November 2015 Archives

In the context of a large-scale European nanotechnology project, IGN is seeking a software engineer specialized in Inertial Measurement Unit's data processing to contribute to the design of a real-time geolocalization system based on image processing (smart glasses).

Mission:

As part of a team of researchers and engineers in IGN's MATIS and LOEMI laboratories, you will participate to the building of a 3D pose estimation tool relying mainly on video streams processing and inertial sensors.

Your work will be focused on the inertial part. This tool will then be ported on a wearable embedded system developed by our partner CEA, but may also be used on UAV for 3D scanning tasks involving photogrammetry.

The mission contains four folds:

• You will develop a high rate 3D trajectory reconstruction software based on gyroscopes and accelerometers.

• The sensors planned to be used being targeted for consumer applications, their precision worth their (low) price. Hence, you will develop several filtering and calibration tools to cope with the quality of these sensors and limit the drift that tends to accumulate over time.

• You will develop a data fusion system to combine the trajectory computed from the inertial data with the pose estimation retrieved by an image processing. The knowledge of the uncertainties of both sensors and processing methods should allow the fusion, but will also have to be recomputed and propagated over time.

• You will develop an IMU calibration system based on information provided by image analysis.

The whole software being ported on a custom-designed System-on-Chip (SoC), a hardware acceleration of some of the functions may be possible via an FPGA chip.

Required skills:

• Classical mechanics

• Signal processing

• 3D pose estimation

• Kalman filter, particle filter, complementary filter

• Very good knowledge of C++

• Ability to read/write/talk fluently in English.

Bonus:

• Agile methods

• Knowledge of the ROS framework (Robotic Operating System).

• VHDL/FPGA

Work location:

The research department of the French mapping agency (IGN) hosts four laboratories. Two of them, the MATIS and the LOEMI are specialized in computer vision, photogrammetry, image analysis, 3D modeling and remote sensing for the MATIS, and optical and electronic sensors for observations and measurement for the LOEMI. Those two laboratories are composed of more than 50 researchers and engineers whose publications are recognized in their fields.

IGN is a public institute located in Saint Mandé, France (immediate border with Paris), accessible in metro or RER. The location allows quick access to the Bois de Vincennes, hosts a corporate restaurant and propose several services included a large sports offer. Professional training and courses during the contract are available through our engineering school l'École Nationale Des Sciences Géographiques.

Project Context

This position takes place within the scope of a large-scale European Project: Things2Do (call KET-ENIAC 2013-2, 120M€). The project involves 45 academic and industrial partners from the nanotechnology field. IGN's laboratories contribute to the development of a wearable lightweight pedestrian navigation aid, in collaboration with Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA).

During four years, a fifteen people team of researchers and engineers will study and design a smart camera based on FDSOI architecture and computer vision techniques embedded on this architecture. A key goal is to allow a very precise pose estimate based on image and IMU rather than GPS signals.

Required qualification

High level education in software or electrical engineering (master of science or PhD)

How to apply?

Before the 15/12/2015, please send an email to the contact address, with one pdf file containing:

• a detailed resume with description of achieved projects.

• A cover letter.

• 3 contact names for recommendation.

Contact

David Vandergucht, project manager for IGN (david.vandergucht@ign.fr)