models into effective simulation codes.
17

simulation

INTERVIEW

WEatHER FoRCastinG REliEs

ComPlEtElY on simulation
The quality of weather forecasts depends on how much computing power we have,
as Mto Frances deputy director general, Olivier Gupta, explains.
INTERVIEWED BY JULIEN BERGOUNHOUX

What was Mto Frances role at the COP 21?

Lets put our role back into its proper place. The COP 21
was primarily a series of political and strategic negotiations
whereas we were involved in its preparatory stages. Mto
Frances research teams contributed to the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, which served as a
basis for political negotiations. We provided simulations for
the fifth IPCC report that were carried out using the ARPEGEClimate model. The same model used for weather forecasting
but set for climate simulation. Weather forecasting and
climate prediction are two aspects of the same science. We
also initiated various COP 21 side events. In particular, we
were behind the C3 Challenge hackathon that ran throughout
2015. There was also a scientific conference at UNESCO in
July and the Climate Train in collaboration with SNCF, which
was the brainchild of one of our engineers. In addition, we
were planning various events for school children but they
had to be cancelled for security reasons.
What role does simulation play in todays weather forecasting?
A central and increasingly important role. Weather forecasting and climate prediction are both based on simulating
the atmosphere. People often think that weather forecasting
is based on statistics. They imagine us making comparisons
with the past and with various situations to deduce tomorrows
weather by analogy. This idea, while widespread, is wrong.
Weather forecasting has relied completely on simulation for
decades. The quality of forecasts therefore depends on how
much computing power we have. This power has a direct

a significant amount of computation

time is devoted to initializing models
rather than to actual weather
forecasting. We do this using data
assimilation algorithms.
18

impact on mesh refinement for a territory and on how sophisticated atmospheric calculations can be. The other essential
parameter is algorithms, which vary in their effectiveness at
solving equations and incorporating observations to initialize
models. A significant amount of computation time is devoted
to initializing models rather than to actual weather forecasting. New data has to be integrated intelligently since it does
not cover the whole grid. We mix old and new data and then
weight the two. The skill lies in choosing the right weighting
for the initial state to match reality as closely as possible.
Otherwise, the model will rapidly diverge from reality. Part of
our research involves fine-tuning these algorithms.
Who works on these models?
The Mto France research center in Toulouse, which employs 300 people, or 10% of our workforce. For models, we
collaborate extensively with international centers, especially
the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts
(ECMWF). It is an inter-governmental organization. Were
co-developing an atmosphere model on a global scale,
ARPEGE and the European model IFS are two versions.
As a result of this collaboration, we exert a major leverage
effect and obtain excellent results even with a modest-sized
team. Were the leading organization in the ALADIN consortium which brings together twelve European countries,
three North African countries and Turkey on limited-area
models. This consortium is developing fine-mesh models
for 24-hour forecasts.
Do you tackle more specific fields?
Absolutely. Our team in Grenoble is responsible for snowpack simulation, to predict the risk of avalanches. Which is
another of our roles. The team focuses on the atmosphere, as
well as the mechanics of snow-layer accumulation, how snow
layers are configured by wind, the probability of creep, etc.
Theyve developed a specific model for this research. Were
also committed to cutting-edge research on urban climate
modeling. One of our research units is modeling town-specific features, which helps local decision-makers assess the
need for green roofs, whitewashed roads, and dampened

simulation

We run the model several times, slightly changing its initial

conditions to study various scenarios. We can now do this
for the fine-mesh model rather than just the global model.
Our contract runs until early 2019 and the supercomputer
will be upgraded mid-term to approximately 5 petaflops. This
computer is split into two units: the first is for the operational
system whereas the other is for climate simulation research
and for developing the weather forecasting operational
system of the future. Models must be tested before they
are rolled out. Since its essential that we provide a continuous service, the research half of the computer can switch
automatically to production mode to ensure an operational
service. Furthermore, the two halves of this configuration
are physically separated (by several kilometers) to guarantee
service in the event of an accident. This supercomputer is
combined with a regularly upgraded storage system. We
reached 40 petabytes of storage capacity this year, and will
achieve a hundred or so petabytes by the end of 2017.

ground and road surfaces. Our model can simulate the effect
of these actions on the temperature, especially during heat
waves. This is an increasingly important territorial issue in
the fight against global warming. Some of our researchers are
working on air quality. Others are simulating land surfaces
since transfers, humidity, vegetation, and soil sealing all need
to be modeled. Were also simulating the upper ocean (waves
and swell), running back-trajectories to calculate flotsam and
jetsam and pollutant (hydrocarbon) drift. These are all joint
research units attached to both Mto France and the French
National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), which also
ensures we have close ties with academia.

Luc Prnom

What technical resources do you use?

The supercomputer weve been renting from Bull since
2014 is in Toulouse; its peak power is one petaflop. One
of our tasks is to purchase computing power suited to our
requirements, the models we use and their frequency at the
best possible price. This power allows us to produce immediate predictive models covering a few hours and focused
on France. We also provide overall fine mesh forecasting.

Were the leading organization in the

alaDin consortium which brings
together 16 countries on limited-area
models. this consortium is developing
fine-mesh models for 24-hour forecasts.
LUsINE NOUVELLE i n 3464 suPPLEmEnt i aPriL 14 2016

Why do you rent instead of buying?

Since the equipment is replaced every 5-6 years, it doesnt
make much difference. Its a formality more than anything.
We switched to renting about ten years ago (as did equivalent
organizations) and only purchase computing power. The
supercomputer is on our premises and we provide its power
supply and coolants. But we have it on a rental agreement.
What are the main areas of simulation development
at Mto France?
We have four areas of development for simulating atmospheric phenomena. First, we want to take more and more
observations into account. A lot of data now comes from
satellites, with new instruments. Our first, and very complex,
task is to invent new algorithms. We must then initialize
the model intelligently, reconciling observations with results
from the previous model. Data assimilation algorithms are
a big project and we must choose the most promising technique. Our third area of development is physics (equations
for models). Considering the full-scale experiments that are
now possible, we must improve our modeling. One area of
research involves probing what happens inside clouds. Were
using instrumented planes to achieve better understanding
of phenomena such as Cvenol episodes, which is helping
us improve our equations. Our fourth area of development is
connected with resolution. The global models resolution is
7.5 km whereas the resolution of the fine-mesh model over
an extended metropolis (Western Europe and North Africa)
is 1.3 km. Once you go beyond a certain resolution, new
problems appear. For example, if slopes become too steep the
grid computing and numerical schemes must be modified.
In addition, our code must be better optimized to hardware
architecture. One of our main current research projects is on
model scalability and adapting models to massively parallel
architecture. This is a no-degradation, gain factor. For this
research, were working with the ECMWF and the European
Center for Research and Advanced Training in Scientific
Computation (CERFACS), which is located on our Toulouse
site and in which we are shareholders.
19

simulation

The Aircity project

developed by Aria
Technologies takes the
influence of buildings into
account when assessing
how city air pollution
is dispersed by wind.

limate change and the deployment of new energy

sources have given simulation a real boost. Offshore
and even nuclear entrepreneurs and engineers have
seized on environmental modelling. Some of the start-ups
and SMEs launched by these experts have made a real
name for themselves on this new market. Here are eleven
of these outstanding companies, which are highly rated by
the sectors experts.

