National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)

21 Oct Artificial, man-made, Intelligence

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National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)
2009
The dream of creating an artificial Intelligence (AI) is as old as the computer, if not as old as humanity (think of Golem). Since the fifties, theorists like Alan Turin have expressed their belief that machines could match men in performing complex tasks in an intelligent way. Despite the continuous advances of computers can we really say that they have intelligence? If so, how does it relay to human intelligence? The document defines AI and answers many such questions as: what characteristics of human intelligence can be modelled, what are the concepts and tools for AI, what are the industrial successes of AI techniques, how far can and will AI go and what further efforts are needed for future developments of AI?
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21 Oct Life expectancy for digital data storage

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National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)
2010
Our society generates an ever growing mass of information which raises a serious concern over its efficient, long-term storage and archiving (these are two distinctive notions!). The material used for the digital support and hard discs have a limited lifetime of roughly 5 to 10 years. The life expectancy of recordable optical digital discs (RODDs) seems better but, still, appears also limited to about 10 years. Besides the detailed analysis of technical aspects of various available storage and archiving technologies, the report concentrates on possible data conservation strategies. It also suggests certain approaches that could lead to RODDs with notably better life expectancies. A set of 4 recommendations is issued at the end of the report.
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21 Oct Impact of ICT on world energy consumption

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National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)
2015
How does ICT impact on worldwide energy consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions? This is what NATF went to find out when auditioning French and foreign experts to evaluate the overall energy and environmental balance that is due to the ICT sector, considering the impacts generated by the operation of its various hardware and infrastructure, and the savings it spawns in other areas of activity. The final energy and carbon balance of ICT, the Academy report concludes, is clearly a positive one. In 2012, ICT accounted for 4.7% of worldwide electricity consumption, and a total carbon footprint of about 1.7 percent (including private, industry and telecom hardware and infrastructure and data centres). These numbers are on an upwards trend, but in smaller proportions than the growing use of ICT, thanks to its contribution to reduce these footprints in other areas of activities such as in the transport sector, buildings, manufacturing industries, or even dematerialised procedures. The report focuses on the (global) transport/mobility sector benefitting from digitisation in and around vehicles, with gradually reduced/optimised travel needs (example United States).  It also lists current lines of research aimed at better performance of computing, with lower energy consumption. Group Leader: Erol Gelenbe, Professor in the Dennis Gabor Chair Imperial College, London, and NATF Fellow and Yves Caseau, Director of the Digital Agency, AXA Group, and NATF Fellow
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21 Oct Big Data: a change of paradigm can hide another – Opportunities and threats related to the emergence of new ecosystems

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National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)
2015
Big Data implies a revolution in IT, reaching from technology to applications and practices, enabling the analysis of vast pools of "digital traces" to know customer intentions with unmatched precision. Data manipulation from smartphones and connected objects opens up new service opportunities and significant cost reductions of information systems.  While it is a major issue for sciences, politics and citizens, this report looks at the impact on businesses: mastering these methods permits a new immediacy in customer relationships and may leave enterprises less vulnerable to the GAFAs. Big data is: • a disruptive data-analysis methodology, in particular in marketing, replacing classic approaches by iterative loops in which detected patterns are immediately confronted with situations of implementation and judgement on operational effectiveness. • a new way of massive parallel data-centred programming and of designing algorithms, due to the: - treatment on a myriad of machines, - high-performance requirements and - need to develop algorithms through learning. • a major challenge and paradigm shift for Governments and companies, deserving strong support in terms of training and awareness. Technology and practice play key roles; new ways of working with an extremely wide scope need to be developed. Rapporteur : Yves Caseau, Director Digital Agency, Axa Group, and Fellow of NATF
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21 Oct Large Socio-Technical Systems

