Engineering and health services

How can IMT bring in its technical skills and expertise in humanities and social sciences to serve a new approach to health

Advances in digital technology have enabled us to take a radically different approach to health where, while remaining patient-centered, we move away from a purely curative paradigm, to move towards a predictive, preventive, participatory, collective and instrumented paradigm that allows us to conceive of the health of all as a “collective good”.

The entire healthcare system must therefore be redesigned to take into account advances in science and technology, digital technology and its uses, and to bring together the various players in the healthcare sector: patients, the medical profession, professionals from social services and caregivers, but also researchers and engineers capable of applying technological progress to medical and societal innovations.

Our interdisciplinary approach allows us to develop new concepts and technological breakthroughs in line with these challenges.

To accompany these emerging developments, IMT’s unique and original positioning lies in the fact that its schools possess the skills required to address new issues in a transversal and multidisciplinary way by combining several approaches:

Technological innovations, in line with systemic developments
Consideration of uses and their acceptability and evaluation
Medico-economic evaluation, analysis of markets and economic models

The recognized skills of our researchers allow us to develop, experiment and demonstrate new solutions in such varied fields as:

Medical devices
Bioelectronics
Hospital engineering
Assistance with diagnosis, therapy and patient follow-up
E-health
Galenic formulation…

Our success stories

Mines Saint-Étienne at the forefront of anti-covid mask testing
This is a first in France: in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, a laboratory at the Mines Saint-Étienne school was certified to test the effectiveness of surgical masks using pathogenic aerosol, an expertise only carried out in a few countries.

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Digital twins in health, mirage or reality?
Digital twins, already well established in industry, are becoming increasingly important in the health sector. Their potential field of application is very vast, both in terms of diagnosis and therapy, but they are still essentially a research field.

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Watch the video with Franck Fontanili on the digital twin

Tattooing: another step towards secure health data
It is possible to hide information about the owner of this hand in the pixels of the X-ray. This is the principle of tattooing.

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Creation of the UMR EuroMov Digital Health in Motion
The HCERES has given a favourable opinion for the creation in January 2021 of the UMR EuroMov DHM in co-tutorship between the University of Montpellier and IMT Mines Alès, at the crossroads of human movement, health and digital sciences.