ArIA TeCHNOLOGIes Is ANALYZING POLLUTANT

DIsPersION

Aria Technologies was set up

in 1990. The company produces a numerical simulation
software suite and carries out
studies on air pollutant dispersion, climate analysis, and
renewable energy sources.
Tools intended for industrialists in cities such as Rome,
Rio de Janeiro, Peking and researchers. Some 65% of
studies carried out by Aria Technologies are exports. The
companys climate change business is currently expanding
rapidly. This work covers storm frequency calculations, the
impact of rising temperatures on urban pollution, and city
dwellers energy consumption in fifty years time.

AriA Technologies

specialization Atmospheric
simulation
Date set up 1990
Locations Boulogne-Billancourt
(Hauts-de-Seine), Rio de Janeiro
(Brazil), Milan (Italy)
Workforce 45 people
T/O (2014) 4 million Euros

mArkeTs

smes, natuRal
element eXPeRts
Several outstanding French companies are at
the cutting edge of environmental simulation,
whether of air and land phenomena, pollution,
or renewable energy sources.
bY ALAIN CLAPAUD

KeY Clients total, Cea, Renault, suez

NUmTeCH Is PreDICTING AIr POLLUTION

Numtech is located on La
Pardieu Technology Park
(in Aubires, near ClermontFerrand) and specializes in
weather forecasting and
simulating pollutant dispersion into the atmosphere. The
companys operational systems feed data 24/7 into air monitoring stations run by associations such as AirPARIF and
AirPACA. Numtech opened its first subsidiary in Morocco
a year ago. Pierre Bal the companys founder is also
looking into providing pollution forecasts in very fine scale.
This service, called NOA, is at the preparation stage and
could give two-hourly city pollution forecasts, accurate to
within a few meters. Ideal for planning your run!
specialization Atmospheric event
modelling and simulation
Date set up April 2000
Location Aubire (Puy-de-Dme)
Workforce 20 people
T/O (2014) 1.3 million Euros

KeY Clients eDF, suez environnement, total, areva, Cofiroute,

airparif

20

simulation

more than 250,000 inhabitants, and electromagnetic wave

propagation maps. Geomod is collaborating with the CSTB
to develop its Mithra software suite.
KeY Clients suez, Veolia, lyonnaise des eaux, siaaP,
Bouygues travaux Publics

INNOseA Is OPTImIZING mArINe eNerGY sOUrCes

Innosea a spin-off from the

cole Centrale de Nantes is
an engineering company specializing in renewable marine
energy (RME). Its business
covers all aspects of RME use.
As such, Innosea has carried
out calculations for EDFs
offshore wind-farm foundations in Courseulles-sur-Mer
(Calvados) and Saint-Nazaire (Loire-Atlantique). Innoseas
engineers are working on the next generation of floating wind
turbines, and on tidal energy and wave energy converters.
specialization Simulation of
renewable marine energy sources
Date set up 2012
Location Nantes
(Loire-Atlantique)
Workforce 21 people
T/O (2014) 732,000 Euros

meteodyns
wind
assessment
on a wind
farm.

meTeODYN Is CALCULATING reNeWAbLe

eNerGY sOUrCes

Meteodyn was set up by

Didier Delaunay a CSTB
(French Scientific and Technical Center for Buildings) researcher and has positioned
itself on the market for wind
and climatology numerical
simulation using its own solvers. The company produces and markets a range of calculation software and carries out studies for wind-farm operators
in Europe, China, and India. Meteodyn now employs around
fifteen people abroad. It also carries out calculations for the
construction business, simulating building ventilation and
helping architects construct passive buildings. The company
has diversified into solar energy and has carried out several
solar-farm feasibility studies, especially for China.
specialization Simulation of
renewable energy sources
Date set up 2003
Location Nantes
(Loire-Atlantique)
Workforce 50 people
T/O (2015) 3.2 million Euros

KeY Clients eDF, iberdrola, enel, General electric, Joyful melody

Wind energy Company (China)

GeOmOD Is PreDICTING PreCIPITATION ImPACT

Geomods hydrology business

involves assessing the impact of precipitation on city
wastewater systems. Suez,
Veolia, Lyonnaise des Eaux,
and the Greater Paris Sanitation Authority (SIAAP) all use
Geomods calculation codes.
But this is not the only string to Philippe Bischoffs bow. He
has also positioned Geomod on more land-based calculations. For example, noise maps for urban agglomerations of

MeTeodyn

specialization Hydrology and

electromagnetic wave pollution
Date set up October 1995
Locations Lyon (Rhne), Brest
(Finistre)
Workforce 12 people
T/O (2014) 1.4 million Euros

22

KeY Clients eDF, enBW

DATAPOLe Is PreDICTING WAsTe VOLUmes

If ocean currents and valley

winds can be modelled, why
not human behavior too? This
principle has inspired Datapole, a start-up established
by Frdric Gagnaire in 2010.
The companys initial idea
was to provide local authorities with a tool for forecasting waste volumes generated
by their citizens, thus enabling them to optimize resources
allocated to waste collection. Datapoles predictive models
are based on collection data, weather forecasts, and shop
retail data. Datapole has since developed its initial offer to
produce an electricity consumption tool (PrediWatt), and will
shortly be adding a building management tool.
specialization Forward-looking
resource management software
Date set up May 2010
Location Paris La Plaine
Saint-Denis (Seine-Saint-Denis)
Workforce 11 people
T/O (2015) 410,000 Euros

KeY Clients engie, Plaine Commune agglomeration community,

Chevreuse Valley public waste authority

NeXTFLOW sOFTWAre Is DesIGNING FLOWs

AND WAVes

Nextflow Software is a spinoff from HydrOcean, a specialist hydrodynamics firm

bought out by Bureau Veritas
in September 2015. Nextflow
has taken over HydrOceans
software vendor business.
A dozen people have joined
this start-up, including Erwan Jacquin, HydrOceans founder.
Nextflows current business should ensure a 1-2 millionEuro turnover, and the company will continue working
with the cole Centrale de Nantes to codevelop simulation
models. Nextflow has particular expertise in simulating wave
effects, which is invaluable for designing ship hulls, offshore
platforms, and for building offshore wind farms.
specialization Fluid mechanics
simulation software
Date set up June 2015
Location Nantes
(Loire-Atlantique)
Workforce 10 people
T/O Not applicable

KeY Clients Renault, michelin, airbus Helicopters

simulation

OPTIFLUIDes Is mODeLING FLUID DIsPersION

OptiFluides is located on La
Doua science campus in Villeurbanne (Rhne) and has
developed process simulation
and modelling expertise. To
achieve this, the start-ups
founder Nicolas Boisson used
simulation codes produced by the software vendor Fluent.
OptiFluides calculations simulate flows in industrial plants,
thus enabling petrochemical companies to optimize their
processes. OptiFluide also models air pollutant dispersion
as part of risk assessments for industrial sites.

specialization Simulation of
liquid, gas, and multiphase flows
Date set up June 2011
Location Villeurbanne (Rhne)
Workforce 5 people
T/O (2015) 400,000 Euros

KeY Clients total, eDF, Bluestar silicones, solvay

OPeN OCeAN FOr Web-bAseD OCeAN ANALYsIs

AmplisIm is assessing the impact of pollutants on air quality in urban

and industrial environments.

