Aerospace • Space • Ground Transport • DEfence • Security

“We want to be able to track people by their whole body, using facial recognition as just one element that will help to identify them” Philippe Mouttou, research and technology partnerships director, Advanced Studies, Secure Information and Communication Systems at Thales

08 sparkling future Diamond-based sensors are creating a wealth of new opportunities.

10 REALITY CHECK Could augmented reality reinvent how we see the world?

20 roller coaster ride Behind the scenes of Schiaparelli’s mission to Mars. 01

Innovations #6 • July 2017 “Digital technologies are a powerful lever for Thales teams to change people’s lives today and prepare for a future driven by data, autonomous systems and immersive technology.” CONTENTS ome organisations view We are considered experts in all universities, public and private research 34 the digital transformation the key technologies underpinning the institutes and, more recently, start-ups as a threat; others as an digital transformation: connectivity, and SMEs. Our policy of open Sopportunity. The first group Big Data, artificial intelligence and innovation forces us in many ways knows that change is the only way cybersecurity. Indeed, we are possibly to think like these smaller businesses to remain in step with customers’ the only company in the world with and to develop the agility and calculated requirements; the others see a this unique combination of skills. But risk-taking that are crucial to their tremendous opportunity to rethink beyond the expertise and the know- success. Importantly, it’s a policy that their business models and boost how, three important factors make helps high-tech ecosystems to flourish their potential for innovation. Thales our digital transformation an and achieve remarkable levels of is unequivocally part of this extraordinary enabler of long-term creativity and efficiency. second group. growth and development. Last but not least, we have a sense 10 32 We have lived through all the major The first is passion, the passion to of purpose. We will never forget that technological revolutions that the serve our customers by bringing them our products, systems and services — “Have no doubt, we will all be reliant on augmented reality in the future” world has seen in the last 100 years, in innovative solutions that make their however advanced and capable they Tom Calloway, R&D manager at Thales Visionix some cases playing a pioneering role. jobs easier, the passion that fires up may be — are always intended 02 Digital warriors » 20 Mission to Mars Every time, our priority has been to our 64,000 employees and drives them, to improve the lives of the people » How Thales’ Schiaparelli module In an age of hybrid warfare and a make a tangible difference in people’s day by day, to push back their own and societies we serve. took on the ‘Mars demon’. new generation of weapons, lives by inventing amazing new boundaries, wherever they work and Marko Erman digital technologies are playing products, systems and services. whatever they do. Because innovation » 24 Look deeper Chief technical officer, Thales a crucial role in airland combat. Could advances in facial Digital technologies are a powerful goes beyond technology: it’s a state of 08 Jewel purpose recognition technology help lever for Thales teams to change mind that we all need to cultivate, » combat terrorism around Researchers are turning people’s lives today and prepare for across all our businesses and functions, the world? diamonds into smart sensors a future driven by data, autonomous whenever it can create value for with far-reaching applications » 28 Taking systems and immersive technology. our customers. from medicine to next- responsibility This determination to push back the The next key factor is openness, generation computers. How responsibility for security boundaries of the possible — not and our time-honoured policy of open is increasing shifting from the only to prepare for the future but to innovation. More and more of Thales’s » 10 A better view state towards business. The latest augmented reality solve very real problems today — is technological advances are the result of developments and the new » 32 Game of drones part of the DNA of the Thales Group. joint efforts with academic researchers, applications set to emerge All you need to know about in the coming years. the global rules and regulations governing the civil use of » 14 Sending the unmanned aerial vehicles. right signals Innovation by the numbers We delve into the ETCS » 34 Diversity matters technology at the heart of The business and economic the Gotthard Tunnel project case for an inclusive workplace and find out where it is is undeniable. So what is 10 000 > 60%> software developers working for Thales. implemented worldwide. In China, 60% of Thales is > Thales doing to level the #1 24 aircraft movements the European playing field? are managed by no. 1 in defence Thales solutions. electronics. Photo credits: François Guénet (p. 02-03), Bernard Rousseau (p. 04, 05, 06)

Senior editor Hannah Stodell Creative director Nick Dixon CEO Steven Randell Finance director Sarah Woollett Published by Caspian Media Ltd for Thales. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the policies of Thales. Caspian Media Ltd and Thales accept no responsibility for views expressed by contributors. Caspian Media Telephone 020 7045 7500 Email [email protected] Web www.caspianmedia.com 02 INNOVATIONS: Airland combat in 2030 03

In brief The West will 1 no longer have air supremacy by the year 2030, according to research estimates. Information 2 warfare is playing an increasing role in today’s conflicts. Western nations 3must rethink the size of their armed forces and deployment strategies.

A tank of the Iraqi forces advances towards the village of Sheikh Younis, south of Mosul; a pair of US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles fly over northern Iraq paradigm shift has taken place over the last fifteen years due to a combination of factors. First, urban Digital warriors Aterrorism has become more extremist both in terms of the number of human With the emergence of casualties and the symbolic significance of the attacks. new forms of warfare and Terrorist organisations and armed new generations of weapons, revolutionary groups like Al Qaeda, Islamic State and others are keen airland combat has a to project strength and power far decisive role to play, calling from their direct sphere of influence. This displacement of violence is for radical changes in land accompanied by an information war forces operations. aimed not only at shocking public opinion in the West, but at creating a climate of tension in the societies Philippe Migault targeted, destabilising them where possible and advancing the assailant’s ideology within the population. Second, opponents are no longer armed groups like the Red Army Faction or Action Directe, or nationalist organisations like the PLO or ETA. They are more like emerging states, the Islamic State group being a case in point, with a territory, an administration and substantial financial resources. They also have well-equipped armed forces, compelling their opponents to focus less and less on counter- insurgency and increasingly on high-intensity conflict. And third, we are seeing a re-emergence of former major powers, such as Russia and China, which have

04 INNOVATIONS: Airland combat in 2030 A Dassault Rafale from the French Air Force flies over San Lorenzo beach during an aerial exhibition.

Satellite links, more and more drones and robots deployed on an expanding range of missions

the will and the means to acquire and security. Today we are in an age of hybrid warfare, a powerful, high-tech military capabilities. These states are no combination of conventional counter-insurgency and longer content to operate within their traditional spheres of high-intensity combat to counter the growing military influence: Russia is asserting its power in Syria, while China capabilities of the armed groups we face (armoured has been placing its pawns in the Sea of Japan and the vehicles, man-portable air defence systems, etc.). South China Sea. With defence technological and industrial Counter-terrorism efforts can no longer simply include bases that are modern (Russia) or under development intelligence gathering by governments, intervention by (China), these states are not only able to compete with security services and prosecution by the judicial system. Western companies in export markets, but can also supply They must combine all forms of combat — conventional extremely powerful defence equipment to other powers counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency and full-scale that can afford it. armed confrontation. Nor has information warfare ever been waged on Intercontinental theatre such a scale or played such an important role. Opponents The corollary of these three key developments can be striving for mass mobilisation (cyber levée en masse) found in today’s conflicts. First, theatres of operations communicate extensively and exert their influence through have expanded, taking on an intercontinental dimension social media and channels that are difficult for a democratic that has not been seen since World War II. The Sahel- state to suppress. Saharan region, Syria, Iraq and European nations affected In view of these radical changes, Western nations must by terrorism now constitute a single theatre of operations, rethink the size of their armed forces and their deployment where we face the same enemy on the home front and strategies. Artillery, for example, will once again play a abroad. Warfighting is no longer limited to external decisive role. Land forces will also need to focus on operations. We are seeing a return to territorial defence producing mass effects by deploying more personnel, Digital technologies play a crucial role and an increasingly clear continuum between defence developing collaborative combat and optimising joint in training, with advanced simulation techniques helping personnel to learn SCORPION, the key to collaborative combat how to use their equipment long Faced with an adversary that intelligence, coordinate actions commits acts of violence both in accordingly and in turn achieve before they are deployed in the field its immediate sphere of influence significantly greater effects. and in the very centre of Paris, SCORPION will also be the nerve the French Army must be able to centre of France’s entire joint adapt and to overcome these forces command and control forces whatever hostile methods system. It will enable all forces to they employ. form a seamless network, with the SCORPION is the response to ability to deploy, evolve and this requirement. By 2020, this dissolve as required. It will be programme, in which Thales is a key possible to add or remove joint player, will integrate all French land tactical elements and reconfigure force units engaged in a theatre of the force as required to offer an operations to form a single effective response whatever the As a result, these smaller, optimised collaborative fighting system. nature of the conflict. forces — connected via Thales- This system of systems will use a In addition, Air Force and Navy designed CONTACT software-defined C4ISR architecture to interconnect sensors and weapons, AWACS radio systems, for example — will be French Army infantry, heavy and light aircraft, UAVs and satellites, and able to act anywhere, swiftly and mechanised units, artillery, light all the other information-gathering effectively, even in theatres aviation, UAVs and all related assets, capabilities of all three branches hundreds of miles away where they enabling them to share real-time of the military will work together. had no previous footprint. 06 INNOVATIONS: Airland combat in 2030

