We’re in the midst of another industrial revolution: Industry 4.0. Coined at the 2011 Hannover Fair in Germany, Industry 4.0 is a high-tech strategy that marries computerized manufacturing and the Internet of Things to create so-called “smart factories.”  In the Industry 4.0 age, factory robots communicate with each other and with humans using cyber-physical systems, internet-enabled communications, and cloud computing.

Rui applied for the Mitacs’ Globalink Research Internship in the summer of 2014 —hoping to be accepted to the School of Interactive Arts and Technology (SIAT) at SFU. He was accepted to the internship, which would be supervised by Associate Professor Carman Neustaedter, to study interactive computing and design.

Through a Mitacs Elevate fellowship with Humanitas Solutions, a Montreal start-up that partners with humanitarian organizations, David is working alongside a team of developers on an remotely piloted aircraft project that will one day play an important role in relief efforts for humanitarian organizations.

Created by heating a mixture of sugar, lemon juice, and water, sugar pastes are then cooled to a putty-like consistency. The mixture is non-toxic and used at room temperature without requiring any special solvents for cleaning.

Consumers may not be aware of what’s recyclable in their communities, and common items like milk cartons may end up in landfill. In fact, some recycling is buried regardless of its “recyclability,” and the relative size and commonality of milk cartons means they alone can take up a significant amount of space in a landfill.

Ryerson University researcher Huiwen Goy is determined to bring back the music for Canadians with hearing loss through a Mitacs Elevate research fellowship with sister companies Phonak and Unitron Hearing.

In collaboration the Phonak and Unitron teams, Huiwen is investigating the psychology behind the perception of music and how it can be applied to a new generation of hearing aids.

Enter InteliRain. The Alberta start-up has its sights set on solving inefficient outdoor sprinklers that waste water due to poor design. The company’s intelligent sprinkler systems only water the lawn or fields, while avoiding sidewalks.

However, when InteliRain CEO Cam Cote realised that wind was thwarting the efficiency of his sprinklers, he turned to University of Alberta mathematician Yile Zhang to develop an innovative solution through a Mitacs internship.

In response, local researchers and companies have partnered to develop a new generation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). They hope to develop UAVs — commonly known as drones — that are robust enough to transport large cargo across vast distances without needing a pilot or GPS.

With no surefire method of detection, people with serious food allergies must avoid certain foods altogether; however, a project at the University of Guelph is increasing food safety by helping to detect allergens well before an item ends up on consumers’ plates.