Contact

Nice looking guy

Email: franck.mars@irccyn.ec-nantes.fr

Address:

  • UMR CNRS 6597
  • 1, rue de la Noë - B.P. 92101
  • F-44321 Nantes Cedex 03
  • France

Phone: +33 (0)2 40 37 69 19

Fax: +33 (0)2 40 37 69 30

Mobile: +33 (0)6 11 70 61 18

Research domain

Perception and action in the context of human-machine systems

Research activities and interests

My current work deals with the sensorimotor processes involved in the control of car trajectory and how those processes interacts with higher cognitive functions, such as risk perception. The aim is to contribute to the establishment of a driver model that can be used for the design of automatic driving assistance. This mainly involves studies on the visual control of steering and on in-car human-machine cooperation. I favor a interdisciplinary approach at the crossroads of experimental psychology, ergonomics and engineering sciences. This is achieved inside IRCCyN through active collaboration with the Control and IS3P teams. External collaborations involve various academic institutions, but also a well-established industrial partnership with Renault, PSA and Oktal. 

Previous research mainly concerned the perception of self-orientation in aeronautics and the control of goal-directed arm movements. This was done through the manipulation of visual, vestibular and proprioceptive sensory cues.

Training & occupied positions

Since 2012 Head of the PsyCoTec team
Since 2004 Tenured CNRS researcher, in the PsyCoTec team
2003 - 2004 Post-doctoral fellowship, funded by CNRS, Région Pays de la Loire and GIE PSA/Renault
PsyCoTec team (Director: Jean-Michel Hoc)
IRCCyN, Nantes (France)
Research topic: Designing assistance devices for steering 
2002 Post-doctoral fellowship, funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Motor Control Lab (Director: Anatol Feldman)
Institute of Rehabilitation of Montreal, University of Montreal (Canada)
Research topic: Contribution of vestibular signals to combined arm and trunk motion
1998 - 2001 Ph.D. in Neuroscience, funded by Association Nationale de la Recherche et de la Technologie and Dassault Aviation
UMR-CNRS "Mouvement & Perception" (Advisor: Jean-Louis Vercher)
Université de la Méditerranée, Marseille (France)
Thesis: Spatial disorientation in aeronautics - Contribution of integrative Neuroscience to the design of cockpit displays pdf
1997 - 1998 Qualification as a Psychologist: One year spent on recruiting and evaluating servicemen in the French Navy as part of my military obligations
1992 - 1997 M.Sc. in Psychology
Laboratoire des Neurosciences du Comportement (Advisors: Jean-Marie Coquery & Jacques Honoré)
Faculty of Psychology, Université Charles de Gaulle, Lille (France)
Research topic 1: Influence of an illusory orientation of the head on the direction of pointing movements
Research topic 2: Influence of the direction of gaze on pain perception
1991 - 1992 One year lost at studying (and quickly despising) Electronics and Electrical Engineering
1990 - 1991 Baccalauréat C (general education degree with Math et Physics as specialities)
Lycée Pierre d'Ailly, Compiègne (France)
Before that... Are you still reading?!?