The French "department" of the Bouches du Rhône has the highest number of Research and Development employees working for the private sector, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur region. About 2,500 researchers and engineers, and 2,000 technicians and research-related administrative staff work in the Bouches du Rhône, totalling about half the R & D workforce in the PACA region.

In Provence, an innovation dynamic has arisen from the collaboration between different participants involved in the research into innovative multimedia creations, and new ways these can be used. This resarch is supported by well-known private sector participants in the smart card, micro-electronics, network and satellite industries.

Provence is recognised for research into new ways to create music, digital images and architecture. The region offers a multi-disciplinary research base for the emergence of 3D multimedia animation projects
This transversal dynamic is gathering pace in the Bouches-du-Rhône.

3D applications

In the city of Arles, Sup Infocom is internationally recognised for training and research into computer graphics and multimedia. The creation in 2004 of a cutting-edge training scheme dedicated to digital imagery make this a leading organisation for research into animation-related activities.

In Marseille, research into digital imagery by local or international participants from both the private and public sector, is centred on the following partnerships

The National Organisation for Scientific Research (known in France as CNRS) in co-operation with the research group LXAO (Computer Aided Modelling Conception and Reconstruction) of the LSIS (Information and Systems Science Laboratory) (UMR 6168) to research computer graphics and computer-aided-design (CAD). Several research projects have been developed in collaboration with companies, institutions and students mainly at doctorate level at the Aix-Marseille University and the Luminy Advanced Engineering School (l’ESIL). The public sector researchers responsible for distributing content are associated with joint experiments involving the CEA Cadarache, the BRGM, Matra-Datavision and Dassault Systèmes. A national project entitled "Cœur Battant" (the heart-beat) groups together 7 laboratories, 5 university teaching-hospitals and 2 companies.

Laboratory work by the GAMSAU (Groupe de recherche pour l’application de méthodes scientifiques à l’architecture et à l’urbanisme – the Research Group for the Application of Scientific Methods to Architecture and to Urbanism) focuses on the elaboration of models of simulation tools in architecture and on the presentation of architectural heritage by computer-generated images.

The interaction between a number of large industrial groups centres around several major participants such as Alcatel Space in Cannes, or Eurocopter in Marignane.


Micro-electronics and Baby Gems (a spin-off from Gemplus)

In Provence, one thread of research is linked to the upstream activities of the micro-electronic zone near Rousset and to the innovation by participants recognised for the conception and the development of mediation platforms to protect and secure access for mobile supports made by companies like Gemplus, or Media Consulting.

Around the large micro-electronic companies, Provence intends to develop a network of smaller niche-market companies able to fine-tune solutions for communication tools. Following the initiative of Provence Promotion, a club was founded at the beginning of 2004 that groups together companies formed on the initiative of Gemplus under the banner of the: "Baby Gems" .


A concentrated research zone

The French « department » of the Bouches du Rhône has the highest number of Research and Development employees working for the private sector, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur region. About 2,500 researchers and engineers, and 2,000 technicians and research-related administrative staff work in the Bouches du Rhône, totalling about half the R & D workforce in the PACA region.

In order to develop specific research projects, the CNRS via the LIF (Fundamental Computer Research Laboratory) plays a key co-ordination role between Paris and the INRIA (the French National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Control), an internationally recognised research centre in this field. At the institutional level, Méditerranée Technologie, via the region, plays a co-ordination role between Provence and Sophia Antipolis in PACA.

To develop a dynamic to enhance such research, Marseille Innovation plays a transversal role as can be seen by its technology centres and its proximity to research networks centred on content (the ORME – Observation Site for Educational Multimedia Resources).