Claire Dune

Claire Dune

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claire.dune@ift.ulaval.ca

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Claire Dune received her Ph.D. in Computer Science from Université de Rennes in 2009 under the supervision of Prof. Eric Marchand. Her doctoral research, conducted within the Lagadic team at Inria Rennes in collaboration with CEA-LIST, focused on active-vision methods for object recognition and grasping in assistive robotics. She subsequently joined the CNRS–AIST Joint Robotics Laboratory in Tsukuba, Japan, as a postdoctoral fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. Working with Olivier Stasse, Pierre-Brice Wieber, Katsuhito Yokoi, and Eiichi Yoshida, she investigated model predictive control and visual servoing for humanoid robot locomotion. In 2010, she became an Associate Professor at Université de Toulon. From 2010 to 2015, her research activities were hosted by Jean-Pierre Merlet’s HEPHAISTOS team at Inria Sophia Antipolis, where she collaborated primarily with Jean-Pierre Merlet, David Daney, and Patrick Rives. During this period, she developed a vision-based gait analysis system integrated into a robotic smart walker. In 2015, she actively contributed to the creation and structuring of the COSMER laboratory at Université de Toulon. Working primarily with Vincent Hugel, she established a research program in visual perception and sensor-based control for underwater robotics. From 2019 to 2024, she was also seconded half-time to IFREMER’s PRAO team in Toulon, where she was hosted by Jan Opderbecke and collaborated closely with Aurélien Arnaubec and Maxime Ferrera. Since joining Université Laval and the Northern Robotics Laboratory, her research has focused on autonomous underwater robots operating in challenging and dynamic environments, particularly under ice and in Arctic regions. Her broader research interests include ROV tether modelling and management, visual localization, active photogrammetric reconstruction of the seafloor, autonomous exploration, and diver–robot interaction.

Education

  • Habilitation to Supervise Research (HDR) — Université de Toulon, France, 2025 Highest French academic qualification, authorizing the independent supervision of Ph.D. research.
  • Postdoctoral Fellow, CNRS–AIST Joint Robotics Laboratory — AIST, Tsukuba, Japan, 2009–2010
  • Ph.D. in Computer Science, Lagadic Team, Inria Rennes and CEA-LIST — Université de Rennes, France, 2009
  • French Engineering Degree in Robotics and Computer Vision — École Nationale Supérieure de Physique de Strasbourg, now Télécom Physique Strasbourg, France, 2005
  • Research M.Sc. (DEA) in Photonics, Imaging, and Cybernetics — Université de Strasbourg, France, 2005
  • Preparatory Classes for French Grandes Écoles (CPGE), PCSI–PSI track, Mathematics, Physics, and Engineering Sciences — Lycée Rabelais, Saint-Brieuc, France

Scientific and Academic Service

  • Associate Editor, IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (RA-L), 2026–present
  • Associate Editor, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2026
  • Guest Editor of the IEEE special issues Robotic Handling of Deformable Objects (2022) and Robot Manipulation of Deformable Objects (2026)
  • Founding member and co-organizer of the Working Group on Deformable Object Manipulation within the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Technical Committee on Robotic Manipulation
  • Organizer and General Chair of SubMeeting, the French Marine Robotics Workshop, Saint-Raphaël, 2022 and 2024
  • Member of the Steering Committee of the French PEPR Robotique Accélération, 2024–present
  • Co-leader of the Robotics and Education action within the French GDR Robotique, 2023–present
  • Coordinator of gender-equality initiatives within the French GDR Robotique, 2023–2026
  • Elected member of the French National Council of Universities (CNU), Section 61, 2023–2026

Professional Membership

  • Professor Member, IVADO, 2026–2028
  • Senior Member, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
  • Member, IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS)
  • Member, French Robotics Research Group (GDR Robotique)
  • Member, French Research Group on Artificial Intelligence, Signal and Image Processing (GDR IASIS)

