Laboratory for Analysis and Architecture of Systems

Laboratory for Analysis and Architecture of Systems

Abbreviation	LAAS-CNRS
Formation	1968
Founder	Jean Lagasse
Type	Research laboratory
Legal status	Unité Propre de Recherche (UPR)
Purpose	Academic research
Professional title	UPR 8001
Location	Toulouse, France
Coordinates	43.563545°N 1.476923°E / 43.563545; 1.476923
Region	Occitanie
Fields	Information Science and Technologies
Membership	Renatech, EuroNanoLab, IRN EURALIMMS
Affiliations	CNRS
Website	https://www.laas.fr/en/
Remarks	“Always higher, always further in creativity and the joy of being together" (Jean Lagasse, founder of LAAS-CNRS)
Formerly called	Laboratory of Automation and its Space Applications
Unité Propre de Recherche (UPR): A research laboratory exclusively affiliated with CNRS.

The Laboratory for Analysis and Architecture of Systems, LAAS-CNRS (French: Laboratoire d'analyse et d'architectures des systèmes, LAAS-CNRS) is a research laboratory affiliated to the French National Centre for Scientific Research (French: Centre national de la recherche scientifique, CNRS). LAAS-CNRS is recognised as a leading research unit in France with outstanding scientific influence by the High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (Hcéres).

The facility is located near other important higher education facilities in Toulouse, France: the Paul Sabatier University, SUPAERO, the ENAC, the INSA, as well as other research centers (the ONERA and the CNES).

Founded in 1968, LAAS-CNRS has grown significantly. As of January 1, 2019, the laboratory consists of 577 people, including researchers, technical and administrative staff, and doctoral students, and is organised into 24 research groups across 6 scientific departments.

LAAS conducts cutting-edge research in computer science, robotics, automation, and micro and nano systems. In addition to its core research, LAAS actively promotes interdisciplinary collaboration through four strategic areas: Ambient Intelligence, Living Systems (including biology, environment, and medicine), Space, and Energy.

History

Jean Lagasse founded LAAS-CNRS in 1968, first known as the Laboratory of Automation and its Space Applications (French: Laboratoire d'automatique et de ses applications spatiales) when automation was still a young field, computing was emerging, and robotics was in its infancy. Space exploration was a major scientific and geopolitical driver, and Lagasse convinced CNRS to establish a lab focused on automation and space applications.

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

Activities

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

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

Department Name	Acronym	Research Focus
Decision and Optimization	DO	Design of mathematical laws and algorithmic techniques dedicated to control and decision problems.
Energy Management	GE	Addresses the challenges of energy efficiency and contribute to sustainable development.
Microwaves and Optics: from Electromagnetism to Systems	HOPES	Exploitation of optical and microwave approaches to meet the challenges posed by the future Internet of Things and machine-to-machine communication.
Micro Nano Bio Technologies	MNBT	Development of innovative materials, technologies, and devices with the aim of addressing crucial societal challenges.
Trustworthy Computing Systems and Networks	RISC	Development of innovative solutions for the design, dimensioning, architecture, analysis, supervision and operational deployment of complex communicating networks and systems and associated applications.
Robotics	ROB	Development of a multi-thematic field of research focusing on the development of perception, decision, movement generation and communication functions for robots, intended to be tested in real, uncontrolled environments. It is equipped with a very complete robotic platform.

These six scientific research departments represent twenty-four teams.

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

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

Platforms

LAAS-CNRS counts six platforms :

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

National and EU Research Networks

Renatech Network

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

EuroNanoLab Network

Renatech is part of EuroNanoLab, a distributed research infrastructure consisting of over 40 nanofabrication centers across Europe . Its goal is to accelerate research in micro- and nanotechnology by integrating fragmented facilities into a unified platform, providing researchers with quick access to state-of-the-art equipment and expertise. EuroNanoLab focuses on key areas such as quantum technologies, 2D materials, nanobiosciences, neuromorphic computing, and space exploration. It also facilitates the rapid transfer of technology to start-ups and SMEs. The initiative aims to address societal challenges in energy, health, and the environment and seeks international recognition as an ESFRI project.

EuroNanoLab is inspired by the NNIN (National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network) in the US, which began in 2004, and follows a similar model of integrating research centers to provide collaborative access to nanofabrication resources.

International Collaborations

Launch of the IRN EURALIMMS network

On October 10-11, 2024, the EURALIMMS IRN Europe/Asia network project was launched at the University of Tokyo, Japan, by a member of LAAS-CNRS. The network includes several leading institutions: CNRS (France), University of Tokyo (Japan), EPFL (Switzerland), NTU (Taiwan), University of Twente (Netherlands), SNU (South Korea), Helmholtz (Germany), and NUS/NTU (Singapore).

The project reinforces collaboration between European and Japanese researchers, fostering knowledge exchange and joint research initiatives. It actively promotes researcher mobility, enabling PhD students, engineers, and scientists to work across both regions, thereby cultivating a dynamic and interdisciplinary research ecosystem. Additionally, it drives the advancement of next-generation microsystems, tackling key challenges in healthcare, robotics, and energy-efficient technologies. With a strong emphasis on micro- and nanoscale innovations, its applications extend to biomedical engineering, sensor development, and advanced materials.

Furthermore, a LAAS-CNRS team member plays a pivotal role in this initiative by representing CNRS in the Bio Technologies axis.

See also

Official website