Philippe Fuchs’ Interview

Philippe Fuchs

It’s rare when your passion intersects with your profession.   Reconciling them is a luxury. This is exactly what 57-year-old Philippe Fuchs will accomplish with his 6,000-mile (10,000 kilometer) Paris-Beijing ultra-marathon. Philippe, a Virtual Reality researcher and professor at the Ecole des Mines de Paris will use his expertise while racking up the miles. His track record is impressive: Paris-Barcelona in 1992, Palaiseau- Norway’s North Cape in 1995 (2,000 miles in 8 weeks) and, Paris-Athens during the last Summer Olympic Games (1,500 miles in only 6 weeks). Philippe Fuchs explains why he selected Dassault Systèmes as his principal partner for this adventure.

« Finally, a link between virtual and real worlds »

For the first time in your life, you opted to blend your work and your passion. Why choose Dassault Systèmes as a partner?

Dassault Systèmes is the ideal partner. As a Virtual Reality researcher, I've been familiar with their work for a long time. In fact I use their 3D solutions in my laboratory at the Ecole des Mines de Paris. When I first learned about Dassault Systèmes’ Passion for Innovation program, I thought it was a great way to boost my passion, the ultra-marathon. For my Paris-Beijing run, Dassault Systèmes is providing logistical and technical support.  Dassault Systèmes is also supplying data gathered to the Marseille Laboratory of Movement and Perception and helping them launch an ambitious scientific project through the use of its realistic simulation software.   I am the project’s first guinea pig! In support of the NGO Sports Without Borders, Dassault Systèmes will help the organization in proportion to every kilometer I run in the real world.  Complementing this from the virtual world, the general public can run virtual kilometers that will be added to mine, equaling even more support for the NGO’s mission to leverage the power of sports to improve the quality of life among youths in developing countries and build cohesion between cultures.  Sports Without Border’s likes to say that “solidarity is a team sport”, and they are so right!  I believe in their cause and am thrilled my run will contribute to a greater good.  Also, the researcher in me finds this combination of virtual plus reality support fascinating. For years, people have opposed the real and virtual worlds when, in fact, they complement each other.

What types of scientific results do you expect?

Because Dassault Systèmes is my partner in this adventure, people will hopefully realize that 3D technology can be useful to sports. It helps in raising awareness and interest on the use of 3D in sports. With the data gathered, we will better understand an athlete's intuitions, his strategy in movement. The results promise to be quite instructive and will definitely move things further along. It is only the beginning of real-time 3D and Virtual Reality in sports. We are discovering new ways to utilize 3D mechanical analysis and the results will surely attract new partners.

How do the different partners in this project complement each other?

It's exactly what I was looking for. Apart from Dassault Systèmes, my main partner, two companies (Intempora and Polar) are supplying software and body sensors capable of measuring and synchronizing data such as cardiac frequency. When I complete the run, we will be able to relive each minute of the trek. The data will be essential for our research. This is especially true for the Marseilles laboratory, which is leading an ambitious project: the creation of the world’s first scientifically valid and bio-realistic 3D foot. Not to mention the University of Jean Monnet Saint-Etienne that will perform a physiological study during the trek.

This project also has a humanitarian side in favor of Sports Without Borders...

I am quite pleased with the dynamics and the passion generated around the Virtual Plus Reality Challenge. Dassault Systèmes created this project with solidarity in mind. The project relies on very innovative 3D technologies used on the Internet. Some of these technologies, such as incorporating 2D photographs in a 3D environment, only just came out of their research and development department. It's a true challenge for Dassault Systèmes to make this advanced technology available to everyone so quickly. 

I have run across the world and witnessed how certain events affect children's destinies. Therefore, I hope that a large number of people will be motivated to take up the Virtual Plus Reality Challenge and run with me virtually for Sports Without Borders. All that's left is for me to meet expectations and arrive in Beijing between the 8th and 24th of August, during the Summer Olympic Games.