Western nations must rethink the size of their armed forces and their deployment strategies

operations. Above all, modern armed forces will need extremely In the medium term, future military commanders effective C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, will thus have a range of solutions to choose from Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) capabilities. and the ability to take appropriate action against each adversary depending on the requirements of Air supremacy contested each situation. All the studies conducted by Western strategic research institutes today are based on the hypothesis that the West Going digital will probably no longer enjoy air supremacy by the year Connectivity between systems of systems that 2030. This is partly because of the emergence or re- all depend on the same C4ISR capability is driving emergence of defence industries with the capacity to a deep-seated digital transformation within modern export defence systems that perform as well as some of those land forces. Satellite links, more and more drones and produced in the West. How do we deal with this challenge? robots deployed on an expanding range of missions (ISR, The logical first response is to focus on the suppression of enemy communication relays, electronic warfare, destruction, air defences (SEAD) using UCAVs (Unmanned Combat Air Vehicles) engineering, logistics, etc.), sensor networks, central data storage like France’s Neuron system or long-range hypersonic and/or and processing… With all these developments, and the high-manoeuvring weapons. These could destroy an adversary’s air central role played by C4ISR, airland combat is already in the defence capabilities or deplete them sufficiently for a second phase process of going digital. of the operation to be launched, with well-protected combat aircraft Each development raises issues such as data protection in deployed across the theatre to jam enemy radars. the cloud, cybersecurity of connected object on the battlefield, If the SEAD campaign were to fail, other effectors would need to cyberoffensive capabilities and the relentless march of robotic be deployed, in the first instance to protect land forces deprived of air systems. Tomorrow’s engagements will likely see the deployment cover. These effectors could be used offensively and/or defensively. of an initial line of remotely operated ground, naval or airborne For offensive roles, the cyberwarfare capabilities that are now being systems, which will be the first to draw enemy fire. These systems developed, as well as electromagnetic weapons, could disable the will have varying degrees of autonomy, but humans will nonetheless electronics used by the adversary’s C4ISR systems. If the enemy’s continue to take the final decision in combat situations. systems cannot be put out of action, weapons like the SAMP/T will When digital technologies have been fully assimilated into military Unlike Fabrice del Dongo, who could see no further than a few be needed to create a protective shield over our land forces, with doctrines, land forces officers will be able to focus on their core tasks other systems providing close air support, pending the arrival of of defining and directing tactical or theatre-level manoeuvres in hundred metres in the Battle of Waterloo, future soldiers will directed-energy weapons (lasers, etc.), which will represent a step exactly the same way as a combat aircraft pilot, by virtue of the share a common vision and know their respective positions change in a force’s capacity to destroy hostile aircraft and missiles. A land force deprived of air cover will also be partly deprived of air aircraft’s data fusion capabilities, can focus on core air combat tasks. needed. Combat units will be ready for action much more quickly support. In this case, as well as performing their extended air defence Tomorrow, as connectivity improves (higher data rates, better and effectively than they can be today. Longer term, cloud-based role, artillery systems will need to offer powerful fire support data security, more interoperability, etc.), combatants and their platforms will use Big Data techniques to analyse data from the capabilities both close to the front line and deep into enemy territory. various levels of command will be able to fight with a virtually field, compare it with data from other situations, and provide With their smart munitions and powerful radars, these systems can complete vision of the battlefield and the actions taken ultra-personalised decision support to commanders at both tactical strike targets with high precision, even at long range. But they will be by the different players. This is the promise of the and theatre levels. unable to match the mass effect of air strikes by multiple combat digital transformation. Last but not least, digital technologies play a crucial role in training, aircraft operating in the same zone. At the same time, to counter an Unlike Fabrice del Dongo, who could see no further than a with advanced simulation techniques helping personnel enemy with very substantial firepower, the first phase of action few hundred metres in the Battle of Waterloo, future soldiers to learn how to use their equipment long before they could be conducted by robotic effectors such as remotely operated will share a common vision and know their are deployed in the field. In the future, as well armoured vehicles. respective positions. With sensors everywhere, as taking part in conventional exercises, Drones of all kinds can play a crucial role in urban combat. In the commanders will direct manoeuvres based on a combat troops will be stationed at “smart first battle of Fallujah in 2004, for example, Predator tactical UAVs complete, constantly updated picture of the barracks”, where they will be able to prepare were used to conduct strikes on targets of opportunity and other situation, receiving details about which units for combat, actively and continuously, well targets in civilian areas that could not have been reached by direct are still in action and where supplies before they are sent into action.Once fire without significant collateral damage. Experimentation of the Scorpion program. (munitions, fuel, etc.) or medical support are again, victory lies in innovation. 08 INNOVATIONS: sensor technology 09 Jewel purpose

Diamonds are helping researchers to probe the secret life of molecules. achieve nitrogen implantations a few John Coutts nanometres below the surface by controlling the amount of energy of the incoming ions,” explains Debuisschert. Another way to trap nitrogen atoms is to add them while the diamond is still being grown. The stones being used by the DIADEMS team are synthetic and they’re grown using a process known as chemical vapour deposition, which uses a high-temperature gas containing carbon to create the diamond. “By adding nitrogen to this gas, we can create a layer of nitrogen at a controlled position below the surface,” says Debuisschert. “This technique is quite new and is something our research activity is focusing on.” Close-up of the surface of a synthetic industrial diamond. Synthetic diamond film production. “The ability to monitor the electrical behaviour of Closer to the action iamonds have long been prized for their beauty. A perfectly pure diamond crystal contains nothing but The unique ability of diamond NV But for scientists, the attraction goes beyond carbon atoms, arranged in an orderly lattice. But by neurons – nerve cells that carry electrochemical sensors to analyse matter at the level the glitter. A Thales-led project is using synthetic In brief forcing out a single carbon atom and replacing it with a messages – could help scientists to understand of a single molecule has important diamonds to build measuring devices so Diamonds are single nitrogen atom, this well-ordered world is disrupted neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s implications. For example, the ability D 1 being used sensitive that they can monitor chemical composition at to create tiny and a nitrogen vacancy centre can be created. and Parkinson’s” to monitor the electrical behaviour the scale of an individual molecule. sensors that “Next to this nitrogen atom, there is a missing of neurons – nerve cells that carry can detect small “The sensors we’re developing are the size of an atom,” magnetic signals. carbon atom – a vacancy, explains Debuisschert. The electrochemical messages – could explains Thierry Debuisschert, responsible for applied combination of those two elements builds what we call Hitting the right spot help scientists to understand neurodegenerative diseases such The research quantum physics activity at Thales and coordinating the 2 has a number the nitrogen vacancy centre. It behaves like an atom with The ability to harness the NV centre properties hinges on making as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The fact that diamond is non-toxic project. “They’re extremely sensitive and this allows us of practical electrons having well-defined properties.” diamonds in which the nitrogen vacancy lies just beneath the surface to living cells is a plus. applications to get very close to a single molecule, atom or any kind from smart One of the key characteristics of the NV centre – and of the crystal – essentially because efficient magnetic coupling NV sensors are also expected to accelerate the development of object and then monitor its individual properties.” medicine to the the reason it is so valuable as a sensor – is that it can be depends on intimate contact between sensor and sample material. of the next generation of high-density data storage discs by making next generation The research is being carried out as part of the of computers. used to detect magnetic fields at the nanometric scale. This is an area the team is working on at the moment. it possible to characterise the magnetic fields produced by DIADEMS project, funded by the European Commission. Researchers Creating diamond crystals with the desired NV “Our aim is to control all the properties of the nitrogen microscopic read/write heads – something that cannot be The aim of DIADEMS – DIAmond Devices Enabled 3 expect the centres and then making them into sensors is a vacancy, including the position inside the diamond achieved easily with current technology. “We know that next generation Metrology and Sensing – is to develop high-sensitivity of sensors painstaking business. To ensure the highest standards and the orientation,” says Debuisschert. “We the ultimate sensors are based on the properties at magnetometers capable of working at the atomic scale. to be able to are maintained, DIADEMS brings together all the skills need to control all of those properties in order the single atomic scale,” says Debuisschert. “We detect pressure, These ultra-sensitive devices, which measure tiny thermal and needed to manage the process from end to end. to produce devices that can be used for expect that the NV centre in diamonds will give rise magnetic fields, have the potential to have implications electrical Collaboration between industrial and academic different applications.” to a generation of sensors that will not only be able properties. in many fields from medical research to the design of partners is key, says Debuisschert: “There are 15 partner One technique for getting the nitrogen atom to detect magnetic fields, but also pressure, high-density data storage discs. organisations involved covering all the technical in just the right spot is known as ion implantation. thermal and electrical properties – these could aspects of the field from growing the diamond crystals, to This involves shining a beam of ions containing be very useful for future sensors developed by Putting diamonds to work the production of the centres and all the techniques that nitrogen at the diamond crystal, which is typically Thales.” Diamond sensors, it seems have a The sensors being developed by the DIADEMS team tap into allow us to control these centres and then use them for 4mm square and just half a millimetre thick. “We can dazzling future. the properties of ‘nitrogen vacancy’ (NV) centres in diamonds. our applications.” Coloured transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of a neurofibrillary tangle in a nerve cell from the brain of a patient with Alzheimer’s disease. 10 INNOVATIONS: Augmented reality 21

From aviation A better view to apps for brand Simon Creasey building, the commercial applications t’s a phenomenon that’s gripped millions of smartphone users around the world. Although it’s seemingly innocuous, it’s been responsible for for AR are numerous accidents, street brawls and even murders in some global more real territories. What is it? It’s Pokémon Go, an augmented reality (AR) smartphone game in which players must capture a host of fictitious, than ever. animated characters that pop up in real-life environments. IMany experts believe that Pokémon Go, which has attracted a player base demographic ranging from young children up to full-grown adults, marks the tipping point for consumer adoption of AR. But although Pokémon may have pushed AR into the mainstream since it launched earlier this year, the technology is far from new. Indeed its roots can be traced all the way back to the 1940s. So how has AR evolved in those intervening years and what are the latest developments and applications that are likely to emerge in the coming years?

