The SIEL pole groups together the laboratory's activities concerning signals, images, sounds, languages, writing, physiological measurements and human factors. Two strong convergences between the teams ensure the coherence of the cluster.

The first convergence is related to signal and data processing in specific application contexts, through the development of theories and methods in signal and image processing (in the broad sense), language and writing. The IPI, SIMS and TALN teams are users/designers of data analysis, decision, security or compression tools and implement processing methods dedicated to the specific data they process (close to the sensor for SIMS, image/video/write for IPI, language data for TALN). The challenges related to tools and methods include: developments in computational imaging, at the interface with observational sciences, from the infinitely large to the infinitely small, with applications close to the sensor, in non-destructive testing, in medical and biological imaging, in remote sensing; learning and recognition techniques for specific signals such as sound, writing, gesture or natural languages; methods for the compression, archiving and transmission of multimedia signals and perceptually optimized when these signals are intended for use by humans.

The IPI, SIMS and TALN teams therefore process data and signals produced by and/or for humans, whether visual, sound, internal to the body (muscles, brain) or related to language (writing and texts). Here we find one of the characteristics that illustrates the cluster's second convergence, relating to human factors. The term is used here in a broad sense, since it covers work carried out by the IPI SIMS, PACCE and part of DUKe teams in the fields of human-machine interactions, cognitive ergonomics and, more generally, the design and evaluation of digital interactive products and systems by putting the human being at the centre of the reflection. Three types of multidisciplinary activities and challenges are mainly considered. First of all, the design of interactive and cooperative systems, with a user-centred approach. The evaluation of systems is then an important activity of the cluster's teams, whether these systems are proprietary or designed by external partners: we will talk here about cognitive ergonomics, user experience, perceptual approach to the quality of experience, usage analysis. A final activity related to cognitive psychology, a skill specific to the PACCE team, theoretically and experimentally complements and reinforces the previous one by aiming at the analysis and modelling of the sensorimotor and cognitive processes underlying the activity. Several experimental capture and analysis platforms are also available in the cluster's teams, which also share similar or complementary experimental methodological approaches.

The cluster is thus intended to bring together skills in the disciplines covered by sections 7 (on its perimeters of processing, images, content, interactions, signals and languages) and 26 of the CNRS (Cerveau, cognition et comportement). There are lecturers and researchers from CNU 61, 27 but also 60 (on aspects concerning design engineering), 16 (Psychology) and 55 (Ophthalmology). Disciplinary cross-fertilization is therefore at the heart of the work of the cluster's teams.

The SIEL cluster is directly concerned by four of the laboratory's transversal themes:

• Life Sciences for its work in the field of health in signal processing and biomedical imaging, analysis of medical documents, analysis of the impact of technology on diagnostic quality, personalized medicine, design of tools for operating rooms, cognitive remediation for vulnerable populations, visual attention on populations with visual impairments.
• Digital creation, culture and society on its contribution to the digital humanities, to the analysis of the uses of digital technology, to the design of innovative interactions and couplings.
• Vehicles and mobility with regard to driver modelling and monitoring, as well as cooperation between drivers and automated systems, including the autonomous vehicle.
• The company of the future for issues related to operator assistance, cobotics, non-destructive testing, and the design of augmented and virtual reality systems adapted to the needs of the company, rendering systems and ergonomic simulations.

It is part of the regional policy of two RFIs:

• Atlanstic2020, in particular in relation to one of its five fields of excellence "Content and interactions" (perception, uses, language and speech processing, multilingualism and multimodality, affective computing, virtual and augmented reality).

RFI Ouest Industries Créatives, in particular in two of its four research areas: "Human interaction with digital objects in the field of culture and creation" and "Changes in tools and know-how in the field of culture and creation in a digital environment".

Among the privileged partners at the local level, we can mention the health actors (University Hospital, Clinics) for the imaging, gerontology, pain, ophthalmology axes; the Jules Verne IRT; the future interdisciplinary University Pole on digital cultures and associated creative industries; the IFSTTAR.