Epitech Technology, a leading school for IT expertise and innovation, and Point One Navigation, a leader in autonomous systems, announced on Tuesday, February 22, the creation of a development training program on the theme of high-precision positioning in autonomous applications, enabling the development of autonomous cars on French roads. Epitech Technology will thus consolidate its position as a pioneering tech school in France by offering a new innovative training program to its students.

Epitech Technology

Epitech Technology, is the reference in the training in computer expertise, digital and innovation. It is in fact the historical school of Epitech: European Institute of Technology, whose network it shares with Epitech Digital and Epitech Executive.

Each year, Epitech Technology trains more than 6,000 students on its 15 campuses in France and 6 abroad, through its 5-year Grande Ecole program after high school and its 2 or 3-year MSc programs after a 2 or 3-year degree. Rather than lectures, students have access to a practical program of 200 possible projects that enables them to acquire all the technical, human and social skills that make them experts recognized by companies, which often hire them before they have completed their course. They then evolve throughout their career in a network of nearly 10,000 alumni.

Point One Navigation

Lucas Mckenna, a senior vision system engineer at Point One Navigation, is actually an Epitech Technology graduate from the class of 2014 on the Strasbourg campus. Point One Navigation is an innovative robotics startup based in San Francisco that is addressing one of the key challenges of autonomous cars: determining position with a high degree of accuracy and confidence in any scenario, which it is able to do through a combination of computer imaging, satellite navigation and sensor fusion. Tomorrow’s cars, equipment and devices require precise knowledge of their location, and that’s what the start-up is providing. Eager to deploy its technologies in France, it has chosen, quite logically, to enter into a partnership with Epitech Technology.

The Epitech Technology-Point One Navigation partnership: a technological and educational partnership

The technological part

Autonomous cars are based on several systems:

• vision systems to recognize the surrounding environment;
• the RTK (Real Time Kinematics) correction network that augments GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) signals to correct receiver errors in real time;
• all coupled with on-board sensors (GNSS, inertia, odometry) to guarantee an accurate positioning system in any conditions: underground, in open sky or in city centers.

Deploying the first Point One beacons on Epitech Technology campuses in France

While Point One Navigation already has 800 beacons installed in the United States, this partnership will enable the deployment in France of its beacons, which increase the accuracy of GPS signals. This development is operated via Polaris, a Point One Navigation GNSS correction service, unlocking global accuracy in excess of 10 cm with a European footprint and a variety of IP-based connectivity options.

The beacons, which are to be placed on high points in cities, are already installed on the rooftops of the Epitech Technology campuses in Paris, Strasbourg, Montpellier and Lyon, while others are being installed in Nantes and Bordeaux. This network is designed for advanced positioning systems and allows the measurement of electromagnetic deformations in the earth’s upper atmosphere. It also allows to understand the interferences with the signals received by the cars on earth, to finally correct them.

The educational part: Training Epitech Technology students in Point One Navigation technology

As part of this partnership, Point One Navigation is committed to donating 100 units of hardware using FusionEngine technology, a cutting-edge software developed by Point One Navigation for Epitech Technology students, and to training the educational teams in these technologies. FusionEngine offers 10 cm accuracy in any environment with unmatched performance. Proprietary sensor fusion algorithms combine physics-based models with IMU, GNSS, and camera sensors to provide smooth, accurate, and highly available positioning on any platform.

Emmanuel Carli, CEO of Epitech, is excited about this partnership with an alumnus of the school and states:

“Automation is becoming increasingly important. Joining the development of Point One in France, led by an alumnus of the school, and allowing our students to train on increasingly innovative technologies was an obvious choice for us.”

Lucas Mckenna emphasizes:

“By joining forces with Epitech Technology, we are positioning the school as one of the leading European partners in RTK corrections. We will also be able to train students in the use of our latest technologies, thus creating a French community around robotics technologies with the possibility of seeing an ecosystem emerge around this subject.”

Translated from Epitech Technology et Point One Navigation associés pour un programme de formation pour le développement de voitures autonomes en France