Jrme Cuny and Renaud

Laborbe set up Open Ocean
in 2011 to put their ocean
simulation knowledge online.
Although simulation codes
are very complex and generate large volumes of data,
Open Ocean gives access to
calculation results via a simple web interface. The companys
Metocean Analytics platform is the fruit of three years work.
This platform is for industrialists developing projects in the
tidal energy, offshore wind turbine, and offshore oil sectors.
Open Oceans clients include Engie and Sabella. Open Ocean
raised 1.6 million Euros in 2015 and intends to increase
its workforce from 11 to 16 people by the end of this year.
specialization Online solutions
for ocean/weather analysis
Date set up 2011
Locations Paris and Brest
(Finistre)
Workforce 11 people
T/O (2014) 96,500 Euros

AmPLIsIm FOr AIr-QUALITY sImULATION

As A serVICe

AmpliSIM was set up in Paris

in 2015 by Sylvie Perdriel
a former Aria Technologies employee and Olivier
Oldrini, the founder of the
consultancy firm Mokili. AmT/O Not applicable
pliSIM offers an air-quality
simulation service for design
and engineering offices. This cloud-based service assesses
the impact of industrial-plant and road-traffic pollutant emissions on surrounding neighborhoods. AmpliSIMs founders
use open-source simulation codes recommended by the US
Environmental Protection Agency, and free software (OpenFoam and EDF R&D departments Code_Saturne software).
AmpliSIM is currently negotiating with Qarnot Computing
and Bull to increase its computing power.
specialization Air-quality
simulation
Date set up March 2015
Location Paris
Workforce 2 people

KeY Clients engie, sabella

KeY PaRtneRs Bull, eDF

eDF sTOre & FOreCAsT Is COUPLING WeATHer

FOreCAsTs AND reNeWAbLe eNerGY

EDF SF is a spin-off from EDF

launched by three researchers
at EDFs R&D department.
They wanted to set up a company to market the fruit of
their research. Their Pegase
software (an EMS energy
management system) uses
energy consumption and meteorological data for precise
management of battery charging/discharging processes
coupled to wind farms and photovoltaic panels. This solution is suitable for islands since batteries compensate for
intermittent energy resources. Following a pilot project in
La Runion, EDF nergies Nouvelless photovoltaic power
station in French Guiana was the first facility to benefit from
Pegases calculations.
specialization Energy
management software
Date set up March 2014
Location Incubateur Agoranov
(Paris)
Workforce 10 people
T/O (2014) 474,000 Euros

open oceAn ; AMplisiM

Open Oceans
online
decisionmaking tool
can model
ocean
currents, wind,
and waves.

24

KeY Clients eDF nergies nouvelles, lectricit de mayotte,

enercal

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comsol multiphysics

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21
Copyright 2016 COMSOL. COMSOL, COMSOL Multiphysics, Capture the Concept, COMSOL Desktop, COMSOL Server, LiveLink, and Simulation for Everyone are either registered trademarks or
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23

Le rendez-vo us inte r nation a l

The international meeting

2016
HPC
BIGDATA
SIMULATION
Les c ls du futu r
Unlocking the future
Les 28 & 29
juin / June 2016
Ecole Polytechnique
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25

simulation

a reaL sTar

CYBElEtECH,
numERiCal
FaRminG
Agriculture needs to produce bigger, higher quality
yields while also reducing its pollution. CybeleTech
has taken up this challenge by incorporating
farmland data into plant-growth simulation.
by Jean-Franois Prevraud

Models based on real-Time Measurements

Saguez met Philippe de Reffye the agronomist in this story

(who is not one of CybeleTechs cofounders) in the early
2000s. Together they developed a model to simulate plant
growth and architecture, for use in agronomy and imaging.
In 2003, they set up the Digiplante joint research unit at
the cole Centrale de Paris. Under Courndes leadership,
this research team developed a plant-growth model used
in an online tourist application produced by le-de-France
regional council: 3D simulation of the gardens at the Palace
of Versailles.
This application appealed to Lambert, who was looking
for a plant-growth model to synthesize and exploit his own
data. I thought, if these guys can produce this, I need to
meet them, he recounts. Several projects were launched to
validate the feasibility of this approach and test its relevance.
Following successful results, Saguez, Cournde and Lambert
set up CybeleTech at the end of 2011. The companys first
orders came from a satellite operator that wanted to develop
26

Modelling crop growth optimizes the use of fertilizers, water and

treatments to improve yield.

its image-based service offer, and a seed company that had

started using modelling for genotype selection.
CybeleTechs expertise enabled Digiplantes mechanistic
plant-growth models to be combined with satellite images
showing plant biomass potential at any point on a given piece
of land. According to the weather conditions forecast, farmers
can now calculate the correct fertilizer and phytosanitary
treatment needed to achieve set added-value targets while
also causing as little pollution as possible.

Towards Plant PLM

This solution means farmers can base their decisions on

real-time crop measurements rather than on extrapolations
from previous years experience. It is now possible to accurately predict disease onset according to a plants actual stage
of development. Consequently, farmers can give plants more
protection while also intervening less often. In the short term,
this approach will meet the challenges facing agriculture: to

D.R.

hat do you get if you take an agronomist, a numerical simulation researcher, a student engineer mad
about IT developments, an agri-food marketing
expert and bring them together under a name evoking the
Phrygian goddess of nature and abundance? CybeleTech, of
course a French start-up established at the end of 2011
to model plant growth. As is often the case, CybeleTechs
story is first and foremost about human encounters rather
than technology, explains Marie-Joseph Lambert, Novartis
Agros former director of business forecasting. Together
with the mathematician Christian Saguez, his PhD student Paul-Henry Cournde, and two other members of the
Digiplante team (Professor Vronique Letort Courndes
deputy and Benoit Bayol), Lambert is one of CybeleTechs
five cofounders.

simulation

tHREE KEY PlaYERs

maRiE-JosEPH lamBERt,
director Cofounder

Marie-Joseph
Lambert
trained in sales
and marketing
before pursuing
his career
in various
industrial groups. He became
Novartis Agros director of
commercial policy and
distribution marketing in 1997,
and its director of business
forecasting in 2000. After the
company merged with Zeneca,
he was key account manager
Europe from 2001 to 2005,
before joining CybeleTech as
its director.
CHRistian saGuEz,
Ceo Cofounder

