The institute
FEMTO's news

Chimeras exist...

The American Institute of Physics (AIP) has featured our recent article in a special science highlight, known as a Scilight. Due to its novelty and close connection with ever-present phenomena, reported results are of wide interest to the general public.

We find delay systems everywhere in our delay life. The morning-fight between you and your shower’s temperature is one example: the initially freezing-cold water makes you turn the temperature dial to the maximum temperature. When that water reaches your head your response to burning hot water is to turn the shower to cold, upon which you freeze again – a vicious cycle which in dynamical systems can continue forever. Everyone who regularly gets stuck in the morning commuter-traffic will equally appreciate the importance of a well-planned network.

That both, systems with delay and networks are actually different sides of the same coin is known since some years. In our work we show in experiments that a system with two delays behaves like a two dimensional (2D) network. We find fascinating states such as 2D-chimeras and solitons. Chimeras are states where a part of the network is chaotic, but a section remains fully calm, see Fig. 1. Imagine a stormy sea, in whose centre you find a completely calm area – almost like a harbour, but without any walls needed. Solitons are waves, which exist without losing their shape, and in theory can live forever.

We give the first experimental confirmation of this 2D analogy between delay and network. The states we find are relevant for potential applications in neuromorphic computing.Ultimately, the brain too is a network.

 D. Brunner, B. Penkovsky, R. Levchenko, E. Schöll, L. Larger, Y. Maistrenko, “Two-dimensional spatio-temporal complexity in dual-delayed nonlinear feedback systems: chimeras and dissipative solitons,” Chaos 28, 103106 (2018). https://aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/1.5043391

  • Clôture du projet, MiMédI, Microtechniques pour les Médicaments Innovants

    Les 9 partenaires du projet européen de stratégie régionale d’innovation par la spécialisation intelligente MiMédI présentent les résultats portant sur l'amélioration des méthodes de production de biomédicaments et la réduction de leur coût de fabrication.

    Read more
  • Bruno Bonnell en visite à FEMTO-ST

    Le Secrétaire Général Pour l’Investissement (SGPI) Bruno Bonnell, en charge du déploiement du programme interministériel France 2030 sous l’autorité directe de la Première Ministre, a rencontré les chercheurs de l’institut mardi 4 octobre.

    Read more
  • Fei Gao wins the "Sustainable Future Visionary Award"

    Full professor at UTBM and researcher at FEMTO-ST institute, Fei Gao is today one of the world's leading specialists in fuel cells and digital twins.

    Read more
  • Gold micron award at MICRONORA trade fair 2022

    FEMTO-ST is awarded a gold micron for its three-dimensional nanorobotic structure, which is precisely and continuously actuated according to the power of light for the gripping of nano objects.

    Read more
  • FEMTO-ST at MICRONORA trade fair 2022

    From September 27th to 30th, more than 600 direct exhibitors and 15000 professional visitors are expected in Besançon on the international microtechnology exhibition. FEMTO-ST and FEMTO Engineering will be present.

    Read more
  • The fastest pick-and-place robot in the world

    A research team has developed a miniature robot capable of manipulating micrometric objects at unprecedented speeds. This work has been published in the prestigious American journal "Science Robotics"

    Read more
  • Aude Bolopion receives the 2022 “Big-in-Small award”

    This yearly award, from the microrobotics international community in the MARSS conference in Toronto, promotes “the best microrobotician” of the year at the international level.

    Read more
  • Engins spatiaux : un lubrifiant solide adapté à l'air comme au vide

    les engins spatiaux sont soumis à des contraintes extrêmes. Des chercheurs ont développé un prototype de lubrifiant solide qui ne souffre pas de l’oxydation à l’air libre et qui fonctionne mieux que les solutions actuelles dans le vide. Ces travaux ont abouti à un dépôt de brevet.

    Read more
  • FEMTO-ST : 2 full professors appointed to the IUF in its class 2022

    Ausrine MARGUERON-BARTASYTE and Daniel HISSEL are among the 164  national laureates appointed to the Institut Universitaire de France (IUF) by the Minister of Higher Education and Research

    Read more
  • Tribute to our colleague Philippe LUTZ

    Our scientific community of Burgundy-Franche-Comté has just suddenly lost Philippe LUTZ, full professor at the University of Franche-Comté and a leading figure in microrobotics and micromechatronics research at the FEMTO-ST laboratory.

    Read more