EuroMov website

Projects Chairs Joint laboratories Plateforms Start-ups

Research on the biomechanics of the aortic wall (a world first) and predictive modeling in cardiovascular surgery (ERC fellowships for Stéphane APRIL and Pierre BADEL of Mines Saint-Étienne)
The FAMAS project (ANR RA-COVID) on the optimization of an experimental testbed of bacterial filtration effectiveness measurements of surgical masks according to the EN 14683 standard, as well as the determination of the level of prediction of these regulatory measures in terms of viral filtration effectiveness (Mines Saint-Étienne)
The AMADEUS project (ANR) on the development of ex vivo anatomical models for the pulmonary delivery of aerosols for obstructive pathologies (asthma, COPD, idiopathic fibrosis) (Mines Saint-Étienne)
INCA research projects to reduce smoking focus on the toxicological and pharmacological impact of nicotine salts used in electronic cigarette fluids.
The European project CITY4AGE develops tools and services for the well-being of older people in cities (DG IMT)
The PULSE project (Participatory Urban Living for Sustainable Environments) leverages diverse data sources and big data analysis to transform public health from a reactive to a predictive system, and from a surveillance-based system to an inclusive and collaborative system supporting health equity (DG IMT)
The FollowKnee project (RHU) aims to develop a connected knee prosthesis, with a set of innovations: sensors embedded in the prosthesis, for early detection of infection or a mechanical defect in the prosthesis. Data security. Optimization of rehabilitation and post-operative follow-up. Manufacture of a custom-made prosthesis using 3D printing. Augmented reality tools for the installation of the prosthesis (IMT Atlantique)
NeuralMetaTracts is developing original methods for visualizing and analyzing white matter fiber bundles in the brain, allowing real-time navigation through sets of millions of fibers (Télécom Paris)
The STAP project (ANR-FAPESP):Spatial and temporal analysis of pediatric magnetic resonance images (Télécom Paris)
TRT_cSVD (RHU): From target identification to next-generation therapies for small-vessel brain diseases (Télécom Paris)
As part of the France Genomics 2025 plan, the AURAGEN project (a very high throughput sequencing platform) will enable us to enter the era of genomic medicine by providing more personalized diagnostic and therapeutic care through routine sequencing of individual genomes (Mines Saint-Etienne)
EnTimeMent project (H2020-FETPROACT) – Training and synchronization at multiple TIME scales in the MENTal foundations of expressive gesture. (IMT Mines Alès, LGI2P)
The DnarXiv project (Labex CominLabs) is developing technology for secure storage of data on DNA molecules (IMT Atlantique)
The M4P project (PIA) aims to create a secure clinical database on diabetes, with a view to improving the management, study and research on this disease, which affects 3.7 million people in France (IMT Atlantique)
MAIA (ANR) project: Multiphysical image-based analysis for understanding brain development in premature babies. This project aims to improve our knowledge of the brain development of premature babies by developing new methods for analyzing brain data (MRI, EEG, NIRS) (IMT Atlantique)
ModAVC project (FRM): Computational biophysical modeling to study the impact of neonatal strokes on brain growth. Using MRI scans of newborn brains and computer models of brain growth, the project aims to detect critical events such as neonatal strokes and predict their impact on brain development in children in order to improve management (IMT Atlantique)
DynaLearn project (Labex CominLabs): Dynamic Modeling for Machine Learning. This project aims to develop a mathematical framework for a better understanding of learning methods seen as dynamic systems, with applications in image analysis and in particular in medical image synthesis (IMT Atlantique)
A research program based on the IRON lab (Laboratory of Excellence on Innovative Radiopharmaceuticals in Nuclear Oncology) and the SIRIC ILIAD (Integrated Research of Excellence in Cancerology) which aims to develop social science research (Management and Sociology) on medical innovation and risk management to improve patient care (IMT Atlantique)
RISE e-Well project (STIC AmSud) aims to look at the evolution of elderly people at home over time, including the management of chronic diseases (IMT Lille Douai, Télécom SudParis, UTC, SAMU92 and South American partners – Chile with Univ Valparaiso, Uruguay with ICT4V, Colombia with the National University of Colombia, Brazil with UFES/IFES/UFC-)
As part of the research conducted by the 2Seas 3DMed (Interreg) project, innovative, lightweight, functionalized and personalized medical devices (prostheses, implants, etc.) are being developed and created using additive manufacturing (IMT Lille Douai)
The FWV 3D4Med project (Interreg) aims to produce medical objects made of innovative materials (synthesis and formulation of materials) using additive manufacturing to promote human tissue reconstruction (IMT Lille Douai)
Project on the degradation of biomedical materials using an additive manufacturing process (Arburg Plastic Freeforming) (IMT Lille Douai and the Royal Institute of Technology KTH)
The HIT, Disability, Innovation project, Territoire, aims to develop innovative solutions in terms of technology, organization, society and uses, leading to the structuring of an inclusive territory for all citizens with disabilities, and to the development of “Handicapowerment”. This project is led by Lorient Agglomération and the Centre Mutualiste de Rééducation et de Réadaptation Fonctionnelles (CMRRF) of Kerpape (IMT Atlantique)
The CoCaps project (FUI), coordinated by the company LEGRAND, aims to design and implement low-cost intelligent sensors in smart homes and smart offices, in order to provide relevant information on the presence and behavior of one or more users and to optimize energy efficiency, autonomy and user comfort, as well as user safety (Télécom SudParis)
The LUNGMANYSCALE project (ANR blanc) aims to better understand lung mechanics from the scale of the alveola to the whole organ in healthy lung and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and to improve the diagnosis and prognosis of IPF by numerical modeling (Télécom SudParis)
Thesis by Laetitia Jeancolas recognized by the Fondation Mines-Télécom in 2020 “Early detection of Parkinson’s disease by voice analysis and correlations with neuroimaging” (Télécom SudParis)