Christian
Saguez
graduated from
the cole
Centrale de
Paris in 1972,
and was
director of international and
industrial relations at the French
National Institute for Research
in Computer Science and
Automation (INRIA). He
subsequently founded and was
CEO of Simulog, and was also

increase production 1.5-fold while also reducing inputs by

30-40% and improving the sanitary quality of products.
The next stage of this technology will enable farmers to
select plant varieties for sowing and draw up a complete
protocol for growing them on a given piece of land, varying
this protocol according to the qualities expected in the end
Lusine nouveLLe I N 3464 SUPPLEMENT I APRIL 14 2016

director of industrial relations

and subsidiaries at the French
National Center for Space
Studies (CNES). At the same
time, he was also a professor
at the cole Centrale de Paris,
where he set up the
Mathematics Applied to
Systems (MAS) Laboratory. He
was president of the TER@TEC
Association (European
Competence Center for HighPerformance Numerical
Simulation) until 2009. He is a
member of the French Academy
of Technologys Communication
and IT Technology Commission,
as well as president of the Scilab
Consortium.
Paul-HEnRY CouRndE,

scientific advisor Cofounder

Paul-Henry
Cournde
graduated
from the cole
Centrale de
Paris (1997)
and Cambridge
University, and has a PhD in
applied mathematics (2001).
He is director of the
CentraleSuplecs Digiplante
team, working on mathematical
modeling of plant growth in the
MAS laboratory.

product. It will be a sort of plant PLM [ed. note: product

lifecycle management], connecting every step of the process
from start to finish, explains Lambert. CybeleTech currently
carries out a dozen ad hoc studies a year for industrialists, but
its short-term plan is to provide online services for farmers.
This will provide farmers via their cooperatives with
the seed and inputs they need to maximize yield on each
piece of land. CybeleTech is currently working on arable
crops (cereals, oilseeds), market-garden produce (tomatoes,
strawberries), and perennial crops (vines). The company
plans to expand into forestry (developing the value of forest
resources, adapting to climate change), and tropical products
(coffee, cocoa beans, cotton, bananas). For Lambert, this
means CybeleTech could generate turnover of 5-10 million
Euros over the next five years.
27

simulation

ean-Hilaire Renaudat farms 1,200 hectares north of

Chteauroux (Indre) and belongs to a new generation
of farmers at the cutting edge of digital technology. In
a few days time, he will be applying nitrogen fertilizer to
his soft wheat, barley, and rapeseed crops. Whats special
about this is that the amount of fertilizer Renaudat applies is
entirely adjusted to data collected by sensors on his field crop
sprayer. The N-Sensor software developed by the Norwegian
group Yara measures crops light reflectance to calculate their
biomass and nitrogen requirements. The German agricultural
giant Bayer uses the same method to adjust fungicide levels,
as does a combine harvester-mounted software program
that calculates yields in real time while they are harvested.
Renaudat sees many advantages in using these new tools:
We made a return on our investment within four years.
Weve cut down on nitrogen fertilizer, have less crop disease,
and produce higher, more protein-rich yields, he says, clearly
delighted. Renaudat also uses his smartphone to calculate
the nitrogen requirements of his rapeseed.
As in industry, digital tools mean farmers can now keep
track of running their business. Above all, these tools help
farmers anticipate, increase yields, and predict the quantity
and quality of harvests even before production is over. This
radical shake up has been dubbed the third agricultural
revolution in some quarters, following the first revolution
that turned agriculture into a commercial business and the
second that mechanized it and introduced chemical fertilizers to increase yields. The past few years have witnessed
an abundance of decision-making and simulation solutions:
adjusted irrigation, crop-disease forecasting, yield simulation,
milking robots on dairy farms, calving prediction, automated
cowshed cleaning, etc. One of the main challenges is to
improve eco-friendly crop management by limiting the use
of agricultural inputs, says Jacques Mathieu, director of
Arvalis Plant Institute.

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

tHE nEW
aGRiCultuRal
REVolution
Challenges in agricultural modeling simulating
wheat growth, optimizing inputs, predicting milk
production, etc. have spurred on start-ups and
yielded a bumper crop of innovations.

by ADRIEN CAHUZAC

28

Requirements Calculated to Within a Square Meter

Arvalis and Airbus Defence & Space developed Farmstar in

2003; it was one of the first systems to make crop-management recommendations based on satellite photos. Although
Farmstar has always been very popular with farmers, other
systems have gradually caught up. Drones are now used
for precision farming, and France seems far ahead of other
European countries on this technology. Airinov is a start-up
that was established in a barn in Poitou-Charentes by two
engineers and a farmers son back in 2010. Within a few
years, the company has become the French number one on
agridrone-based recommendations for nitrogen fertilization.
Airinov has developed quad-band sensors that can, for
example, work out rapeseed weight and calculate chlorophyll
levels in wheat using green and infra-red light wavelengths
emitted by the plants. Airnov then calculates how much
nitrogen is required for each square meter of a land parcel.
Our technology is the most advanced in Europe. After
five years of trial and error, we found our business model
thanks to a partnership with the French drone manufacturer
Parrot, which invested capital with us, explains Romain
Faroux, Airinovs cofounder. Airinovs technology offers

sebastien sindeu ; d.R.

Airinov drones calculate the nitrogen requirements of wheat and rapeseed.

simulation

Our start-ups must move into the industrial phase

maRinE PouYat,
Director of the Renaissance
Numrique think tank and head of
the legal department at the French
Federation of E-commerce and
Distance Selling (FEVAD).
Why did you send the government
an official report on agriculture and
digital technology last November?
Agriculture is facing many
challenges. It must feed the
planet, be eco-friendly, make its
profession more attractive, as
well as reconnect with
consumers and win back their
trust. Weve made sixteen
proposals to rethink agricultural

production, distribution and

consumption in the digital era.
What are these proposals?
We want farmers to receive
training and support to
purchase precision digital tools,
especially tools reconciling yield
targets with sustainable
development. We also suggest
setting up regional open data
experimental programs in some
branches of agriculture. This
will bring production costs and
retail prices back into balance.
Whats more, we believe that
cooperatives which have
access to agricultural and

market data should be at the

forefront of agricultural big data
strategies to defend farmers
interests.
Has France adequately got the
measure of this new agricultural
revolution?
France has a large pool of
start-ups, which must now
move their solutions into a
more industrial phase. French
public and private stakeholders
should seize on this official
report now or else it will be too
late. Were facing international
competition from very powerful
groups.

We equip,
you compute

Genci (Grand quipement national de calcul intensif)

makes available powerful HPC resources to French scientific
communities and also to industrials wishing to conduct research
in link with an academic PI, in all fields.