AR evolution The term ‘augmented reality’ – which essentially means the In brief seamless merger of real world views with digital elements The increasing 1 affordability of – was termed in the 1990s, some 50 years after its creation. smartphones and Early uses involved head up displays in military aircraft that tablet computers have driven initially centred around gyro gunsights for night battles. mainstream The technology was eventually adopted by the civil aviation acceptance of AR applications. industry for general piloting purposes and in particular AR is already landing approaches. 2 widely used In the 1970s and 80s, attempts were made to build by a number of different sectors immersive systems or wearable computers, but the including aviation, development of these solutions was slowed for a medical and the military. number of different factors, including the size and cost of the equipment. Future AR 3 developments However, today no such problems exist thanks to the are expected to centre around increasing affordability and ubiquity of smartphones and wearable billion tablet computers that have allowed AR applications to technology. become an ever greater part of our everyday lives. An AR system essentially depends on four key elements: a user, a physical environment, a display and some digital information relevant to the environment. Typically, its use involves taking live video and then blending new information into it – as is the case with Pokémon Go. While consumer-facing applications are only just starting to gain traction, forward-thinking companies like Thales have been beavering away behind the scenes for decades, developing solutions for clients across a wide range 12 INNOVATIONS: Augmented reality 13

“The consumer market probably won’t be ready for widespread adoption of wearable AR for another ten years or so, but have no doubt, we will all be reliant on augmented reality in the future” Future uses of AR Tom Calloway, R&D manager at Thales Visionix Product development – As 3D digital modelling becomes increasingly prevalent in the creation of new products, it’s anticipated that there will be a greater of industry sectors. One such solution is domains,” says Dr Amine Arezki, product Thales is already exploring how it might also use of AR or VR (virtual reality) at the end Thales Eye. Repairing technical equipment line manager at Thales Germany. be used for air traffic management or the of the production chain. is a major issue for companies as it usually control of trains. Mixed reality – At the moment AR and VR entails sending a specially trained expert Augmented solutions Another area where AR has really made are two separate entities (VR is focused around a virtual world), but in the future, to the site where the equipment is housed, One industry domain in which AR its mark is in the marketing field. In the some experts expect to see the two come which costs time and money. So Thales hit technology developed by Thales has already Netherlands, Thales’ sales and marketing together to create ‘mixed’ or ‘hybrid’ on an idea: why not send a local technician had a major influence is aviation. The teams in Above Water Systems wanted to realities, with virtual products placed in a to the site and then using AR, guide him company has supplied its TopOwl and come up with a marketing tool targeted at real world environment and vice versa. through the repair process? That’s exactly Scorpion AR helmets to military helicopter clients in the naval sector that reflected the Wearable tech – Thales Visionix (see case study box) is already developing wearable what Thales Eye – a collaboration between and fighter pilots for more than 20 years, but company’s progressive technological technology for special forces troops that Thales Services and Thales Germany – does. up until now the only AR assistance civil outlook while promoting and explaining will help them to identify friend or foe in Thales Eye works by dispatching a local pilots had access to was the head up display some of the complex technologies and the middle of a combat battle. technician to the piece of equipment that system on the aircraft’s windshield. That’s service concepts that Thales offers. The Thales is also testing a central AR display needs repairing. They are then – through the why Thales has developed TopMax – a head solution to this conundrum was an AR tablet that can be used by a controller to track and coordinate firefighting teams use of an AR headset or tablet computer – worn device designed specifically to meet application called the Thales Naval App inside a building. connected to an expert who is also the demands of civil aviation that displays (www.thalesgroup.com/nl/app). equipped with a tablet. Even though the information according to the pilot’s head When the camera lens of a tablet fitted Thales is also testing a central AR display that can be used by a expert is located remotely, they can see movements and provides vital assistance with the app is pointed at a specific controller to track and coordinate firefighting teams inside a building exactly the same thing that the technician during take-off and landings. TopMax has recognisable marker – a digital 3D sees and they can then vocally guide the proven to be such a hit with pilots that representation of the Thales solution appears the world of our naval mission solutions,” by Thales in the UK to great success, will AR to provide simulations and training operator through the repair. This service is on the device’s screen, as it would appear in says Jeroen van der Wel, innovation manager continue to evolve with Thales Underwater applications – particularly for military still at the prototype phase, but the Thales has supplied the real world. A marker that looks like for Thales in the Netherlands. Systems currently developing additional organisations – and Thales Visionix is company thinks that Thales Eye has the its TopOwl and seawater can be printed on a brochure, Since the app launched it’s been a functionality that will allow it to offer more developing ‘ruggedised, miniaturised potential to be groundbreaking. Scorpion AR helmets leaflet or business card, for example. tremendous success and provided a valuable ‘hero’ products and services to customers. solutions’ for Special Forces soldiers “We are clearly taking a service-oriented to military helicopter “It stimulates the audiences to keep analytical insight, according to van der Wel, “This makes the app even more that will see AR technology embedded approach, with the goal being to improve the printed media for a longer time than they who says that more than 3,000 users interesting for them and it motivates our into ground helmets with radio connection to a maximum the comfort and simplicity and fighter pilots for would normally because the marker is their have downloaded the app on iPads and sales to keep using the app as in introduction and small computers worn on a vest. The of the user experience, and this across all more than 20 years access to a new and interesting way to see Android tablets in 74 countries worldwide. tool or to leave the markers behind for a nice company is also investigating how AR can It is expected to reach even more users ‘after meeting experience’,” says van der Wel. further aid performance in a number of Case study: Thales Visionix when a smartphone version is released. But all of these uses are just the tip different industry areas, including the Based in Massachusetts, the motion tracking team at Thales Visionix has “The first time people download the of the iceberg when it comes to the future medical sector. been working on AR projects since the company was founded in 1996. app, they use it for approximately 10 to 20 development of AR technology. Thales is Those developments are not without their Over the years, the team has dreamed up a wide range of different products, minutes, but more than 50% have accessed already exploring the benefits of using challenges. Experts felt that some of the including green screen camera tracking for the movie industry all the way it more than five times,” says van early AR applications created through to cutting edge AR solutions for fighter pilots. Despite such successes, Tom Calloway, R&D manager at Thales Visionix, admits that the rapid changes der Wel. “We also know that it information overload and hindered and advances in motion tracking and AR technology present significant problems has been adopted by different rather than aided users. There are also for his team. layers in customer organisations, potential privacy issues surrounding “Our big challenge at the moment is to take it outside of controlled from operational departments to the use of AR technology in the public environments, to unplug and untether systems and have them operate in the maintenance and asset and private arena. natural world, including at night,” he explains. On the flipside, he notes that greater computing power is helping to offset management. It is also being But none of these issues are some of these issues. used by Thales as a recruitment insurmountable and with the rapid “Our next major market will almost certainly be ground helmets for solidiers, tool at exhibitions to development and increasing which will give them vital information about their environment and – as just one demonstrate the company’s affordability of new wearable tech, the example – help them to identify friends and enemies via specific colours and innovation.” He adds that the potential future uses of AR will make symbols,” says Calloway. “The consumer market probably won’t be ready for widespread adoption of wearable AR for another ten years or so, but have no app, which has also been used Pokémon Go look like child’s play. doubt, we will all be reliant on augmented reality in the future.” Thales Naval App uses augmented reality to promote and explain some of the company’s complex technologies and service concepts. 14 INNOVATIONS: rail signalling 15

Stretching for 57km beneath the Alps and completed a year ahead of schedule, Switzerland’s new Gotthard base tunnel is the longest and deepest railway tunnel ever built. Thales’ cutting-edge signalling holds the key to getting the most out of this vital strategic asset.

John Coutts

Throughout history, the Alps have stood as a formidable natural barrier to human mobility – a rocky, beautiful and in places impenetrable mountain range, curving for more than 1,000km across the heart of Europe. A new generation of tunnels is challenging the dominance of the Alps and redrawing the map of Europe in the process. Gotthard, the newest and longest trans-Alpine rail tunnel, is the centrepiece of an ambitious programme to boost Switzerland’s rail connectivity, cut road traffic and safeguard the Alpine environment. The tunnel was built by AlpTransit Gotthard AG, a subsidiary of Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), on behalf of the Swiss federal government.