Publications

Journal Articles

  1. Minghelli, A., Chami, M., Guillaume, M., Lei, M., & Dune, C. (2025). Retrieval of benthic habitat abundance and bathymetry from hyperspectral data (DESIS) in shallow waters. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 46(4), 1467–1486. https://doi.org/10.1080/01431161.2025.2455009
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  2. Ghader, B., Dune, C., Watelain, E., & Hugel, V. (2024). Subject-independent diver gesture classification using upper limb movement. IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1109/LRA.2024.3455904
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  3. Drupt, J., Viel, C., Dune, C., & Hugel, V. (2024). ROV localization using ballasted umbilical equipped with IMUs. IEEE Oceanic Engineering.
     Bibtex source
  4. Drupt, J., Comport, A., Dune, C., & Hugel, V. (2024). MAM3SLAM: Towards underwater robust multi-agent visual SLAM. Ocean Engineering, 302, 117643. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2024.117643
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  5. Viel, C., Drupt, J., Dune, C., & Hugel, V. (2023). ROV localization based on umbilical angle measurement. Ocean Engineering, 269, 113570. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2022.113570
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  6. and Dune, C., Ferrera, M., Arnaubec, A., Marxer, R., Matabos, M., Van Audenhaege, L., & Hugel, V. (2023). Eiffel Tower: A Deep-Sea Underwater Dataset for Long-Term Visual Localization. The International Journal of Robotics Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/02783649231177322
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  7. Zhu, J., Cherubini, A., Dune, C., Navarro-Alarcon, D., Alambeigi, F., Berenson, D., Ficuciello, F., Harada, K., Kober, J., Li, X., Pan, J., Yuan, W., & Gienger, M. (2022). Challenges and Outlook in Robotic Manipulation of Deformable Objects. IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine, 29(3), 67–77. https://doi.org/10.1109/MRA.2022.3147415
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  8. and Marxer, R., Dune, C., Arnaubec, A., & Hugel, V. (2022). Homography-Based Loss Function for Camera Pose Regression. IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 7(3), 6242–6249. https://doi.org/10.1109/LRA.2022.3168329
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  9. Gartner, N., Richier, M., Dune, C., & Hugel, V. (2022). Hydrodynamic Parameters Estimation Using Varying Forces and Numerical Integration Fitting Method. IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 7(4), 11713–11719. https://doi.org/10.1109/LRA.2022.3205126
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  10. Zhu, J., Dune, C., Aranda, M., Mezouar, Y., Corrales, J. A., Gil, P., & Lopez-Nicolas, G. (2022). Editorial: Robotic Handling of Deformable Objects. IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 7(3), 8257–8259. https://doi.org/10.1109/LRA.2022.3185539
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  11. Laranjeira, M., Dune, C., & Hugel, V. (2020). Catenary-based visual servoing for tether shape control between underwater vehicles. Ocean Engineering, 200, 107018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2020.107018
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  12. Laranjeira, M., Arnaubec, A., Brignone, L., Dune, C., & Opderbecke, J. (2020). 3D Perception and Augmented Reality Developments in Underwater Robotics for Ocean Sciences. Current Robotics Reports, 1(3), 123–130. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43154-020-00014-5
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  13. Garcia, M., Stasse, O., Hayet, J.-B., Dune, C., Esteves, C., & Laumond, J.-P. (2014). Vision-guided motion primitives for humanoid reactive walking: decoupled vs. coupled approaches. The International Journal of Robotics Research, 34(4-5), pp.402–419. https://doi.org/10.1177/0278364914550891
     Publisher    Bibtex source

