The COSMER resarch unit was created by the board of the University of Toulon on November 18, 2014. It was recognized by the Ministry in June 2015. The unit is associated with the new Engineeering School, named Seatech of the University. It brings together teacher/research scientists formerly working at Supmeca-Toulon, and teacher/research scientists from the Institute of Technology of the University of Toulon – departments : GMP (Mechanical and and Production Automation Engineering), GIM (Industrial Engineering and Maintenance) and MMI (multimedia and Internet Technologies).
The team combines research and training skills in mechanics and robotics (60th and 61st sections of CNU – national committed of Universities). All the members are hosted in the M building of Seatech on the University campus, which enables a strong interaction with engineering students, and sharing of material resources.
The objectives of the team are the development of research activities in mecatronics (mechanics and robotics), in relationship with the industrial fabric of the region, and in particular the definition of research activities in marine robotics in cooperation with Ifremer, the French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea.
The COSMER lab is connected with the poles named INP – Information, Digital Sciences, Prevention – and MEDD – Sea, Environment and Sustainable Development – of Toulon University, that are committed to promoting the University regionally and to fostering projects between laboratories nationally and at the European level. The unit is member of the Doctoral School number 548 named Sea and Sciences of the University.
The unit is governed by standard statutes of the University. The management includes a secretary, an executive team, and a laboratory council composed of tenured scientists and technicians, and elected Phd or Post-Doc representatives.
Research topics
The unit develops two main research topics:
- The first topic deals with marine, amphibious and terrestrial robots, and especially with the mobility and the autonomy of robotic systems in aquatic and terrestrial environments.
- The second topic is centered on eco-design and optimization of sustainable mechanical systems, which focuses on complex systems optimization methods.
A transverse research activity that is dedicated to mechanical design through additive manufacturing was introduced in September 2015 to deal with issues related to the optimization of the digital chain in rapid prototyping, from the development of dedicated design methodologies up to the piloting of manufacturing robotic structures.
This transverse research activity strengthens the link between the two topics above, and can rely on the additive manufacturing center named MAQ-3D, in association with TVT (Toulon Var Technologies).