Chair in Medical Imaging for Interventional Therapies (IMT Atlantique)
Chair in the Future of Digital Health (IMT Atlantique)
Chair in Augmented Operating Theater Innovation (IMT)
AI4Child Chair: AI for pediatric neurorehabilitation: The objective of this project is to bring together cross-disciplinary expertise in data-driven modeling, image analysis, radiology and pediatric neurorehabilitation to achieve breakthroughs in early interventions for children with cerebral palsy (IMT Atlantique)
Chair in Modeling, Characterization and Control of Exposures to Electromagnetic Waves (Telecom Paris and IMT Atlantique)
International Chair of the RFI Atlanstic 2020 of Pays de la Loire “Augmented Reality Technology and Innovative Solutions for Telemedicine” (IMT Atlantique)
M@D Chair: Assistance for Maintenance @ Home (IMT Atlantique)

IMAG2: Computational anatomy for image-guided surgery. Researchers at Télécom Paris are working with a team from Necker on the development of a comprehensive framework for the visualization, exploration and analysis of the anatomy of pediatric patients, with a particular focus on abdominal surgery applications.
IMA-Brain : Researchers at Télécom Paris are working with the Ima-Brain team (INSERM team at IPNP) which is looking at quantitative biomarkers extracted from brain images (mainly MRI) for diagnostic or prognostic purposes.
The joint laboratory SePEMeD (Joint Laboratory on Security and Processing of Externalized Medical Image Data), created in collaboration with the company Medecom, focuses on the security of outsourced medical imaging data, particularly in the cloud.

XEMIS – Positon-Gamma Emission Medical Imaging
Plenimage – High-resolution wide-field microscopy
Hadaptic – EVIDENT – Digital tools for the development of addiction support systems
GALA – Development of multi-structured materials
Experiment’HAAL – Human Ambient Assisting Living
EDMOS – Evaluation of Medical Devices in Dentistry and Stomatology
BISTRO – Bioinformatics platform
BioMICA – Bioimaging for health
AVEROS – Verasonics – Interventional High Resolution Ultrasound Imaging
ALCOVES – AnaLysis of Volatile Organic Compounds and their Impact on the Environment and Health
ONIVOA – Digital Instrumental Optics and Augmented Vision
#Futuremedicine – Living Lab
FAME cluster – Human Factors for Medical Technologies, on the design of human-centered medical technologies with the School of Surgery and Interventional Practice of Nantes University Hospital.
Balance/Proprio – motion and posture analysis with smartphones and inertial sensors
Eco-comfort – a living lake for activity analysis.

Start-ups resulting from our research and incubators +

SEVENHUGS a smart health start-up, connected health, Quantified Self, Well-Being. Two fund-raising rounds of €1.5 million in 2015, then €13 million in 2016
IMASCAP has certified its software device to guide surgeons during complex shoulder surgery. It is now used in more than 900 centers in 22 countries around the world. It was acquired in 2017 by Wright Medical
The start-up PREDISURGE assists surgeons in the choice of the prosthesis, its customization and its implantation in the operating room by developing software to digitally simulate the effect of a surgically placed aortic stent and to predict its effectiveness.
DeepORoffers a solution for operating room management using image analysis. The platform allows monitoring and optimizing the use of hospital operating rooms to help make real-time decisions on resource allocation.
Stella Surgical – Artificial learning for the evaluation of the steatosis rate of liver transplants – from the IMT Mines Alès incubator
Semaxone – Artificial Learning for Analysis of Pilots’ Biophysiological Data – from the IMT Mines Alès incubator
Resilient Innovation: a medical device for patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases – from the IMT Mines Alès incubator
WaToo is a startup specialized in the fight against the leakage and falsification of sensitive data.

Engineering and health services

How can IMT bring in its technical skills and expertise in humanities and social sciences to serve a new approach to health

Technological innovations, in line with systemic developments

Consideration of uses and their acceptability and evaluation

Medico-economic evaluation, analysis of markets and economic models

Medical devices

Bioelectronics

Hospital engineering

Assistance with diagnosis, therapy and patient follow-up

E-health

Galenic formulation…

Our success stories

IMT

IMT’s graduate schools

Subsidiary schools

Accreditation and key partners