Technological R&D

The Technological Research and Development (Recherche et Développements technologiques — RDT) research unit contributees to the technological developments required for the exploration and sustainable exploitation of the oceans as well as environment monitoring from the coast to the depths.

It ensures the link between targeted technology research and applied developments that lead to technology transfer to scientists and the private industry.

The unit conducts research, studies and experimental and digital developments to

  • Contribute to the sustainable exploitation of mineral marine resources and renewable energies in collaboration with stakeholders from the private sector, organisations and professional associations;
  • Innovate on recent technology with a high potential for studying geological processes in the deep sea, for the identification of mineral and energy resources and for the observation of the global ocean to study and forecast the climate, to cite but a few examples;
  • Adapt equipment, materials and structures to the marine environment, investigate and improve their behaviour and introduce new innovations.

Professional skills at RDT

The RTD unit brings together people with skills mainly in

Research

The unit thus continuously carries out studies upstream on the main research topics (behaviour of materials and structures, marine renewable energy, in situ measurement systems, subsea observatories, etc.) and new topics (development of biosensors, in situ chemical analysis, passive samplers). It sets up beneficial collaborations with researchers in France and internationally, particularly in Europe. It gleans research results from other sectors to integrate the innovations required for the technology developments that it works on.

Technical means