Climate changes

Reducing pollutant
emissions

LUSINE NOUvELLE i n 3464 supplement i apRil 14 2016

Prevention of seismic damages

Propagation of major fires

www.genci.fr

29

simulation

Arvalis models the resistance of plants to water shortage using sensor data and cameras (RGb images of photosynthesis).

many benefits. Although satellite images are expensive,

theyre worthwhile if you can recover the cost on large land
parcels or areas. Drones can be used for more occasional
missions, even though theyre still expensive to access [Ed.
note: 25,000 Euros for Airinovs solution], says Vronique
Bellon-Maurel, director of the ecotechnology department
at the French National Research Institute of Science and
Technology for the Environment and Agriculture (IRSTEA).
Since 2014, several chambers of agriculture in the GrandOuest region of France have been offering decision-making

pascal Guittet

our challenge is to promote

this data to third parties.
some of them, like thales,
could use it to simulate plant growth.
Franois Houllier, president of the French national institute for agricultural Research (inRa)

30

services based on drone images. Drones fly over areas

very quickly and precisely. Weather conditions sometimes
make it harder to use satellites, although drones cant fly in
strong wind, says Nassim Hamiti, an agricultural equipment
project leader at the Permanent Assembly of Chambers of
Agriculture (APCA). Another constraint is that, for the time
being, drone-based services are limited to nitrogen-input
recommendations for rapeseed and soft wheat, although
Airinov is extending this to other crops.
Many other French start-ups like Airinov have appeared in
the field of agricultural digital technology. After tough early
years, some of them are consolidating and have moved into
a more industrial phase. One example is Nao, a Toulousebased start-up established in 2010. Nao developed the Oz
robot for mechanical weeding of market-garden crops on land
parcels covering less than ten hectares. Oz features eleven
infra-red sensors on its front and sides, together with four
electric-motor driven wheels. These wheels are powered by
lead batteries giving Oz four hours of autonomy, explains
Gatan Sverac, Naios cofounder. Although Nao has only
sold about thirty of its Oz robots which sell for 21,000 Euros

simulation

Standardized Computer
Language
to benefit from digital
technology, we need a single
computer language to speed
things up. the agro edi europe
association set up twenty years
ago by agricultural organizations
to improve traceability and data
exchange between phytosanitary
suppliers and users is
standardizing remote-sensing
data. this new language should
be operational by the end of the
first half of 2016 and will apply in
particular to all drone operators.
cooperatives and chambers of
agriculture will be able to change

supplier more easily, says

bruno prpin, ceO of agro
edi europe. the association is
also working with the union
Franaise des semenciers
(uFs, a French trade association
for seed companies and plant
breeders) on seed production,
and in the poultry sector
to standardize computer data
among operators. this will
benefit French industrialists,
making them more productive
and distinctive, says prpin,
who hopes the French system
will be rolled out in europe.

each the company has just developed Ozs big brother: a

high-clearance robot called Anatis. This robot was designed
in collaboration with the French manufacturer Carr and is
for weeding land parcels bigger than ten hectares. But thats
not all it does since Anatis features 3D cameras and many
sensors to collect data on humidity, soil temperature, weed
infestation, density, and plant development stage.
Digital technology is also radically changing agricultural
research, leading technology institutes to adapt their research
programs. Two of Arvalis Plant Institutes experimental
farms are currently specialist digital farms. The first in
Boigneville (Essonne) specializes in arable crops, while the
second in Saint-Hilaire-en-Wovre (Meuse) specializes
in mixed farming and cattle rearing (beef production). By
the end of 2016, both farms will have implemented digital
production management, combining existing techniques with
test tools and prototypes from external companies.

A Phenotyping Experimental Station

Fundamental research is also adopting digital tools to

improve its efficiency. Since 2013, the French National
Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) has been working

d.R.

one of the main challenges is

to improve eco-friendly crop
management by limiting the use
of agricultural inputs.
Jacques mathieu, director of arvalis plant institute

32

with Arvalis on a national high-throughput cereal phenotyping program called Phnome. One of the main platforms
for this 24-million Euro project jointly funded by the French
Investment for the Future initiative is in the commune of
Ouzouer-le-March, deep in Le Loir-et-Cher. This site has
eight large, mobile greenhouses in the middle of a field.
Sensors measure rainfall, soil humidity, wind, etc. At the
far end of the land parcel is an imposing boom on a railmounted gantry. This boom fitted with many sensors and
cameras takes photos to analyze plants phenotype (i.e. their
physical characteristics) and chlorophyll content. The goal
is to create controlled water stress in plants and stop rain
falling on the plot, explains Yann Flodrops, director of the
experimental station. This pioneering European program will
help scientists select varieties consuming less inputs (water,
nitrogen, and pesticides) and identify phenotype genes.

Orlans Plant Digital valley

The advent of thousands or even millions pieces of agricultural data from fields and research programs presupposes
high-security data storage facilities. The INRA has built two
data centers one in Toulouse (Haute-Garonne) in 2014 and
another in Bruyres-le-Chtel (Essonne) in October 2015
which each cost four million Euros. The challenge is to
promote this data to third parties such as Thales, which
use it to simulate plant growth, says Franois Houllier,
president of INRA.
Although entering the digital era is a major change for
agriculture, digital projects and initiatives remain scattered.
Faced with global foreign giants at the cutting edge of agricultural digital technology such as John Deere and Monsanto
French projects urgently need to pool their efforts. Some
joint initiatives are starting to emerge: for example, the
three-year Smart Agriculture System project launched in
2014. This project brings together the Vgpolys, Crales
Valle, DREAM Eau & Milieux competitiveness clusters and
private groups such as Limagrain. Its purpose is to design an
innovative wheat modeling, yield forecasting, and decisionmaking system.
Seed companies will be able to market their seeds faster.
Farmers will be able to discover constraints more quickly,
predict water requirements, and increase production. This
will give a real competitive advantage, says an enthusiastic
Christian Saguez, CEO of the start-up CybeleTech, one of
the projects partners. Alongside this project, a plant digital
valley Agreen Tech Valley is to be established in Orlans
and its suburbs (Loiret) in 2017. This initiative is expected
to bring together several agricultural companies such as
Axral, Kuhn and Sofiprotol as well as the University of
Orlans. France has all the skills it needs to hold a strong
position in the international digital agriculture race. Were
well positioned on IT technology and agriculture. Its now up
to us to move into the industrial phase, says Saguez, who
is also vice-president of Agreen Tech Valley. In the future,
French agriculture will be distinguished by its technology
and Frances ability to export this technology, as well as by
its production. This is the challenge facing French agriculture
if it wishes to retain its world ranking.

31

European Pole

HPC BigData Simulation

Unlocking the future

Mastering technology
Industrial Research
Dissemination across industries
Teaching and training
International cooperations

Teaching
& Research

Industrial
companies

Contact & Information

Tel. +33 (0)9 70 65 02 10
jean-pascal.jegu@teratec.fr
Campus TERATEC
2 rue de la Piquetterie
91680 Bruyres-le-Chtel
France

Technology
33
companies

www.teratec.eu

simulatioN

PortfoLio

Nature revealed
Forces, movement, flow, growth and turbulence:
when simulation unveils the environment.
By Jean-Louis saLque and Bernard VidaL

tree growth
and crown
interaction.

34

simulatioN

distribution of carbon
dioxide emmisions in
earths atmosphere.

representation of ocean
surface temperature
in the Gulf of Mexico.

Chlorophyll
evolution
in an unstable
seabed.