Conference Articles

  1. and Filliung, M., Boizot, N., & Dune, C. (2025). Symbolic Regression for Dynamic Tether Modeling in Underwater Robotics. Data-Driven Marine Robotics Workshop, CASE’2025. https://sites.google.com/view/d2mc4robotics/home
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  2. Creuze, V., Hugel, V., Seillier, S., Anthierens, C., & Dune, C. (2025, June). Travaux Pratiques de commande de robots sous-marins basée modèle et capteurs. CETSIS 2025 - Colloque De l’Enseignement Des Technologies Et Des Sciences De l’Information Et Des Systèmes. https://hal-lirmm.ccsd.cnrs.fr/lirmm-05134851
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  3. Peraud, C., Filliung, M., Anthierens, C., Dune, C., Boizot, N., & Hugel, V. (2024, October). IMU-based Monitoring of Buoy-Ballast System through Cable Dynamics Simulation. 2024 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2024). https://hal.science/hal-04756297
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  4. and Marxer, R., Dune, C., Arnaubec, A., Ferrera, M., & Hugel, V. (2024, March). SUCRe: Leveraging Scene Structure for Underwater Color Restoration. 3DV.
     Bibtex source
  5. Filliung, M., Drupt, J., Peraud, C., Dune, C., Boizot, N., Comport, A., Anthierens, C., & Hugel, V. (2024). An Augmented Catenary Model for Underwater Tethered Robots. 2024 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 6051–6057. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICRA57147.2024.10611132
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  6. and Dune, C., Arnaubec, A., Marxer, R., Ferrera, M., & Hugel, V. (2023, May). Long-term visual localization in deep-sea underwater environment. ORASIS. https://hal.science/hal-04108737
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  7. Drupt, J., Dune, C., Comport, A. I., & Hugel, V. (2023, May). Estimation de forme de câble pesant pour la localisation de robots sous-marins encordés : comparaison d’une approche visuelle à une nouvelle approche inertielle. ORASIS. https://hal.science/hal-04108624
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  8. Ghader, B., Dune, C., Watelain, E., & Hugel, V. (2023, May). Divers gesture recognition from upper limb tracking. 19éme Colloque ORASIS (Journées Francophones Des Jeunes Chercheurs En Vision Par Ordinateur ). https://hal.science/hal-04108621
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  9. Drupt, J., Dune, C., Comport, A. I., & Hugel, V. (2023, June). Qualitative evaluation of state-of-the-art DSO and ORB-SLAM-based monocular visual SLAM algorithms for underwater applications. OCEANS 2023. https://hal.science/hal-04116537
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  10. Ghader, B., Dune, C., Watelain, E., & Hugel, V. (2023, June). Skeleton-based Visual Recognition of Diver’s Gesture. OCEANS 2023. https://hal.science/hal-04116540
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  11. Drupt, J., Dune, C., Comport, A. I., & Hugel, V. (2022, October). Validity of the catenary model for moving submarine cables with negative buoyancy. 3rd Workshop on RObotic MAnipulation of Deformable Objects: Challenges in Perception, Planning and Control for Soft Interaction (ROMADO-SI), https://hal.science/hal-03841238
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  12. Drupt, J., Dune, C., Comport, A. I., Sellier, S., & Hugel, V. (2022, October). Inertial-Measurement-Based Catenary Shape Estimation of Underwater Cables for Tethered Robots. IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS). https://hal.science/hal-03841236
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  13. Ghader, B., Dune, C., Watelain, E., & Hugel, V. (2021, October). Deep Learning for Underwater Gesture Identification From Airbone Training. ACAPS. https://hal.science/hal-03274321
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  14. Laranjeira, M., Dune, C., & Hugel, V. (2019). Embedded Visual Detection and Shape Identification of Underwater Umbilical for Vehicle Positioning. OCEANS 2019 - Marseille, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1109/OCEANSE.2019.8867548
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  15. Laranjeira, M., Dune, C., & Hugel, V. (2018, October). Local Vision-Based Tether Control for a Line of Underwater Robots. IEEE IROS 2018. https://hal.science/hal-04123118
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  16. Laranjeira, M., Dune, C., & Hugel, V. (2017, May). Catenary-based visual servoing for tethered robots. IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA). https://hal.science/hal-01657118
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  17. Wang, T., Dune, C., Merlet, J.-P., Gorce, P., Sacco, G., Robert, P., Turpin, J.-M., Teboul, B., Marteu, A., & Guerin, O. (2014, September). A new application of smart walker for quantitative analysis of human walking. The Second Workshop on Assistive Computer Vision and Robotics (ACVR’14). https://hal.science/hal-01092987
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  18. Cazy, N., Dune, C., Wieber, P.-B., Robuffo Giordano, P., & Chaumette, F. (2014). Pose Error Correction For Visual Features Prediction. IEEE/RSJ Int. Conf. on Intelligent Robots and Systems, IROS’14, 791–796. https://doi.org/10.1109/IROS.2014.6942649
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  19. \cj, Dune, C., Gorce, P., & Rives, P. (2013, November). Feet and legs tracking using a smart rollator equipped with a Kinect. Workshop on ”Assistance and Service Robotics in a Human Environment” in Conjonction with IEEE/RSJ Int. Conf. on Int. Rob. and Sys. (IROS). https://inria.hal.science/hal-00921273
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  20. Dune, C., Gorce, P., & Merlet, J.-P. (2012). Can smart rollators be used for gait monitoring and fall prevention? Workshop on "Assistance and Service Robotics in a Human Environment", IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems IROS 2012, 1–6. https://univ-tln.hal.science/hal-01723818
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  21. Dune, C., Herdt, A., Marchand, E., Stasse, O., Wieber, P.-B., & Yoshida, E. (2011). Vision based control for Humanoid robots. IROS Workshop on Visual Control of Mobile Robots (ViCoMoR), 19–26. https://inria.hal.science/hal-00639681
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  22. Dune, C., Herdt, A., Stasse, O., Wieber, P.-B., Yokoi, K., & Yoshida, E. (2010). Cancelling the sway motion of dynamic walking in visual servoing. IROS 2010 - IEEE-RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots & Systems, 3175–3180. https://doi.org/10.1109/IROS.2010.5649126
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  23. Dune, C., Marchand, E., & Lamy, S. (2009, September). One click object detection : towards an intuive vision based grasping tool for the disabledNational Conference of the Robotics Society of Japan. National Conference of the Robotics Society of Japan, RSJ’09.
     Bibtex source
  24. Nadeau, C., & Dune, C. (2009). Vers une saisie en un clic : caractérisation d’un objet 3D à partir d’une reconstruction voxellique. In Marchand, E., Morin, L., Krupa, & A. (Eds.), Congrès de jeunes chercheurs en vision par ordinateur, ORASIS’09. https://inria.hal.science/inria-00436758
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  25. Dune, C., Remazeilles, A., Marchand, E., & Leroux, C. (2008). Vision-based grasping of unknown objects to improve disabled people autonomy. Robotics: Science and Systems Manipulation Workshop: Intelligence in Human Environments. https://inria.hal.science/inria-00351863
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  26. Dune, C., Marchand, E., Collewet, C., & Leroux, C. (2008). Active rough shape estimation of unknown objects. IEEE/RSJ Int. Conf. on Intelligent Robots and Systems, IROS’08, 3622–3627. https://inria.hal.science/inria-00351864
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  27. Dune, C., Marchand, E., & Leroux, C. (2007, June). Coopération multi-caméras pour la recherche puis le positionnement par rapport à un objet. Congrès De Jeunes Chercheurs En Vision Par Ordinateur ORASIS’07.
     Bibtex source
  28. Dune, C., Marchand, E., & Leroux, C. (2007, June). Coopération multi-caméras pour la recherche puis le positionnement par rapport à un objet. Journées Nationales De La Recherche En Robotique.
     Bibtex source
  29. Dune, C., Marchand, E., & Leroux, C. (2007). One Click Focus with Eye-in-hand/Eye-to-hand Cooperation. IEEE Int. Conf. on Robotics and Automation, 2471–2476. https://inria.hal.science/inria-00160956
     Publisher    Bibtex source
  30. Dune, C., Leroux, C., & Marchand, E. (2007). Intuitive human interactive with an arm robot for severely handicapped people - A one click approach. IEEE Int. Conf. on Rehabilitation Robotics, ICORR’2007, 582–589. https://inria.hal.science/inria-00350648
     Publisher    Bibtex source