Signal strength drivers need is provided via a cab signalling display. This is Advanced rail signalling is playing a vital part in realising essential because conventional trackside signals cannot be the dream of high-speed Alpine transport. As partner and reliably sighted at high speeds. prime contractor of the Transtec Gotthard consortium, “Running trains through a tunnel with significant capacity Thales signed a CHF 2 billion contract for the installation and at high speed is a very delicate thing,” says Dr Alfred of railway technology on 29 April 2008. Thales not only Veider, Thales’ vice president of strategy and product policy In brief provided the general project manager of the consortium for main line signalling. “A superior train control system is ETCS enables but also staffed key functions such as RAMS management absolutely mandatory.” 1 trains to cross borders without (reliability, availability, maintainability and safety), finance As well as supporting faster journeys and meeting the stopping to change and head of commissioning. demand for up to 300 trains per day, ETCS is designed to locomotives. “Thales’ role was to supply the overall signalling system enable borderless journeys across Europe with no need Switzerland for the Gotthard tunnel,” explains Denis Laroche, vice to change locomotives to accommodate different train 2was one president, business development, Thales. “This is an control systems. of the first countries electronic system that controls the trains and ensures “Switzerland was one of the first countries to adopt ETCS to adopt the safe operations.” and its main line network is a reference for the world,” notes system and it is expanding The signalling deployed in Gotthard is ETCS Level 2, Laroche. “Gotthard is at the heart of Europe’s railway system around which uses continuous radio communications to link the and it is part of the transport corridor between Rotterdam the world. train with the signalling system. This makes it possible to run and Genoa in Italy, so the project is vital not only for ETCS Level 3 3 will introduce trains safely at speeds of up to 250kmh. ETCS Level 2 Switzerland but also for Europe.” moving block is a service-proven solution with a long track record: Thales The tunnel promises faster, greener freight movements technology, allowing trains implemented the same system for Gotthard’s sister tunnel, and dramatic improvements in journey times for passengers. to run closer the Lötschberg base tunnel, opened in 2007. The new high-speed link will cut the travel time from Zurich together and increasing Perhaps surprisingly, there are no signals anywhere to Milan to just over three hours – slicing 40 minutes off the overall capacity inside the Gotthard tunnel. Instead, all the information train current fastest trip. of the main line. 16 INNOVATIONS: rail signalling 17

The network of overhead Advanced rail signalling is Switzerland was Working in the world’s conductor wires provide playing a vital part in realising one of the first longest rail tunnel 15,000 volts, which the dream of high-speed countries to comes with its own traction power to the trains Alpine transport adopt ETCS special challenges

Starting from scratch are big and heavy, all were painstakingly positioned with tolerances transparently and as ‘One Thales’ with our colleagues in Germany best evacuation plan far quicker than a human being,” says Leopold. Bringing a modern railway tunnel to life is a complex business. In the measured in fractions of a millimetre. Signalling equipment was (RBC, axle counters), Austria (ELEKTRA interlocking) and Portugal Developments of this sort underline the way that signalling is case of Gotthard, there are two parallel tunnels – or ‘tubes’ – to handle installed once the heavy track work was complete. (safe signalling data network).” becoming a focal point for innovation. Tunnel safety is one example. traffic in each direction. Excavating and lining the tunnels 2,300m Capacity enhancements are another. Integrating signalling and beneath the Gotthard massif took more than a decade.The job of Underground movement Plug and play traffic management, for example, allows operators to predict transforming these bare concrete-lined tubes into a fully-functioning Working in the world’s longest rail tunnel comes with its own special Smooth implementation of the tunnel signalling was helped by two and resolve traffic conflicts long before they cause disruption. high speed railway with track, power and signalling was carried out challenges. Getting to work is one of them. “Logistics are extremely things. First, ETCS requires less trackside hardware than conventional “Traffic management makes it possible to get the best out of by Transtec Gotthard – the consortium responsible for the delivery complex in projects such as this,” says Laroche. “It takes a long time systems because no signals are needed. Second, a huge amount of the network every day,” says Veider. “This is a new source of value of the project. Thales played an active role in the management of for people to get to work in the middle of the tunnel, so transport preparatory work was done before implementation began. “We were for operators and Thales is positioned very well in this field.” the consortium. has to be perfectly organised.” already six years into the project when we started work on site at the In the beginning, “it was a great challenge to effectively bring Walking to work was out of the question (it takes more than end of 2013, so we had a good head start,” says Leif Leopold, general The way ahead together the different cultures and interests of the consortium 11 hours to get from one end of the tunnel to the other) so temporary project manager, Thales. Future developments promise even greater efficiency gains. ETCS partners for the greatest good of the project,” according to Kurt trains were provided. Lab testing was a crucial part of the job: the signalling solution Level 3 – the next evolutionary leap for rail signalling – will introduce Sauerwein, managing director of Thales Rail Signalling Solutions. For Verena Tschirner, Thales’ deputy commissioning coordinator, brings together several different vital systems, all of which must ‘moving block’ technology to main lines, allowing operators to run To meet the challenging requirements of a three-minute signal a typical working day would start with a rail journey to the heart of a work together perfectly. “Testing was carried out at our dedicated lab more trains on the same track. To do this, trains will need to be able headway in mixed traffic of up to 250 kmh, Thales developed several mountain. “We used a special train to get to the centre of the tunnel in Zurich over a period of four years,” explains Leopold. “This allowed to determine their own position without trackside infrastructure. new functions that allow ETCS L2, one RBC (radio block centre), which took around 50 minutes. All of the workers went on this train us to simulate the operation of the new rail link while the tunnel was Thales is committed to ETCS Level 3 and is actively involved in four interlocking systems and CTC (centralised traffic control) to and returned on it in the evening.” still being built.” developing the standard. The Group’s expertise in both rail signalling interact closely. With up to 780 people doing different jobs in and around the Basing the test lab in Switzerland contributed to the success and aerospace is a differentiator: among the technologies being So how do you set about turning an empty tunnel into a high- tunnel at the peak of the project, careful coordination and planning of the project, says Leopold: “It builds trust and makes for a good evaluated are satellite positioning and inertial navigation. A Thales performance railway? “The first step is providing temporary were vital. “Signalling was the last piece of the puzzle,” says Tschirner. working relationship with the customer. We also had very few TopAxyz inertial measurement unit has already been successfully installations,” explains Peter Huber, general project manager, Transtec “Before you can install it, all the other pieces have to be in place, changes in our core team over the eight years of the project – used to gather positioning data inside the Gotthard tunnel. Gotthard. “You need a 50Hz power supply, lighting, telecoms and air such as the radio network and power supplies. Teamwork and good keeping the same expert people together is very important.” As well as boosting capacity, the introduction of ETCS Level 3 is conditioning. We installed all of this first.” communications are essential. My job was to organise all the Signalling systems such as ETCS Level 2 are designed to route likely to accelerate the pace of automation. Automatic train operation Air conditioning may sound like a luxury in a railway tunnel. In fact, interactions with Transtec to make sure we could create the and control trains, maintain safe separation and prevent conflicting (ATO), for example, has been used in metro systems for more than work would have been impossible without it. Heat generated by perfect schedule.” movements. In very long tunnels, however, the confined environment 30 years, but remains a rarity on main lines. That could be about the huge overburden of rock means that the temperature inside the The collaborative approach adopted by the consortium partners means something extra is needed to protect passengers in the event to change. tunnel can reach a sweltering 46 degrees centigrade. Air conditioning paid dividends. “In spite of the complexity of the programme, of an emergency. In the case of Gotthard, the solution was to install “ETCS Level 3 paves the way for fly-by-wire operation for trains,” and ventilation helped to get the temperature down to a more we successfully delivered the whole railway system for the tunnel, an emergency tunnel automation system. If a fire is detected, for says Veider. “As soon as you have radio communications with the bearable 29 degrees. Track was installed first, followed by catenary – including Thales’ signalling system, one year in advance,” says Huber. example, the system kicks in within seconds, initiating an intelligent train, there’s much greater scope for ATO or even autonomous the network of overhead conductor wires that provides 15,000 volts “All of this was only achievable because of a highly motivated evacuation of the tunnel that takes into account the state of the traffic trains running on a radio link. And with ETCS, that radio link is traction power to the trains. Although many of the components team, adds Sauerwein. “From the very start, we worked and the location of the hazard. “The system’s algorithms work out the already there.” 18 INNOVATIONS: rail signalling 19

How does Signalling ETCS help? Trains fitted with ETCS are able to operate freely over suitably- without equipped track in any country. Cab Cab signalling is a signalling is a vital part of ETCS. This makes it possible not only to get rid of conventional signals but vital part of ETCS frontiers also to operate safely at speeds up Global ETCS to 500kmh. In Europe, more than ETCS – the 40,000km of ETCS track is now in deployments operation across 24 countries. European Train • More than 80,000km of the worldwide rail •ETCS Level 1 Control System – network is now equipped or This is the basic version of ETCS is contracted to be equipped and can be easily superimposed over is a standardised with ETCS, up from less existing national signalling systems. than 40,000km in 2010. • It provides train protection, speed ETCS around the world signalling and supervision and cab signalling. ETCS was developed to promote communications and reduced infrastructure • 10,000 rail vehicles • interoperability across Europe but it means there’s less to go wrong. train control globally are now equipped •ETCS Level 2 is being rapidly adopted by operators • Open supply market – trackside for ETCS operation. The benchmark for main line and worldwide whether they have borders and on-board equipment is produced technology that • high-speed signalling projects. to cross or not. by multiple suppliers in a competitive • In the Middle East and Continuous track-to-train radio market place. allows trains to Asia, ETCS is deployed • delivers performance enhancements • More trains – ETCS boosts the capacity • Lower cost of ownership – elimination over more than 33,000km and means lineside signals are of existing networks by up to 40%. of trackside equipment, including signals, cross national of track in 9 countries not needed. • Reliability improvements – radio-based means reduced maintenance costs. including Saudi Arabia, borders without India and China. • ETCS Level 3 Currently in development, ETCS the need to • ETCS is emerging as the Level 3 promises significant standard for Africa, with capacity gains, further reductions Why is ETCS stop to change more than 7,000km of in lineside infrastructure ETCS lines in 7 countries and the potential for needed? Train control – which allows from Algeria to Zambia. train automation. locomotives. signalling to stop trains – was first introduced more than a century ago. Incompatible national train control standards are now a major barrier to international traffic along Europe’s rail arteries.

• There are currently more than 20 different train control systems in use across Europe.

• Adapting a single locomotive to work on a neighbouring national network can cost more than €2 million.

