To engage and employ scientists and engineers from the Brittany region in researching the technologies that will shape the metaverse, Inria, the French national research institute for digital science and technology, and InterDigital, a mobile and video technology research and development company, announced on June 14 the launch of Nemo.AI, their joint laboratory. This public-private partnership aims to leverage the research expertise of Inria and InterDigital laboratories to promote French participation in emerging innovations and global technological trends.
InterDigital, for more efficient networks
InterDigital, founded in 1972, with 540 employees, is a technology research and development company that provides wireless and video technologies for mobile devices, networks and services worldwide. It develops mobile and video technologies that are at the heart of devices, networks and services around the world. InterDigital’s teams seek to solve the industry’s most critical and complex technical challenges, designing solutions for more efficient broadband networks, better video delivery, and richer multimedia experiences years before market deployment.
Through its patents and licenses, the company has developed strategic relationships with many leading technology companies and has six R&D centers, including the one in Cesson-Sévigné, near Rennes, which was acquired from Technicolor in 2019.
The Nemo.AI Labcom, a partnership around the metaverse
Referring to Captain Nemo, the scientist imagined by Jules Verne in his book “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,” Nemo.AI aims to give the Brittany region the means to conduct cutting-edge scientific research and explore the technologies that will define tomorrow’s media experiences. This project demonstrates the importance that AI can have for a responsible digital society.
Funded by both organizations, as well as the French government, the joint Nemo.AI lab will recruit local researchers, PhD students, post-doctoral students, engineers and interns to work on the topics identified as priorities, with InterDigital and Inria scientists and engineers serving as their mentors and research tutors. It will be based in both Inria and InterDigital labs and its members will be able to participate in scientific seminars, organize public events, make joint presentations etc., at both locations.
Franck Multon, senior researcher at Inria, leader of the MimeTIC team, states:
“Inria has a long history of collaboration with French researchers at InterDigital, through several cotutelle PhDs. But Nemo.AI is a big step forward in sharing a common research roadmap, exchanging ideas, sharing regular meetings and having a real common laboratory experience. This will allow us to address the scientific challenges raised by the development of metavers, with a common medium-term strategy.”
Inspired by YS, the Breton city that, according to legend, was swallowed by the waters, Nemo.AI’s first project, “Ys.ai”, will focus on developing new technologies to enable engagement in the metaverse.
Specifically, this project will examine the representation of users as avatars and explore their behavior and interactions with objects and each other, as well as the possibility of using the same avatars across different metaverse formats.
Lionel Oisel, head of Video Labs, InterDigital’s research and innovation department, concludes:
“We are delighted to launch Nemo.AI with Inria and know that this partnership will not only strengthen the scientific excellence and visibility of our region, but also create a space for local researchers and engineers to contribute to the technologies and innovations that will shape future technology ecosystems, such as the metaverse. Our expertise complements Inria’s strong research capabilities, and together we will support innovation through this community.”
Translated from Inria et InterDigital lancent Nemo.AI, un laboratoire de recherche commun dédié au métaverse
