Imaging, Robotics and Innovation in Healthcare platform (IRIS)

A platform of excellence in imaging, robotics, and innovation for research and healthcare

The IRIS platform provides experimental support for research and technology transfer in imaging, robotics, and healthcare innovation. It offers state-of-the-art technical facilities and multidisciplinary expertise to serve the scientific community.

Located on the Strasbourg medical campus, IRIS supports projects in robotics, biomedical imaging, and biomechanics for both public and private research groups in the health sector.

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The platform

IRIS stands out for its uniquely multidisciplinary approach in France, providing both hardware and software environments to develop, evaluate, and utilize complex systems —including multimodal biomedical imaging (from human to small-animal studies), analysis of tissue mechanical properties, and the development of robotic assistance for medical and surgical procedures (GMCAO).

The platform supports all phases of projects, up to the production of results, including image acquisition and analysis. It contributes to project definition, implementation, execution, and monitoring in line with project requirements. Beyond its scientific expertise, IRIS provides biomedical knowledge in human and animal models, guidance on ethical regulations for research projects (clinical and preclinical), as well as support for contract drafting and securing funding.

Photo gallery

[Translate to English:] Images plateforme IRIS

Expertise and resources

Scientific expertise

Biomedical imaging
Interventional imaging
Biomechanics
Medical robotics
Mechatronic design
Advanced robotic system control
Preclinical studies
Clinical studies

Technical expertise

Biomedical imaging: MRI, optical imaging, and ultrasound
MRI methodology development
Development and implementation of surgical and medical procedure assistance solutions
Multi-material additive manufacturing
Computer-aided mechanical design (CAD)
Real-time control systems
Robotics application development within ROS2 environment
Collaborative robotics
Mechanical characterization of biological tissues and medical devices
Data management
Data analysis
Software development
Implementation and management of clinical and preclinical biomedical research protocols
Development and execution of biomechanical testing

Ministerial authorizations for experimentation

Accreditation as a user facility for scientific use of animals
Authorization to conduct biomedical research involving human participants

Core equipment

3T MRI dedicated to clinical research, equipped for various stimulation protocols
7T MRI dedicated to preclinical research, equipped with a cryoprobe
Preclinical optical imaging: fluorescence and bioluminescence imager with X-ray and multiphoton microscope
Additive manufacturing center
Real-time acquisition and measurement systems
Industrial and collaborative robots
Haptic interfaces
Two specialized robot prototypes: a teleoperated orthopedic cement injection system and a teleoperated flexible endoscopy system
Ultrasound imaging and therapy systems
Biomechanical testing platforms: dual-column tensile testing machine, biaxial tensile-torsion machine, fatigue testing machine, stereocorrelation system
Technical platform for tissue and cellular imaging

Software and database resources

Image processing tools
Secure data computing and storage
Development environment for real-time control of mechatronic systems
Online version control and collaboration platform for software development (GitHub and GitLab)
Software available to the research community: https://github.com/ICube-Robotics