Nasa ; INrIa - CIrad ; INrIa - CNrs ; CNrs ; TaCC

Wave dispersion
along the bow
of a boat.

Lusine nouVeLLe I N 3464 supplEmENT I aprIl 14 2016

35

simulatioN

Modeling
atmospheric
dispersion
of pollutants.

representation of
the magnetic field in
the earths core.
Vortex lines
of a tornado.

Propagation
of seismic waves
throughout
the planet.

earths magnetic
fields.

36

simulatioN

trajectory of air
particles around
a sailboat.

Modeling
a north atlantic
type ocean.

OpTIfluIdEs ; CNrs ; TaCC ; uCsC ; INrIa-CNrs ; uNIvErsIT dE Jyvshyl (fINlaNdE)

Modeling
the temperature of
currents at a depth
of 30 meters off the
Cape of Good Hope.

3d visualization
of fluid flow
in porous rock.
Lusine nouVeLLe I N 3464 supplEmENT I aprIl 14 2016

37

simulation

Virtual-reality helmets help train staff to use machines without disrupting production.

aFFoRDaBlE
immERsion FoR
EVERYonE
The advent of mass virtual reality will benefit
companies especially small ones by making
immersive simulation more accessible.
BY Julien Bergounhoux

38

omputer-aided design (CAD) is the traditional bastion

of virtual reality. Until now, only big groups were able
to invest in Cave Automatic Virtual Environments
(CAVEs) rooms equipped with projectors for virtual-environment work e.g. to enter and interact in simulated cockpits.
These companies have devoted huge amounts of money to
virtual reality: Renault spent three million euros on a CAVE
in 2013. The cost of this technology has limited its take-up.
Nevertheless, CAVEs make huge profits for manufacturers. It
took the car manufacturer Jaguar just three weeks to make a
return on a CAVE costing 3 million. Big manufacturers such
as Dassault Aviation stopped making physical mock-ups a
long time ago and now design their products using virtual
reality, from the assembly line to maintenance.

FroM FighTer PlAneS To eleCTriCAl APPliAnCeS

The advent of HMDs (head-mounted displays) for immersive simulation are changing this model. By significantly
reducing costs which have dropped from around a million
to approximately a thousand or even a hundred Euros
HMDs have made virtual reality affordable for all compa-

Seb Kuntz ; D.R.

VirTuAl reAliTY

simulation

JEUDI 9 JUIN 2016 - PARIS

it wont be easy for

CAVes to survive

FaBiEn BaRati
CEO and cofounder of Emissive
have you noticed more
interest in virtual reality?
Yes. Weve been working in
this field for the past ten
years. Over the past few
months, weve sensed that
demand is increasing.
It hasnt yet rocketed,
but its really growing.
Will these helmets replace
existing equipment, even in
big companies?
I dont see how CAVEs
[Ed. note: rooms with
projectors, for virtual-

environment work] will

survive since theyre very
expensive to install and
maintain. Even projector
light bulbs are almost as
expensive as investing in
virtual helmets. I think
its a decision that will be
made quickly, especially
since CAVEs dont provide
any additional advantages.
Their multi-user dimension
is very limited.
What are you setting up using
these systems?
Were working on The
Enemy, a documentary
pitting visitors against
enemy combatants in an
armed conflict. The
documentary combines
ten connected helmets
in the same virtual
environment and will
enable visitors to move
about in an area covering
200-300 m2.

e date !
Rservez votr

CONFRENCE

La data cest la sant !

AVEC LA PARTICIPATION
EXCEPTIONNELLE DE

Thomas LANDRAIN

Nathalie MAUBON

Malika MIR

Pascale SAUVAGE

Prsident
LA PAILLASSE

Prsidente
HCS PHARMA

Chief Information & Digital Officer Directrice de la stratgie

IPSEN PHARMA
ASIP
Malika MIR revient sur la transformation digitale dIPSEN Pharma

nies, even the smallest design offices. This technology was

previously limited to planes, boats and cars, but is now used
as at the German company Miele for kitchen appliances.
Virtual-reality solutions are not limited to viewing images.
When connected to systems either hand-held peripherals
or motion sensors they enable users to interact naturally
with their virtual environment, and even move about in it
[see box on following page].
The advantage of virtual reality compared to screen-based
3D representation is that images are viewed life-size and in
spatial dimensions. When plans on CAD software are hard
for non-specialists to understand, all relevant departments
(marketing, maintenance, and even end clients) can be
involved at the very early stages of a products life cycle.
This collaboration can also be achieved remotely since the
relevant parties can come together in a virtual environment
from several physical sites.

AnTiCiPATing uSeS

Virtual reality can also simulate use in real conditions,

especially for architecture. For example, it helps architects

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simulation

decide whether people will have the sun in their eyes in a

particular location, or if a room will be cramped once its been
furnished. This applies to all work areas. For example, virtual
reality can integrate virtual humans to test the ergonomics
of assembly line workstations before they are built.
Neuromarketing is another example. Virtual reality could
replace conventional market studies, which use imitation
stores, display cases, and products. Companies will be able
to create their own virtual supermarkets, which are much
cheaper and can be configured however they like. These
supermarkets will enable every aspect of an experiment to
be simulated and recorded. In addition, their settings can
be changed according to where customers go in them and
what they look at.

training e.g. train-checking procedures for several years

now. Virtual environments do not disorientate people, even
non-technical staff. They also take up far less room, provide
more exhaustive training (every possible configuration can
be gone over as often as you like), and are much quicker to
set up. This technology also facilitates distance training of
both large groups and handfuls of students, even when they
are geographically scattered.
Staff can be trained to use new equipment before it is installed. Even after equipment is up and running, simulation
enables staff to train without holding up production. Lastly,
this technology is more accessible and provides a completely
safe setting in which to raise staff awareness of high-risk
environments. For example, fire-fighters or staff in specific
industrial settings (nuclear power stations, oil rigs, etc.).
There are now applications for virtual reality in medical
settings: it helps medical students view the full complexity
of the human body, learn about anatomy in detail, diagnose
virtual patients, and even practice operations.

SiMPliFYing AnD Pooling TrAining

Apart from design, training is another area that will be

transformed by virtual reality. Here too, big companies such
as SNCF have been using virtual reality solutions for staff

thREE solutions to KEEp an EYE on

oCuluS riFT

SPREADING THE WORD

Price 699 euros
Release Date March 2016
Manufacturer Oculus,
a Facebook subsidiary

hololenS

THE ALTERNATIVE
OPTION
Price 3,000 dollars
Release Date March 2016
Manufacturer Microsoft

hTC ViVe

THE MOST COMPLETE

SOLUTION
Price 799 dollars
Release Date April 1st, 2016

D.R.