Thales and ETCS Today, Thales’ ETCS solutions are deployed in the Thales has led the deployment of ETCS right from the start. The company delivered the world’s first commercial ETCS Level 1 project back in 1999. world’s most prestigious and demanding rail projects It also delivered the first cross-border ETCS implementation in Europe and the first ETCS in the Americas. Today, Thales’ ETCS solutions are deployed in the world’s most prestigious and demanding rail projects. Among these are Switzerland’s Lötschberg and Gotthard tunnels beneath the Alps and Saudi Arabia’s North-South Railway across the uninhabited An Nafud desert. 20 INNOVATIONS: Schiaparelli 21

In brief The Schiaparelli In 2003 and 2006, planetary scientists unexpectedly 1 module had to discovered concentrations of methane in three specific be careful not Mission to Mars to take any regions of Mars. This showed that the gas had recently microbes been released because it had not yet dissipated into the accidentally Schiaparelli, the first mission of the ExoMars to Mars during wider atmosphere, and it instantly led to speculation the mission. programme, had a rough ride during its that the methane could be coming from living micro- A key organisms underneath the planet’s surface. With a 2 investigation was the search descent to the surface of the Red Planet – mission designed to last until 2022, the TGO will keep for the origin a vigilant look out for any more outbursts, pinpointing of methane in the Martian but the data it returned will be invaluable. the origin of the methane. atmosphere. But as important as that investigation is, in The data Dr Stuart Clark It was directly responsible for designing October’s October, all eyes were on the landing of Schiaparelli. 3 gathered will entry, descent and landing module, known formally It separated from the TGO three days before the help Thales and ESA prepare as the EDM but named Schiaparelli after the Italian scheduled landing. At this point, the ground team for future Mars When it comes to Mars, you just don’t know what 2016 mission program manager, Thales Alenia astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli, who made an temporarily lost contact as Schiaparelli went into missions. you are going to get. Its thin atmosphere is notoriously Space Italia. extensive telescopic study of Mars in the 19th century hibernation mode to conserve power. The TGO difficult to navigate and many landing attempts have “We didn’t get much sleep the night before,” he and named the major areas of the planet. signalled back that Schiaparelli was on its way. This was ended in failure. So many, in fact, that engineers talk says, “There was a lot of stress and emotion when we a tense time; everyone was well aware that this was about the ‘Mars demon’, an imaginary creature that listened to the probe approaching the surface.” Martian methane the time when ESA’s last attempt to land on Mars failed. plucks spacecraft from the sky and dashes them against There was a lot riding on the mission. It was designed As well as developing the EDM, Thales Alenia Space Back in 2003, ESA released the Beagle 2 lander from the Martian rocks below. to pave the way for a much larger mission four years France had direct responsibility for the development Mars Express – and never heard from it again. They only Thales Alenia Space encountered the Mars demon later, in which a European rover will explore the surface of the spacecraft that carried Schiaparelli, the Trace discovered in 2014 that the little spacecraft had made first hand when the European Space Agency’s of the Red Planet looking for evidence of life. This means Gas Orbiter (TGO), which perfectly entered Mars’ orbit it successfully to the surface, only failing to deploy its Schiaparelli module experimented a hard landing onto that Thales Alenia Space had to be careful not to take any on the day of the landing attempt. A key investigation antenna at the last moment. For the intervening decade, the surface of the planet on 19 October. It was a rough microbes by mistake to the Red Planet (read more in for the TGO is to search for the origin of methane in the it was assumed that Beagle 2 had crashed for reasons ride for all concerned. One of the people who was in Planetary protection). Together the two missions make Martian atmosphere. On Earth, more than 90 per cent that would never be fully known. “One of the biggest ESA’s European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in up the ESA’s ExoMars programme, and Thales Alenia of methane is produced by living organisms. The rest outcomes of Beagle 2 was that the lack of data meant Darmstadt, Germany, was Maurizio Capuano, ExoMars Space Italia is the prime contractor. comes from geological processes. no one knew what happened in the final moments of the

billion 22 INNOVATIONS: Schiaparelli

The landing site, known as Meridian Planum, has been chosen specifically because it looks flat and smooth from orbit landing,” says Walter Cugno, vice had to make its perilous descent during president, domain exploration and Martian dust storm season (read more in science at Thales Alenia Space Italia. Dust Storms on Mars). It activated itself ESA insisted that future landers had to just two hours before striking the Martian stay in touch with the orbiter all the way atmosphere at an altitude of 122.5km and to the surface. It would return at a velocity of around 21,000km per hour. ‘telemetry’, which is data related to the It had to lose almost all of this velocity condition of the spacecraft and the to make it to the surface in one piece. It environment it is encountering. did so in a number of different ways. First, “Thales Alenia Space had to an aerodynamic heat shield protected implement the lessons learnt from it from the severe heat generated as it Beagle 2 on ExoMars. We expended struck the atmosphere. By the time a lot of energy to implement the Schiaparelli reached about 11km, its transmission of telemetry during speed was about 1,650km/h and the the entry, descent and landing,” supersonic parachute was deployed. Dust storms on Mars says Cugno. This way, if a catastrophe The front section of the heat shield There are dust storms on Mars almost so the more data than can be was to take place, the data could be was jettisoned and radar altimeter every Martian year, covering areas the collected under many different size of a continent and persisting for conditions, the better. analysed to understand exactly what was activated. a week or more. “Landing in dust storm season happened. Although it took time for the Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli, after whom the ExoMars At just about 1km above the surface, Every three or so Martian years was intentional. We have a lot of TGO to record the data from Schiaparelli spacecraft is named, was an Italian astronomer and science the parachute and the rear section of the – about 5.5 Earth years – the dust simulation tools and the raw data and then turn to transmit it to Earth, historian, known for his telescopic observations of Mars. heat shield was released. Retrorockets storms become so intense that they comes from the data collected by Capuano and the team found a way to that everything should have happened then fired and computers took control, engulf the entire planet. previous missions,” says Walter Schiaparelli arrived during Martian Cugno, vice president, domain eavesdrop on their lander. A network of radio safely,” says Capuano. However, the signal further reducing Schiaparelli’s velocity as dust storm season. This was the first exploration and science at Thales telescopes in India could just about pick up disappeared about 50 seconds earlier than it continued to fall. The aim was for the final time that a spacecraft had attempted Alenia Space Italia. the faint transmission between Schiaparelli expected. Something had gone wrong. velocity to be less than 7km/h – or about to land at this time of the Martian There has been a lot of investment and the TGO. It was not able to distinguish running speed. Then, when Schiaparelli was year, and the data returned will help from the Italian Space Agency and any of the data carried in the signal, but it Roller coaster ride 2m from the ground, the propulsion system prepare for future Mars missions. ESA in developing the capability to When designing missions, engineers land on Mars, and Schiaparelli has was enough to show that Schiaparelli was The journey down was guaranteed to be a would turn off and it would drop. A crushable rely on computers to simulate flights, contributed to that effort. working. “By receiving a signal, we knew roller coaster – especially since Schiaparelli structure, like the crumple zones on a car,

Schiaparelli activated itself just two hours before striking the absorbed the final shock of landing. range and velocity measurements projected data returned is invaluable. It will contribute Martian atmosphere at an altitude of 122.5km and at a velocity October’s landing site, known as Meridian on an erroneous reference and this led to the greatly to the chances of future missions of around 21,000km per hour Planum, was chosen specifically because it reconstruction of a negative altitude, which successfully landing on the Martian surface. looks flat and smooth from orbit. triggered the switch-off of the retrorockets These readings allow Thales Alenia Space Planetary protection Nevertheless, Schiaparelli could have after a stabilisation of three seconds. and ESA to build their expertise of landing As scientists have become In other words, planetary Alenia Space Italia’s Turin complicates the assembly touched down anywhere within an elliptical Subsequently, Schiaparelli free fell to Mars’ on Mars, because in 2020, they will do it all more interested in the protection is designed to stop site. The microbiological and testing of a spacecraft. area of 100 x 50 kms in size, and Mars has surface from an altitude of about 4 km. again. This time, instead of a 600kg module, possibility of microbial life on a future Mars mission thinking contamination inside is 10,000 “The only thing it doesn’t demonstrated the ability to surprise many Even if the descent had gone perfectly, it will be the 2 tonne Descent Module. This Mars, so they have realised that it has found Martian life, times less than in a normal affect is the software,” times in the past. the landing could have failed at the very last module will be carrying a Rover vehicle, that assembling spacecraft in only to discover that it has cleanroom used for spacecraft says Margheritis. The trouble was caused by the saturation moment. “We could have landed on a big which is being built by Airbus UK, housing an the absence of microbes is detected a stowaway microbe assembly and testing. The Gaining skill and essential. “We have to from Earth. company also assembled experience in planetary of the gyroscopes of the inertial platform rock, and that would have damaged the extraordinary analytical laboratory assembled conserve Mars so that future ESA supplied stringent a portable Biological protection is essential for due to higher than expected dynamics during lander,” says Capuano. “The probability of this by Thales Alenia Space Italia and several missions do not find false planetary protection guidelines Contamination Controlled when we return samples parachute inflation. On-board software was extremely low but we could not exclude scientific instruments to analyse Mars’ soil positives,” says Diana that had to be followed. As a Clean Room tent for temporary from Mars to Earth. There the estimated that Schiaparelli was pointing the possibility. We could have hit the only big ‘in situ’, in search of past and present life. Margheritis, ExoMars result, Schiaparelli was use in France for the Trace tables will be reversed and we upwards rather than downwards while the rock for 100km.” When it comes to the Red Planet, contamination and planetary assembled in a new Biological Gas Orbiter and then at the will have to protect our planet protection systems engineer, Contamination Controlled launch site in Baikonur, from possible contamination actual attitude of the probe was at all times Although the final minute of the descent everyone knows that the Mars demon is Thales Alenia Space Italia. Clean Room at Thales Kazakhstan. It considerably if there really is life on Mars. within the expected one. The processing of did not go according to plan, the engineering always lurking, ready to strike at any time. 24 INNOVATIONS: facial recognition 21