Theses

  1. Dune, C. (2025). De l’air à l’eau : Contribution à la perception et à la commande pour la robotique [PhD thesis]. Automatique / Robotique, Université de Toulon.
     Bibtex source
  2. Dune, C. (2009). Localisation et caractérisation d’objets inconnus à partir d’informations visuelles : vers une saisie intuitive pour les personnes en situation de handicap [Thèse de doctorat, Université Rennes 1]. https://theses.hal.science/tel-00844919
     Publisher    Bibtex source

Miscellaneous

  1. Dune, C. (2023). La recherche en robotique sous marine en France, une opportunité pour les scientifiques . Webinaire GT Nouveaux Outils d’Observation de l’Océan du GDR Mer et Océan, https://sites.google.com/view/gdromer-gtinstru.
     Bibtex source
  2. Dune, C. (2023). Vision pour la robotique sous marine. Présentation invitée à la conférence des jeunes chercheurs en vision par ordinateur, ORASIS’23, Carqueiranne, France.
     Bibtex source
  3. Dune, C. (2023). Robotique sous-marine, faut il couper le cordon ? . Présentation invitée aux Journées Nationales de la Recherche en Robotique, JNRR’23, Carqueiranne, France.
     Bibtex source
  4. Zhu, J., Dune, C., Cherubini, A., & Navarro-Alarcon, D. (2020). IEEE IROS Workshop on Managing deformation: A step towards higher robot autonomy. https://hal.science/hal-02980281
     Publisher    Bibtex source