Manufacturer HTC

40

Oculus Rift is behind the revival of virtual reality helmets.

the project was launched in 2012 and the start-ups
growing success led to its buy-out by Facebook in
March 2014. two years later, the definitive version of
this helmet is about to be released. Oculus touch
two controllers designed for completely natural
interaction in virtual environments will also be released
for use with this solution. Rift helmets are the yardstick
by which other solutions should measure themselves.
Microsoft has taken another route with its HoloLens
helmet. Instead of preventing users from seeing the
world around them, this helmet superimposes holograms
on it to enhance users vision. the helmet is not just a
user interface; it is also a fully autonomous computer in
its own right. It runs on Windows 10 and is hence
compatible with many applications, enabling interaction
with virtual elements and motion sensors. unlike Oculus
and HtC, Microsofts priority target is professional use.

this helmet is coproduced by HtC (a smartphone

manufacturer) and Valve (software vendor of the Steam
platform, which has revolutionized the sale of online
games). It rivals Oculus Rift helmets and features
distinctive Lighthouse base stations, which are placed
in the corner of a room so that users can move about in
a virtual environment. the HtC Vive helmet also has a
camera, enabling users to see transparent silhouettes of
the real world while in the virtual world by simply pressing
a button.

DISRUPT THE INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPE

G/OM/16.21/A Images courtesy of EADS Innovation Works and Ford.

INNOVATE WITH VIRTUAL PROTOTYPING

BRING YOUR PRODUC T TO LIFE VIRTUALLY:

Build, test and experience your virtual prototype
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41

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simulation

although most cars already have automated-driving features, the transition to full automation is not going to happen overnight.

tHE QuEst FoR

FullY autonomous
VEHiClEs
Before autonomous vehicles take to our roads,
engineers and researchers are using simulation
to improve their performance in all situations.
by Frdric Parisot

42

he 2015 ITS world congress in Bordeaux included a

demonstration of half-a-dozen cars in autonomous
mode. Car manufacturers, auto parts companies, and
engineers, they all came to show off their wares. However,
the race towards autonomous vehicles is not over yet. There
remain many challenges especially in simulation since
autonomous vehicles are not ready for the average driver.
Although automation technology exists, we need to make
it cheaper and ensure it works in every situation, says Marc
Charlet, general manager of Moveo competitiveness cluster.
Most features of autonomous vehicles are now available as
advanced driver assistance systems. They are included in all
current executive models; from emergency braking and adaptive cruise control to traffic jam assistants. But according to
the SAE international standard J3016 on automated driving,
these are level 3 automation features. Although vehicles can
self-drive in some situations, drivers must be ready to take
control again at any moment. Level 4 automation, where the
vehicle can cope with any situation even if the driver does not
retake control of the steering wheel, has yet to be achieved.
Simulation engineers and researchers have a major role to

D.R. ; InRIa / J. Wallace

dEsiGN oFFicE

simulation

play in reaching this goal. Were working on three aspects to

produce decision-making autonomous vehicles: knowledge of
the surrounding environment, understanding situations, and
calculating safe trajectories conforming to various comfort and
fuel-economy criteria, says Frdric Mathis, director of the
Vehicles program at the VEDECOM Institute.
To find their way around, autonomous vehicles have
sensors and image-recognition algorithms that identify
road markings, traffic lights, and road signs. But that is not
enough; autonomous vehicles need to communicate with
other road users and with the road infrastructure to anticipate
as many situations as possible. Although communication
standards exist, they remain to be applied. Were developing
simulation platforms for inter-vehicle communication,
confirms Bruno Grandjean, program director at Vhicule
du Futur competitiveness cluster. The idea is to put real
vehicles into a virtual environment, which can be controlled
and hence replicated. We then test communication between
various makes of car model and simulate ramp-up, when
thousands of vehicles are communicating with one another
simultaneously.
Once vehicles can find their way around, they must be
able to identify high-risk situations. There are some real
challenges for perception systems since vehicles encounter
all sorts of objects on roads. To avoid overreacting, autonomous vehicles must distinguish between genuine obstacles
and those presenting no danger. Were using sensor fusion
to tackle these issues, says Vincent Abadie, head of innovation for advanced driver assistance systems at PSA Peugeot
Citron. According to Sbastien Glaser, team leader of the
Autonomous Vehicle project at the VEDECOM Institute,
sensor fusion has become the key to success in recent years:
Accidents are caused by a combination of various factors,
for example, when roads are wet and drivers have the sun in
their eyes. We need to develop databases of sensor signals
from all these situations and then use them in our simulation
models. This will enable us to check that at least one sensor
can detect obstacles in poor driving conditions.

Making the right decisions

Once vehicles know their surrounding environment and

have identified situations, they must be able to make the
right decisions. To work out the rules for this, were developing decision tree-based expert systems, explains Fawzi
Nashashibi, research director at the French National Institute
for Research in Computer Science and Automation (INRIA).
Weve integrated advanced mathematical techniques
such as fuzzy logic since cars have to ask themselves many
questions to make apparently simple decisions (whether to
accelerate, brake, overtake, etc.). For example, they need to
know whether they are complying with the Highway Code,
whether their fuel consumption is reasonable, and whether
it will be comfortable for passengers when they brake. All
this requires constant real-time optimization of criteria.
Technology for constant optimization is very IT-intensive.
Weve opted for staged simulation, explains Glaser. First,
we simulate features in an ideal environment. Then we
introduce error using another simulator. Finally, we use a
lusiNE NouvEllE I n 3464 SuPPleMenT I aPRIl 14 2016

star French companies

behind the Wheel

ever since setting up the national

Institute for Transport and Safety
Research (InReTS) in 1985,
France has been a leading
supplier of autonomous-vehicle
technology. The French national
Institute for Research in
computer Science and
automation (InRIa) in particular
supplies many car manufacturers
and auto parts companies. France
has a network of recognized
SMes in this sector. French
simulation expertise includes

Voxelia specializing in road

traffic engineering and
cIVITec, whose multicriteria
simulation platform Pro-SiVIc
is used to validate autonomousvehicle features. France also has
algorithm champions: nexyad, a
signal processing specialist
supplying road- and obstacledetection modules; Datasio,
which has developed big databased analytics tools; and Innov+,
for driver vigilance monitoring
devices.

third simulator to compare the results with the trajectory

chosen by a human being in a similar situation. For Dominique Gruyer, director of the Vehicle Infrastructure Driver
Interactions (VIVIC) laboratory at the French Institute of
Science and Technology for Transport, Development and
Networks (IFSTTAR), the main difficulty lies in the diversity
of phenomena to be represented: Simulating each scenario
involves modeling road features, other road users, obstacles,
the surrounding environment, as well as the drivers concentration level and direction of sight. Different simulation
motors are used for each scenario. Car manufacturers still
have work to do if they want to bring out their first level 4
autonomous vehicles by 2018.
43

simulation

iNNovaTioN

networks of
ConneCted objeCts,
its a Challenge
Vast emerging networks of connected objects and
sensors will force this sector to use simulation,
says Wind Rivers Michel Genard.
by SylvaiN aRNulf

or the time being, all is well on the Internet of Things.

