Intelligent Systems Engineering (ISI) course

The goal of the program is to train students in the study, characterization and development of intelligent systems, possibly robotic. An intelligent system is a complex system capable of all or part of the following:

• extracting information from its environment, thanks to sensors (visual, audio, tactile, etc.)
• interacting in its environment (by movement and actions, for example) possibly with other entities (other systems, robots, or even humans)
• avoiding situations that are dangerous for people or itself, while having the capacity to be autonomous.

To train students on these topics, the ISI pathway is based on four disciplinary pathways:

• Information processing, with a particular emphasis on audio and visual signals,
• robotics and its control,
• artificial intelligence,
• computer science.

All the tools and methods necessary for these disciplines are taught within the training so that the future graduate masters have the skills to establish careers in, for example, human/machine interactions (whether from a visual, audio and/or tactile point of view), machine learning methods and in particular deep learning and reinforcement learning, robotic control and navigation of mobile robots, or software management of large amounts of data (big data).

The training is spread over the two years of the Master's program. The scientific fundamentals are introduced in the first year during the common core of the program together with its specific courses. The second year offers a compulsory core curriculum for all students and a choice of optional courses that allow students to specialize in one of the four disciplinary pillars of the ISI program (artificial intelligence, information processing, robotics or computer science).

Two internships are offered, in the first year (8 weeks minimum) and in the second year (5 to 6 months). A multidisciplinary project is also offered in the first semester of the second year of the Master's program.

Finally, the ISI course is also offered as an apprenticeship, in partnership with the CFA des Sciences. In this case, the student alternates between classes at the university (3 days per week) and the company (2 days per week).

The training is open to holders of a bachelor's degree in electronics, computer science or physics, or an equivalent diploma. The second year is open to students who have obtained a first year master's degree in the field of intelligent systems, or those who are in their third year at an engineering school.

Access to the ISI apprenticeship program is possible in M1 (2-year apprenticeship contract) or in M2 (1-year contract). The prerequisites required to follow the apprenticeship program are identical to those for initial training: the diploma obtained at the end of the program is identical regardless of the teaching method chosen.

• Modeling human-systems interactions and interfaces.
• Develop systems for processing and recognizing the patterns of physiological, audio or video signals
• Designing intelligent embedded systems
• Analyze, model signals, choose and use the appropriate software and hardware tools for their processing.
• Develop advanced automation systems, manufacturing or mobile robotics, involving environmental perception, scene analysis and problem-solving strategy.

The training opens the door to jobs in all industrial and research sectors that require expertise in intelligent embedded systems: automotive, rail, space, air transport, etc.