Biophotonics Engineering
Photonics Bretagne’s technology platform possesses a strong expertise in biophotonics. It aims to accelerate the development of photonics innovations and of the use of photonics technologies applied to the agricultural, food processing, biomedical and environmental industries, from promotion activities all the way to technology transfer. The platform’s expertise covers the entire range of optical detection and relies on the biophotonics engineering team’s skillset.
Our biophotonics services
Technology watch & consulting
We support companies and end-users in the integration and use of photonics technologies. We offer a technology watch service and consulting, and we carry out technical studies.
Core Expertise
– Project engineering
– Proof of concept / state-of-the-art research
– Demonstrators, prototypes, and pilot lines
– Customised optical sensors
– Optical characterisation
Connecting you to photonics
We bring together the players of application fields with our members in photonics who can best meet the specified needs.
Our priorities
- Neutrality
- Technical and scientific rigour
- Confidentiality
- Client-focused solutions
We can step in at any stage of the innovation process. We can also either initiate or participate in regional, national or international collaborative projects in order to develop an innovative product. Don’t hesitate to get in touch for any biophotonics project.
Our customers
AGRICULTURE: LE GOUESSANT | EUREDEN | FILLEULE DES FEES | VEGENOV | TERRE D’ESSAIS | TECHNOVET EQUINE | ARVALIS | …
AGRIFOOD: ACTALIA | CEVA – ECAT-ID | COOPERL | D’AUCY | ELODYS INTERNATIONAL | SILL | …
Two laboratories for an optimal performance
The technology platform dedicated to biophotonics consists of an optical laboratory and an outdoor laboratory. The former is used for all development or characterization work free from any external disturbance. The latter constitutes an intermediary step between laboratory-based sensor qualification and sensor evaluation in agricultural experimental stations. This allows Photonics Bretagne to continue its research, test and characterisation in an environment close to real life by working under natural sunlight while protecting the prototype from any vibrations or bad weather.
Focus on Agrophotonics
The food processing sector plays a key role in the economic life of the region: it processes 70% of the French agricultural production. Therefore, agriculture and food processing are prominent industries that possess many assets, but also present many challenges. The global population growth, the need to modernize production tools, to guarantee food quality and security, and the energy transition are all economic and structural challenges for these industries.
The innovation offer for these sectors is very rich and fed both by public and private research. Photonics is among the technologies that allow to bring numerous perspectives to such markets. That is why we speak of agrophotonics.
Agrophotonics relies on the technologies of light to diagnose, monitor or guarantee food security. The growing innovations can find their place at any step of the production line: seeds, growth, harvest, sorting, processing, quality control and retail. We are moving towards a digital and sustainable agriculture and towards processes worthy of an Industry 4.0. For several years we have been discovering the potential of this high-tech field, in which Brittany has a prominent place globally (it is the 1st agrifood region in Europe).
To face these environmental and economic challenges in the agricultural and food processing industries, Photonics Bretagne has developed its agrophotonics activity since 2017. Today it can boast a very strong expertise to address concrete issues related to livestock and crops.
A Strategic Partnership with Arvalis, Institut du Végétal
Photonics Bretagne works together with Arvalis, Institut du vegetal to meet the needs of companies and to better understand the challenges of the agricultural sector and its reality on the ground. Arvalis, Institut du vegetal is a technical agricultural institute; it can experiment and produce agronomic reference data through national trial networks and field phenotyping tools. However, it has needs that Photonics Bretagne can meet: expertise on sensors, consulting and its own metrology. The ambition of the partnership is to evaluate, progress and propose novel solutions to better monitor the state of crops and their growth environment, for an agriculture more precise and less resource-intensive.