The ultimate aim The technology underpinning facial is that iris scanning recognition has been around for some becomes part of a time, with researchers doing exploratory wider recognition work in this area as far back as the 1960s system that also takes into account a person’s face, or the 2002 dystopian sci-fi movie issues need to be overcome before the recognition their body shape Minority Report, director Steven techniques used in films become a daily reality rather Spielberg assembled a crack team of than a science fiction fantasy? and the way that architects, researchers and computer they walk scientists to envisage what the world Lab to street might look like in 2054. Their The technology underpinning facial recognition has predictionsF proved eerily prescient. Multi-touch been around for some time, with researchers doing interfaces, e-paper and crime prediction software exploratory work in this area as far back as the 1960s, similar to that portrayed in the film has already been but it’s in the last three years that significant developed by technology companies and adopted by improvements have been made thanks to powerful a wide range of users including, in the latter instance, new deep learning models and the availability of police forces in the US. big data, according to Professor Dacheng Tao, director One technology from the film that hasn’t quite of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence in the University In brief Facial made its way into the mainstream just yet is the ability of Technology Sydney. 1 recognition to carry out retina scanning on individuals at any given “This technology is walking out of laboratories and technology is widely used by time in any given location. being utilised in many real-world applications in both law enforcement The elite ‘Pre-Crime’ unit deploys hordes of tiny entertainment and public security,” says Professor Tao. and anti-terror agencies. robotic arachnoids to scurry around buildings, “To name a few, Facebook and Picasa use face Powerful new temporarily immobilising citizens and scanning their recognition to automatically tag users’ friends in 2 deep learning eyeballs to confirm their ID. uploaded photos; Sydney airport has adopted models and big data have Although the technology underpinning this idea advanced customs clearance systems to automatically accelerated isn’t widely available today, law enforcement and verify passengers’ identity based on face recognition improvements to facial recognition anti-terrorism units around the world are already technology; and police officers in Chicago make use technology in increasingly relying on intelligent cameras and facial of face recognition to identify a robber’s identity in recent years. recognition software in an attempt to stop would be surveillance videos.” The major perpetrators in their tracks – or track them down In the past, similar technology has also been used 3hurdle developers after the event. to thwart voter fraud in the Mexican presidential face is how to And while video analytics are not being used elections and by the Chinese government during combine, in real time, different to thwart crimes before they happen – and will not the Beijing Olympic Games to identify activists. But technologies be used in this way in the future – facial recognition where the technology is expected to have a greater to improve the accuracy of facial software is becoming more sophisticated. So how impact in the future is in the area of law enforcement recognition. effective is the technology underpinning it and what and counter terrorism. Look deeper Could intelligent cameras and better facial recognition technology hold the key in the fight against terrorism?

Simon Creasey

26 INNOVATIONS: facial recognition 27 19 The number of people with minor criminal records that were potentially identified by facial recognition software at Super Bowl XXXV in 2001, according to media reports

Florida police successfully used facial by their whole body, using facial recognition as just one element that recognition software at Super Bowl will help to identify them. At the moment, with the technology we have XXXV in 2001 to identify potential developed, we are able to track a person from one camera to another. criminals and terrorists attending the There are still some problems in some areas because we may lose Iris recognition can be more accurate in certain constrained circumstances but requires expensive imaging equipment. event. Media reports claim that 19 sight of the person, but we are able to pick them up and re-identify people with minor criminal records were them again as long as they don’t change their trousers or sweater, potentially identified by the software. In the post-9/11 world, Improving quality for example.” enforcement agencies and governments have been reluctant This is something that Thales is tackling head on at the moment, to confirm whether and how they are using the technology but according to Moncet. He says part of the problem outlined by Keeping an eye on security anti-terror experts suggest its use is fairly commonplace. Professor Tao relates to the way that video systems have Changing into a different set of clothes and altering their physical Eric Moncet, head of sector, in charge of citizen security historically been installed and configured. appearance – by shaving off facial hair, for instance – is a tactic business at Thales, says there are two key ways facial recognition “For instance, trying to do facial recognition with cameras commonly used by perpetrators in the aftermath of a crime or terror technology is being used by law enforcement and anti-terror agencies: installed at the top of 20-metre poles is useless: you will only attack and this can make detection harder, which is why the key for real time detection and post analysis, following a serious crime or have the top of the head, not the face,” he explains. “When goal for many security experts is effective retina or iris scanning terrorist attack. designing a system, Thales takes into account all the constraints technology. To date, a lot of R&D work has centred around iris In ‘fluid’ situations like the coordinated terror attacks that we necessary to produce good results. For face recognition, for scanning technology, although retina scanning has been introduced have witnessed across Europe in the last few years, the instance, we prefer to install corresponding cameras at the to some US air force bases. technology clearly offers numerous benefits. However, entrance of buses,in the corridors of a public site or in “Iris recognition can be more accurate in certain constrained there are a number of hurdles that need to be overcome a station, to get the best quality picture.” circumstances and more robust to spoof attacks,” explains Professor before the technology can be widely rolled out. One In addition to improving the quality of image Tao. “However, it requires expensive imaging equipment and also lingering issue surrounds privacy. In October 2016, a captured by cameras, the company is currently requires the subjects to be highly cooperative, which is impractical report produced by a think tank at Georgetown working on a number of different projects in the in surveillance-related applications.” University in the US urged for greater controls around area of facial recognition that are close That’s why Thales is looking to develop iris scanning technology the use of images searchable by law enforcement to coming to fruition, says Philippe Mouttou, capable of working at a longer range. “At the moment, you have to be agencies using facial recognition technology. The report research and technology partnerships director, close to the machine for iris scanning to work, but we are conducting said that agencies, including the FBI, had access to a Advanced Studies, Secure Information and research into detecting irises at a range of five to ten metres. People database of more than 117 million American citizens, many of Communication Systems (SIX GBU), at Thales. “We are could just be walking down the street, – but their eyes need to be whom were law-abiding and a disproportionate number were black. working on technology that uses machine learning and we are visible,” says Mouttou. He’s quick to point out, however, that like other Providers of facial recognition solutions have also got to get testing it on images in conjunction with other techniques,” he developers of facial recognition technology, Thales doesn’t see iris to grips with a series of technical challenges to make the technology explains. “One of the things we want scanning as a tool which works in isolation. The ultimate aim is that it more fool proof, says Professor Tao. to be able to do is track people becomes part of a wider recognition system that fuses a number of “First, the appearance of the face often changes dramatically due different technologies and also takes into account a person’s face, their to a number of factors, such as variations in pose and illumination,” body shape and the way that they walk. And of course, capturing this he explains. “The appearance variations degrade the performance information is only half the battle; for any recognition system to be of existing face recognition algorithms. This challenge is particularly effective, it requires the development of a faster and better algorithm, serious for large-scale recognition, where intra-personal and inter- capable of crunching all of the captured information to positively personal appearance changes are subtle. Second, the degradation in identify someone. image quality in many real-world applications lowers the amount of “The fusion of all these technologies will provide a much more effective information for recognition; therefore, not accurate system to recognise people,” says Moncet. “This will all face images can be utilised for reliable recognition.” He adds that help to have real-time alarms with better quality, and will support facial recognition technology developers are close to overcoming the investigators to go even faster in their work. For instance, after a first problem by designing more powerful deep learning models and terrorist attack, the mass of video you can view to understand what collecting more data in terms of different facial appearance happened and who did the crime is very important. Improving the variations, which makes it all the more important for the quality and the speed of recognition components is a priority for industry to find a way to resolve the second issue. our customers.” 28 INNOVATIONS: defence industry 29

