Centrale Lyon ENISE : You're now a PhD student, can you summarize your career path to this position?
Charles Javerliat : I'm a computer engineer, a graduate of INSA Lyon. I did my end-of-studies internship at the Laboratoire d'InfoRmatique en Image et Systèmes d'information (LIRIS). This computer science laboratory is a joint research unit of CNRS, INSA Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Université Lumière Lyon 2 and Ecole Centrale de Lyon. Its research concerns a broad spectrum of computer science, including virtual reality and AI.
Under the direction of Guillaume Lavoué, the aim of my 6-month internship was to carry out a preliminary study on the impact of multi-sensory stimuli in the use of virtual reality. I developed an odor machine to add olfactory stimuli to visual and auditory stimuli.
At the end of the internship, I was offered to stay at LIRIS and join the research team as a PhD student. This team specializes in the study of different stimuli, a theme linked to the Sensory Engineering training at Centrale Lyon ENISE.
Centrale Lyon ENISE: What was your research topic?
Charles Javerliat: My research topic was participation in a cultural heritage preservation project on the Guédelon medieval building site. Alongside an expert in soundscape archaeology and a nose, I captured the craftsmen's gestures. We produced a multi-sensory immersive virtual reality scene to keep a record of intangible heritage. I defended my thesis at the beginning of March 2026, and am now a doctor.
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Centrale Lyon ENISE: Can you tell us more about the Kinéo project?
Charles Javerliat: The Kinéo project stems from my research. It's the software I developed during my thesis for capturing images. It enables fast motion capture, without markers and using consumer cameras. From the video stream of 6 GoPro cameras, we can reconstruct movements. It's a technology that can easily be used by non-experts. The equipment and the handling are simple.
Centrale Lyon ENISE: What is its stage of development?
Charles Javerliat: Today, I'm looking to add value to Kinéo, i.e. move from academic prototype to industrial solution. Use cases can be very varied:
- Recreational and cultural: 3D animation for all
- Industrial: ergonomics analysis on production lines
- Sports, medical, artistic...
To do this, I have a research engineer status for one year, funded in part by France 2030 and Centrale Lyon ENISE.
Centrale Lyon ENISE: What are your goals for Kinéo?
Charles Javerliat: For this type of project, there are two possibilities. After prematurity and maturation, you can either transfer the technology or create a startup. The first option is to give the tool to an operator in exchange for royalties. The second allows us to exploit the software ourselves to provide services or sell the solution. These two options are very different, and nothing has yet been decided. The start-up adventure is tempting, but you need to be well supported along the entrepreneurial path. Fortunately, the Saint-Etienne ecosystem is quite active, as is the LIRIS ecosystem. That's reassuring.
Centrale Lyon ENISE: To which students would you recommend your course?
Charles Javerliat: To anyone with an entrepreneurial project, an idea to develop and a strong desire to devote themselves to it. Don't be afraid to give it a try, as there are a number of support schemes available.
Centrale Lyon ENISE: Finally, what do you see as the strong points of the Sensory Engineering program?
Charles Javerliat: What's really interesting about this program for students is that it puts people back at the center of technology. I mean, it seeks to characterize the human reaction to what is proposed to him. It's a truly innovative approach that you don't see everywhere. Training has great potential. What's more, the field of virtual reality is multidisciplinary. It calls on a wide range of skills to develop the devices: implementation, IT development and psycho-cognitive analysis. There's never a dull moment!
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