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National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)
2013
Large, networked Socio-Technical Systems (or LSTSs), often continental or even global in scale, such as railroad-, air traffic-, electric-, and telecommunications systems, and the internet, have modified life-styles and society. Citizens see them as combining sciences and technologies, offering essential value-for-money services. They have common characteristics: expected safe and no-break service quality; co-operation of a myriad of component parts, including agents. Success and vulnerability through complexification (national and European regulations, multiplication for each LSTS of autonomous agents) and inter-dependence (inroads by ICTs, liberalisation) go hand-in-hand. During the past 15 years, the drafting of new regulatory texts that promote sustainable development of the LSTSs, incorporating technical trends while reconciling local aspirations and nation-wide issues, has become increasingly difficult. NATF proposes: 1) An objective analysis of the experience from the last 20 years for each LSTS, covering operations, quality, costs, jobs, risk control, governance and regulation, crises situations/incidents and the degrees of interdependence with other LSTSs. 2) Exploring possible (global) trends for the next two decades including sustainable development. 3) Teach LSTSs to young people early on for a better appreciation, including of S&T and ongoing innovations. These proposals should contribute to better informed decision processes that benefit our children. Yves BAMBERGER (WP Chair and Draft author) – Scientific counsellor to EDF CEO – Fellow of the NATF
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21 Oct The proper use of the Precautionary Principle

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National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)
2011
The Precautionary Principle (PP), introduced into the French Constitution in 2004, is the epicentre of a passionate debate involving the whole of society. Is it then possible to identify the “proper use” of this principle which would allow, between irresponsibility and immobilization, the ways to construct a shared progress serving everyone? Without taking a binary position “pro” or “contra”, the NATF is making 4 main recommendations: 1. It affirms that PP is a Principle of Action, 2. Technical and scientific expertise is indispensible and should always be included in debates but the final decision belongs to the political world. 3. Legal difficulties related to applying the PP to important societal issues must be solved. 4. Application of the PP beyond the sanitary and environmental issues should be considered with a lot of caution.
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18 Oct Metallurgy: Science and Engineering

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National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)
2011
Metallurgy, the science of metals and the technical disciplines concerned with the production, shaping and assembling of metals, is one of the major assets of European economy. The analysis in this book is, however, strictly limited to the French situation but, with additional work, could be extended to Europe. The current state of metallurgy in France is not good. It can rapidly become catastrophic if nothing is done to remedy to it quickly. The report repositions metallurgy in its double role of a science and engineering discipline form two perspectives: of “needs” and of “opportunities”. It provides 5 key recommendations for immediate actions.
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18 Oct Biotechnologies and Environnent (92 pages)

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National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)
2010
This study examines the impacts on the environment of implementing biotechnologies, viz; those technologies that rely on certain properties of micro-organisms, animal or vegetable cells, cell constituents, notably enzymes, in order to create new products, new production processes or new services. The terms “environmental impact” refer to any form of modification of the environment, be it positive or negative, as a result of applying, partly or extensively, given technologies. The report covers biotechnological applications in the following fields: chemical industries, environment, agriculture, health and analytical processes (bio-sensors).
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18 Oct Biotechnologies, tomorrow

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National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)
2010
It is generally recognized that biotechnologies will be one of the major basis for the 21st century sustainable development. This report proposes six priorities in France integrating industrial and agricultural activities. 1. Application of biotechnologies should extend beyond traditional medication and health issues. 2. France should drive to become a champion of ecological intensive agriculture. 3. Chemistry and energy: meet the challenge of an increased use of biomass. 4. Drugs, medication and health: support biotechnology industry and emerging and innovative entrepreneurship. 5. Microbiology: encourage French research in meta-genomics, a new branch of genomics applied to complex microbial systems. 6. Restructure dispersed today research system for a better international visibility and competitivity.
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18 Oct White biotechnology and synthetic biology

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National Academy of Technologies of France (NATF)
2012
Biotechnology is the application of S&T to living organisms. White biotechnology (Bio-Based Industries - BBl) uses renewable carbon sources  in fermentation processes to produce food compounds, fuels, specialties and chemical commodities, and plastics.  Synthetic biology (SB) introduces engineering principles into biotechnology, promoting the emergence of a true bio-economy.  Although endowed with a well-developed agriculture and BBI-related research, there are only about a dozen companies engaged in applications of SB to BBl in France, including start-ups, intermediate enterprises, and Total, resulting in few industrial realisations. The sector is considered risky by investors.  A consistent effort to train  engineers and PhD-students in these areas is essential.  Regarding risks, traditional BBI-products must be distinguished from SB-products in specific sectors. Upstream from industrial SB-applications on a large scale, research on the security, safety, ethics, toxicology and ecotoxicology is vital.  The academic SB community self-regulates its conduct in an effort of openness, transparency, anticipation and prevention of potential risks. Working-group leader: Pierre Monsan, director “Toulouse White Biotechnology” and NATF Fellow.
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