Taking responsibility Can the defence industry balance the need for transparency with the new demands it faces? John Coutts In brief he threats that now confront western Taking the initiative Responsibility democracies are complex, unpredictable 1 for security Thales is a leading player in Differentiation Programme, which is increasingly and intend to undermine not only national the international effort to promote evaluates companies on the shifting from the but also global stability. industry best practice through basis of 21 specific criteria and state towards business. “A new world order is emerging,” professional associations in the represents the highest standard aerospace and defence sector, of sustainability performance and Rapid Tsays Dominique Lamoureux, vice president of ethics regulatory international organisations and reporting. Thales is one of just 2 and corporate responsibility, Thales. “The threats are non-governmental agencies. 500 companies worldwide to change, particularly in no longer conventional. The issues are related to wider The company is a founding have achieved GC Advanced level. relation to questions of security. These stem from globalisation, member of the International Underlining the company’s transparency, is taking place. as well as new economic and political forces.” Forum on Business Ethical Conduct continuing commitment to (IFBEC). The forum, which brings proactive corporate responsibility For Lamoureux, whose experience with Thales spans Large together companies active in the policy, in 2016 Thales was named 3 companies more than 40 years, the rising tide of unconventional aerospace and defence sectors, among top companies for the risk fines and reputational threats is emblematic of a world in which state power promotes industry-wide ethical second year by the Dow Jones damage if is dwindling and in which the influence of international standards and provides Sustainability Index (DJSI) Europe they don’t bodies is becoming increasingly marginalised. “The opportunities for members (No. 1) and World (No. 2) in the comply fully to exchange information and Aerospace and Defence sector. with reporting issues we face, such as terrorism, financial crises, requirements. best practices. Out of 39 Aerospace and Defence HIV and global warming, are more and more global In 2003, Thales signed up to companies assessed worldwide, in character. Individual countries cannot solve these the United Nations Global Compact only five are considered as highly problems by themselves because they have their own (UNGC) and has adopted its ten sustainable. In 2016, Thales has problems and short-term political agendas. There has principles; UNGC is both a policy performed particularly well on the platform and a practical framework criteria of materiality (corporate clearly been a failure of international organisations to for companies that are committed responsibility stakes) but also for tackle these global issues effectively.” This perfect storm to sustainable business practices. its social, environmental and of complex, multi-faceted threats and institutional Companies that sign up to the export control policies, where weakness is creating a vacuum which the private sector Global Compact make a direct the Group obtained the highest is increasingly expected to fill, observes Lamoureux. commitment to the UN Secretary scores worldwide in the sector. General to align their operations The DJSI is one of the world’s “Now we are asking big companies to take care of and strategies with ten universally most widely recognised and global issues. These companies operate worldwide, accepted principles in the credible extra-financial they are well resourced and they are in it for the long areas of human rights, labour, assessments. Indices are carried term. We see very clearly from all our stakeholders environment and anti-corruption. out by RobecoSAM, the world’s the demand that companies take care of human rights Since 2012, Thales has achieved leading analyst of the extra- Global Compact Advanced level financial performance of and education.” under the Global Compact listed companies. 30 INNOVATIONS: defence industry

Governments depend more and more on private sector expertise to maintain technological supremacy

But there’s also evidence of a more fundamental shift in values. “Today, when we welcome newcomers to the business, the questions they ask are completely different to what they were ten years ago,” notes Lamoureux. “Among the younger employees, and particularly among the millennial generation, increasing attention is paid to extra-financial criteria. This is a big change. Twenty years ago, integrity Technological change and public spending constraints are also was purely a communications issue. Ten years ago it was about accelerating the shift of responsibility away from the state and towards risk management. Today, integrity is a strategic issue.” business. Governments are under pressure to curb spending. The idea that corporate social responsibility could be a source of Outsourcing is one way to shift costs off the public balance sheet. innovation and competitive advantage, rather than just a cost, gained It’s not only a question of saving money. With critical systems traction following the 2006 publication of Strategy and Society: becoming increasingly sophisticated, governments depend more The Link Between Competitive Advantage and Corporate Social and more on private sector expertise to maintain technological Responsibility by Harvard academics Michael E Porter and Mark R supremacy. This trend is evident in the defence arena. Tasks that range Kramer. This introduced the idea that the competitiveness of from gathering image intelligence for military purposes to managing companies and the wellbeing of communities are interdependent – telecommunications and pilot training are now routinely carried out by a concept known as ‘shared value’. private sector partners. Broadly, governments are changing from being “Transparency creates opportunities for business,” stresses uniformly. This exposes companies to the risk of being penalised for “Fines are not the only risk for large companies today. It’s also producers of defence goods and services to becoming consumers Lamoureux. “If you can develop products sustainably and with non-compliance and the cost of providing strategic information which reputational damage,” emphasises Lamoureux. “This affects the of them. integrity, with respect for human rights and for the environment, should be properly protected.” customer, the banks, the investors, the employees and the share that also gives you a competitive advantage. We see banks and Lamoureux points to the success of industry steps to self-regulate, price. There is also the risk that suppliers may not sell to you. So A new paradigm investors responding to extra-financial criteria and it is becoming including the creation of IFBEC, the International Forum on Business you have to be able to demonstrate that you have an integrated This transfer of responsibilities is taking place against a background much more important.” Ethical Conduct [see box] of which he is vice chairman. programme in place and that your operations are fully compliant.” of rapid regulatory change, particularly in relation to transparency. Transparency, nevertheless, raises difficulties for defence firms. In France, new measures to boost corporate responsibility are set On one hand, they need to abide by the same standards as other listed China and India: new players, new rules? out in the country’s draft transparency bill, better known as Sapin 2. companies. On the other, they need to safeguard information that has Arms exports and geopolitical governed by national laws, or arms export agreements. Under government expansion Large firms are expected to implement measures such as anti- the potential to harm national security. This must be achieved in the ambitions often go hand in Chinese State Council Although China provides plans, arms exports would rise corruption training for executives, support for whistle-blowers face of increasingly exacting disclosure requirements. hand and nowhere is the regulations and ministerial information to the UN Register 20-fold over the next decade and procedures to verify the integrity of suppliers, partners “Balancing the demand for transparency with the need for connection closer than in decrees. The country’s two of Conventional Arms (ROCA), to US$3 billion, up from about and intermediaries. Brussels is also pushing for greater transparency confidentiality is very tough,” says Lamoureux. Existing rules, China. Exports by the country’s largest state-owned defence the data is sporadic compared US$150 million today. state-owned arms makers have with a new directive on the disclosure of non-financial information he points out, are already stringent. “Under deemed export companies, China North to other major states. China Measures adopted by the risen sharply since 2008 and Industries Corporation was one of the 23 countries government to stimulate the coming into force in 2016. regulations, for example, even a phone call can be considered China is now one of the world’s (NORINCO) and the Aviation that abstained from voting arms industry include what Moves towards tougher corporate regulation in Europe are, in part, as a transfer of technology.” five biggest exporters of Industry Corporation of China when the UN General Assembly India’s defence minister a response to stricter enforcement of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices For multinational businesses such as Thales, the matter is military equipment. (AVIC) both now publish adopted the Arms Trade Treaty described as the “untying of Act (FCPA). Although this law was introduced nearly 40 years ago, further complicated by the need to comply with rules across different China places increasing sustainability reports. in 2013. knots”. India’s Economic Times the creation of a specialised enforcement unit in 2010 has led to a jurisdictions. “We have people worldwide, we have programmes emphasis on abiding by However, obtaining an India now has big plans to newspaper reports that international norms. Beijing accurate picture of China’s boost defence manufacturing. measures include an easing of dramatic increase in the number of enforcement actions. worldwide – we’re a global company,” says Lamoureux. “This makes has adopted universal export international dealings is Currently, it is one of the export regulations and an end While much of the impetus for increased transparency comes planning more and more complex.” He questions the consistency of control measures, including difficult because Beijing does world’s biggest importers of to the demand for multiple directly from government, businesses themselves are increasingly current initiatives to improve transparency: “At the international level, licensing and end-use not release any data on arms weapons but exports are assurances on end-use from willing to change – particularly in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. reporting requirements are not the same and they are not applied certificates. Exports are exports, arms export licences negligible in global terms. foreign governments. 32 innovations: COMMERCIAL Unmanned aerial vehicles 33

Europe The European Aviation Safety (medium risk): would need Agency’s (EASA) Technical authorisation from an NAA. China Opinion proposals establish Each risk would be analysed China allows all drones under 7 kg to fly Game three distinct groups, each of and mitigated via a safety unrestricted. For those over that weight, which work under a different risk assessment. various restrictions apply: of drones For vehicles 7 kg–116 kg, a licence from the level of oversight. These are: • ‘Certified’ category (higher In the space of 15 years, • ‘Open’ category (low risk): risk): rules similar to manned The Civil Aviation Administration of China the humble drone has gone minimal rules, defining limits aircraft (e.g. pilot’s licence (CAAC) is required, while any UAV weighing for operations, to be overseen and certification required). over 116 kg requires a pilot’s licence and from hastily improvised weapon by the police. Authorisation In September 2016, a string UAV certification for operation. The use of of war to a cornerstone of from a National Aviation of aviation associations called commercial drones in China is regulated by navigation, meteorology and the CAAC, and as such, approval is needed Authority (NAA) would for all small drones in Europe civil surveillance. However, not be required, even for to be registered. In May 2017, for all commercial UAV flights. Russia that speed has left some commercial operations. the EASA began a public Source: The Future of Commercial and Industrial New regulation, which came UAVs; Valour Consultancy authorities running to catch into force in March 2016 •‘Specific operation’ category consultation on new proposed is reported to include the Basic Regulation for UAVs up when it comes to devising following provisions: in the EU which will regulate and implementing the • All unmanned aerial vehicles all UAVs regardless of their necessary laws and guidelines maximum take-off mass. New (UAVs) with a maximum take- surrounding the wider regulations are likely to be off weight of 0.55 pounds should civilian use of drones. be registered. adopted in 2018. • Users of registered UAVs will Source: EASA Despite concerted efforts have to write a flight plan and to adopt generally accepted submit it to the regional body. guidelines, confusion still • Every UAV must have a two- reigns. Take Europe: person crew: a pilot a fully pan-European set of UAV and observer. Source: RT laws has yet to emerge, and local laws stymie attempts to decide a set of EU laws. When that is achieved, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is likely to define drones by usage rather