Deployment of networks for sensors and connected
objects is still largely at the small-scale experimental
stage. But projects involving the Internet of Things (IoT) in
smart cities, business and industry 4.0 which are integrating sensors into logistics, road and airport infrastructures,
etc. are expected to pick up pace. As a result, there will be
hundreds of millions of connected objects and widespread
network interconnections, giving rise to increasingly complex
systems of systems. We will have to oversee the deployment
of connected objects themselves, as well as their software
configuration, links to gateways and hubs, and communication
with cloud-based exchanges. This is a real challenge. The
hardest thing is not independently connecting millions or
even billions of objects, but rather creating millions of systems
that will themselves depend on millions of systems, warns
Michel Genard, a French expat in California who is vice-president of the simulation tools & lifecycle solutions department
at Wind River, an American embedded software company (a
division of Intel). For the IoT to create value, even smarter,
and hence complex, networks will have to be devised. Were
talking about systems that can detect breakdowns, issue
alerts and reconfigure themselves completely autonomously
on a large scale involving thousands of objects and sensors,
sums up Genard.

D.R.

very early simulation

Using simulation at the very early stages of projects would

be the best way to create these high-performance systems. Simulation would help design, configure, and size systems, as
well as simulate how they operate during use to ensure they
are ready as soon as they are deployed. Virtual simulation
of every component in physical systems is already possible.
Each object with its software, memory, processor, battery,
radio chip, etc. is reconstructed virtually. The network
environment is also recreated to take real operating conditions into account. It is thus possible to design a networks
architecture and then carry out a battery of tests to see how
each component reacts. The more simulators anticipate, the
44

Simulation tools for networks of connected

objects are ready, but underutilized.
Were still spreading the word about
them, says Wind Rivers Michel Genard.
Nevertheless, some pioneers have started
using these tools. Were working with a
Japanese company that designed a smart

meter with a European industrialist.

They simulated 1,000 meters on a system
to see early on how it was going to react.
Simulation was used to assess the impact
of radio-signal power, weather,
environment, building position, etc.
on the systems configuration.

more protection there is from breakdowns and bugs. But it

is impossible to anticipate everything. Simulation tools are
therefore mobilized throughout a networks lifecycle. IoT
systems are by definition never finished, underlines Genard.
Applications are regularly updated by cloud services.

Replicating breakdowns to understand them

Simulation is also very useful in the event of breakdowns.

Simulators can replicate breakdowns; theyre a bit like the
film Avatar the real and virtual worlds coexist in them. As
a result of simulations infinite computing power, we have
control over time; we can pause, rewind or fast forward,
says Genard. It takes just 1 second to do what would
normally take 100 or 1,000. This works when pinpointing
incidents in real life or when predicting them. Simulation
is an essential investment, especially compared with the
cost of potential massive breakdowns. Time control is
priceless. We need to reason in terms of the cost of system
failure and its impact on business rather than focusing on
development costs, says Genard decisively. This factor is
even more important for sensor networks linked to critical
businesses such as water and energy, for which security
issues are paramount.

Simulation-driven Innovation

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Altair has just released HyperWorks 14.0, its latest simulation software suite.
With over 2,100 new features and convenient licensing that gives instant
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45
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simulation

aeronautics

solaR imPulsE
100% CalCulatED

Consulting and engineering firm Altran used an

unconventional approach to design a solar-powered
airplane. Soon they will use the same method to
draw up flight plans.
by Jean-Franois Prevraud

olar Impulse is a pure product of simulation. Altran

had to go back to the drawing board to design a solarpowered airplane capable not only of circumnavigating
the globe but also of predicting every flight situation and establishing the best routes. To pull off a project like this, you have
to constantly push the limits without going too far. Simulation
helped us to achieve this, says Christian Le Liepvre, who is in
charge of the Solar Impulse project at the Altran Foundation
for Innovation. So how did engineers simulate a project like
this one, without any experience to draw on? We were well
beyond the realm of conventional simulation, which adjusts
virtual reality to the real world. Thats why we used unconventional exploratory simulation, explains Christophe Besau,
an advanced simulation expert at Altran.

an airplane behavioral Model

Conventional simulation represents physics as explained by

the general theory of systems. But innovation moves beyond
existing engineering knowledge. And the further away you
move, the more the experts disagree on how to achieve
desired outcomes. Before anything is settled, simulation is
therefore used to optimize design processes. This ensures
the best possible solutions to problems, using currently or
shortly available technology. Since the end of the 1990s,
weve been developing mathematical methods and tools to
analyze complexity. Our goal is to establish the most direct
routes for problem-solving and find ways to build exploratory
simulation models, continues Besau. Exploratory simulation gives mathematical rather than physical (by definition

AltrAn

unconventional simulation
is a wonderful opportunity
to change how we think about
problems.
Christophe Besau, an advanced simulation expert at Altran

46

solar impulses flight trajectory calculated using altrans simulation model.

unknown) representations of systems. It enables IT experts

to create unconventional simulation models containing
enough physical representation to guide engineers. Using
25,000 parameters, this approach helped make design decisions for the Solar Impulse in eighteen months rather than
the five years needed for conventional simulation backed up
by physical tests. This method enabled us to recommend
a four- rather than two-engine approach, recounts Besau.
We also built an airplane behavioral model to assess various
design options, some of which such as slenderness are
counterintuitive and completely unlike gliders slenderness.

a tailor-Made supercomputer

Before constructing the airplane, unconventional simulation

of virtual flights was used to validate its in-flight behavior and
simulate its mission, i.e. virtually fly the airplane behavioral
model on a given route in the most likely flight conditions.
These conditions were established using weather forecasts
from the American National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration and were updated every six hours. The
energy efficiency aspect of flight feasibility was also validated using unconventional simulation. This year, well
be taking into account fifty probabilistic weather scenarios
for each flight, thus increasing opportunities for takeoff,
explains Le Liepvre. To this end, Altran has developed its
own supercomputer, with about ten teraflops of computing
power and optimum architecture for running very large-scale
unconventional simulation. Its a wonderful opportunity to
step up the pace by changing how we think about problems,
concludes Besau.

European pole of competence

HPC BigData Simulation

Teratec Campus

CEA Very Large

Computing Center
An infrastructure for high-end HPC, open to
industrials partners with
CCRT Centre de Calcul Recherche et technologie.
1.4 Pop/s of secured parallel computing power, made
available to large industrial companies, sharing
competencies,costs and innovations through
sustainable partnerships with CEA.

Industry. Large companies, SMEs and start-up companies

develop their activities at TERATEC campus, all along the high

performance IT value chain from components and
system levels to software and applications.

www-hpc.cea.fr

Research. Several research teams work at

TERATEC Campus to investigate new usages of HPC
and harness and deploy new heavy computing
and Big Data technologies.

www.teratec.eu

Contacts & Informations

Teratec

jean-pascal.jegu@teratec.fr
Tel. +33 (0)9 70 65 02 10
Campus Teratec
2 rue de la Piquetterie
91680 Bruyres-le-Chtel - France

Contacts & Informations

CEA - TGCC - CCRT

47

christine.menache@cea.fr
Tel. +33 (0)1 69 26 62 56
TGCC
2 rue de la Piquetterie
91680 Bruyres-le-Chtel - France

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