India than weight, an approach India has an outright ban on the use of UAVs in its airspace. which is at odds with the rest US The authorities are working on South Africa of the world. In August 2016, the Brazil a comprehensive set of UAV UAVs are banned from flying US Federal Aviation However, progress is being Commercial drones are currently guidelines, but until then, all within 50 m above or close to Administration (FAA) issued made, albeit slowly. Joint banned. However, Brazil’s National UAV activity must be cleared a person or crowd of people, new regulations on the use of Authorities for Rulemaking on Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) has with the relevant security bodies. structure or building without prior divided other UAVs into three classes: commercial UAVs. Central to Source: Directorate General of approval from the South African Unmanned Systems (JARUS) the rules are: For Class 1 (drones weighing over Civil Aviation (DGCA) Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA). which is currently chaired by • Maximum speed of 150 kg) and Class 2 (drones weighing Additional rules apply, banning EASA, has issued a guidance 25-150 kg) the following rules apply: each unmanned aircraft the use of UAVs adjacent to document on recommendations • Drones must be certified by ANAC (100 miles/hour). or above a: (not Class 2). • Maximum weight: 25 kg. United Arab Emirates • nuclear power plant for a single set of technical, • Each drone must be registered • Maximum altitude: 400 feet Regulations prohibit any “man-made object” • prison safety and operational with the Brazilian Aeronautical above ground level. If higher, from flying above a height of 200 feet above • police station requirements on drones which remain within 400 feet Registry (RAB). ground level within 8 kilometers of an airport, • crime scene will look at issues from pilots’ • Pilots must have an aeronautical of a structure. • court of law or 300 feet above ground level elsewhere licences to inspections of medical certificate (CMA), a permit • Operators must stay within the United Arab Emirates, unless • national key point. and licence. out of airport flight approved by the Emirate Department of Civil Source: The Future of Commercial and airworthiness. Watch this space. • Each drone flight must paths and restricted Aviation. Operators are also only permitted to fly Industrial UAVs; Valour Consultancy be registered. For Class 3 (drones airspace areas, and obey during daytime and in good weather conditions. weighing up to 25 kg) the following any FAA Temporary Flight Source: UAE General Civil Aviation Authority rules apply: Restrictions. • Drones operating below 120 m height • Crucially, the only need to be registered with a CMA. regulations also Mexico • Must be flown within 30 m of operator. require that drone operators maintain a • All drone flights must be operated in daylight. • In urban areas and rural settlements, • For drones weighing between 2 kg and 25 kg, a permit is required. UAVs are permitted to fly no more than “visual line-of-sight” with each drone that they fly. • For drones weighing over 25 kg, a permit and pilot’s licence are required. 60 m above ground level. Source: Servicios a la Navegación en el Espacio Aéreo Mexicano (SENEAM) Source: ANAC Source: US FAA 34 INNOVATIONS: diversity 35

In brief Companies 40% 1 perform better when they have Thales’s aim is for at least one female executive 40% of its new on the board. recruits to be female More needs 2 to be done versus 29% in 2014 to promote diversity and inclusion in engineering. Diversity 3 Communicating the creativity of science, matters technology, engineering and mathematics The business case for related professions a diverse and inclusive is crucial to engage more culture goes far beyond young women. the bottom line.

Rob Brown

The technology is as advanced as its application is ironic. Within years we will be sending solar powered aircraft to the moon. We are about to take the first step towards this goal with the test flight of Freyr, a huge solar powered cargo ship that is launched by a powerful mechanical catapult and can travel from London to Cairo in two hours. It is as silent as a bird and as beautiful as an eagle. Freyr is not real and commercial solar powered aviation, let alone space travel, is still little more than a concept. This scenario is, in fact, from the imagination of writer Sylvia Spruck Wrigley, commissioned by Thales for a project with a much more down to earth aim: to try novel approaches to stimulating creativity and collaboration in a diverse workforce. Diversity – in terms of gender, nationality, origin and so on – matters. Numerous studies demonstrate the link between company performance and diversity. According to a 2015 Credit Suisse report, for instance, European companies with just one female board director achieve a significantly higher return on investment than those with none – 14.1% since 2005 versus 11.2%, specifically. The report concludes: “It is not a case of a greater ability of one gender So where does all this leave Thales, which currently has a engineering workforce,” he explains. “It’s an ageing, largely male achieve these goals, Thales is looking to attract students from outside versus the other but that a more diverse group makes for better workforce that is 78% male and 54% French? If a lack of diversity population and we know that there’s going to be a skills crisis as STEM’s white, male, middle-class heartland. In the UK, Thales is decision making and corporate performance.” really does impact the growth prospects of a company and its ability people retire and the new crop comes through university and a supporter of Teach First, a programme that trains teaching Multinationals are listening. L’Oréal, for example, has appointed 30 to innovate, what is the company doing to diversify? And where apprenticeships. if we don’t fish effectively in the female 50%, professionals to become classroom leaders in underprivileged managers across its global operations to increase diversity. Crédit exactly does Freyr and solar powered space travel come into we won’t get the recruits we need. This needs to change.” areas to end educational inequality, for example. Agricole, meanwhile, has declared fostering female leadership as a key all of this? Thales has set ambitious targets to address this and is aiming for That’s not all. RTI co-ordinator Ana Mirsayar has been working strategic aim. Danone runs kids’ days in which the children of The push to diversify goes far beyond the bottom line, says women to represent 40% of its new recruits, up from 29% in 2014. with a team of teachers to increase STEM participation in English and employees are invited to visit HQ to learn about their parents’ jobs. At Alvin Wilby, vice president for research, technical and innovation (RTI) And diversity, in terms of gender, nationality and generation, will be Welsh schools and raise Thales’ profile. They’ve been smart in their French state railway SNCF, high school students are invited to meet at Thales UK. “It’s all very well talking about growth and innovation, considered during the recruitment process at application stage. The approach, looking to appeal to what seems like an almost universal female employees to bust the myth that engineering is a ‘man’s job’. but if we ignore gender diversity we have an existential threat to our aim is for women to hold at least 30% of manager positions. To teenage interest. “We’ve created a computer game that teaches kids 36 INNOVATIONS: diversity

Thales is looking to attract students from outside STEM’s white, male, middle-class heartland

in KS3 basic equations,” explains Mirsayar, customers. There’s this whole creative, adding that all UK students are required to innovative side that should really engage understand 12 key equations to be able to young female students.” complete GCSE qualifications in physics Of course there are pressing incentives and maths; a tough call, considering the for businesses like Thales to diversify. demands of Pokémon Go and the latest European Union law dictates that by 2020, Call of Duty instalment. every listed company in the EU must have “It is important to note that these implemented diversity quotas and their equations are an area that students boards must be at least 40% female. struggle with, so by designing a game There’s a cogent business case for that inspires and teaches them is diversification of the workforce too, argues fundamental. Teach First teachers provide Ottawa-based Astrid Neuland, who works the understanding needed to create in business development for Thales Canada lesson plans that meet the needs of Defence and Security and is acting Aerospace • Space • Ground Transport • DEfence • Security students and the national curriculum. executive vice president of Women In Our Thales graduates have been able to Defence and Security Canada (WiDS) and provide the coding skills. The group is also and technology. It’s a worthy cause. In VP affiliations and sponsorships for the developing a KS4 coding activity that can Australia, STEM-related course completions organisation. WiDS promotes the be used in Computer Science GSCE subjects are falling at an alarming rate, down from advancement of women leaders in defence or in STEM clubs.” 22% of all course completions a decade and security professions across Canada. ago to just 16%. What’s more, just 14% Earlier this year, she was named as one of the Inclusivity through creativity of Australia’s STEM-qualified workforce is Top 20 Women in Defence 2017 in Canadian The fact that computer games, the largest female. Kirkpatrick, for example, is the only military magazine, Espirit de Corps. entertainment industry in the world, couldn’t female technical engineer in her team of “As our clients become more diverse, exist without creative experts with a around 30. so must we,” says Neuland. “The highest background in science and technology, could Kirkpatrick’s project consists of small ranking female general in the commonwealth be used to attract young people into STEM. programming activities with an air traffic is a Canadian, Lieutenant-General Christine It certainly proved a powerful lure for Shae management flair, created with free online Whitecross. “If there is more diversity seated Kirkpatrick, who has been working as an air programming tool Scratch, which teaches around her table – in terms of gender, cultural traffic management software engineer at students how to code in a simple graphic background, education and rank – it makes Thales’ Australian headquarters in Melbourne manner. It works by dragging and dropping sense if we are more diverse too. We should for the past three years. blocks of instructions on the screen, clipping mirror our clients.” “At university I was initially doing a fine them together like Lego blocks to create a Which is where Freyr and solar-powered arts degree,” explains Kirkpatrick, who comes program, game or animation. The focus is not spacecraft come into the equation. Spruck from an artistic family, trained in ballet for on complex concepts, but the problem- Wrigley used these details in a short story 16 years and plays the flute and piano. “But solving and creative aspects of programming. about a truanting schoolgirl called Giff for when I was there, I did an animation class Communicating the creative aspects of a workshop with Thales employees, aimed with some games design students and I STEM is crucial, particularly given Thales’ at encouraging creative brainstorming and thought it was so interesting and so much background in the male-dominated technical emphasising how teams of people from a more creative than what I was doing. So I sphere, contends Kirkpatrick. “It’s true – broad range of backgrounds can think more jumped ship and moved to an engineering defence is male dominated,” she says. “It’s creatively thanks to differences in the way degree and never looked back.” a matter of getting out there and building team members approach problems. Perhaps Now she is looking to share her discovery brand awareness of what we actually do; by attracting a more diverse workforce, solar with primary school students, encouraging emphasising how creative you have to be powered space travel may soon be within more of them to consider careers in science and how you work as a team and deal with our grasp. Find us online here: www.thalesgroup.com www.facebook.com/thalesgroup twitter.com/thalesgroup plus.google.com/+thales