New technologies are needed to meet the environmental targets set for the future of air and ground transportation, and to reduce dependence on fossil fuels for electric power generation. The present project aims at developing a novel flow control technology, which can generate significant aerodynamic improvements, leading to reduction of aerodynamic drag of air and […]

The goal of the project is to further develop the Fork Configuration Damper – FCD (patents pending in 7 countries) to enable its implementation in real structures and its commercialization through a University of Toronto startup company. The FCD is a new damping technology developed at the University of Toronto to mitigate wind and earthquake […]

This proposal describes a research project towards a spoken dialog translation system  that holds a broad range of potential applications. In particular, the proposal describes a system that will be developed and can be integrated in hand-held devices where a user may talk to the system in ones preferred language and the system produces a […]

In general, if a user is not willing/able to implement himself the solution, attaching sensor and actuator equipment to a computer typically leads to disproportionately expensive  purchases of proprietary hardware or software, which often still requires a considerable time investment. The goal of our planned company is to provide affordable computer-attached electronic equipment to individuals […]

The ever growing market demands for higher data rates and more reliable communication are the main drivers behind the technological growth in the wireless telecommunications industry. This R&D project aims to address an innovative technological shift from conventional wireless cellular networks to a paradigm of cooperative cellular networks that can potentially provide multiple-fold improvements in […]

The main challenges in bioconversion of lignocellulose arise from our limited understanding of the heterogeneous chemistry of the substrate and poor accessibility of enzymes within dense wood cell walls. It is clear that our limited appreciation of enzyme penetration into cell walls and catalysis dynamics is partly due to the constraints of the techniques employed […]

The Toronto and Region Area of Concern (TRAOC) has been one of the most polluted sites in the Great Lakes posing health risks to millions of people. The Remedial Action Plan (RAP) has made significant progress towards restoring the system and meeting the delisting targets. Yet, several critical questions still need to be addressed, such […]

One of the proposed benefits of adopting electronic health records is the development of a comprehensive database which can be used for epidemiological, clinical, and health services research. The main purpose of this project is to develop strategies and provide case examples of how data from these extensive electronic databases can be used to improve […]

Pulse shaping devices are the key elements for optical signal processing that are capable of reshaping the temporal waveform of optical pulses.  The applications of pulse shaping devices include ultrahigh-speed optical telecommunication, ultrafast all-optical computing and information processing, biomedical imaging, and electronic and photonic signal/device characterization and monitoring. For these applications, ultrafast optical waveform shapers […]

Solar power is one of the most promising renewable energy sources and its terrestrial abundance is several orders of magnitude higher than world’s consumption. Conventional solar cells, however, collect only a portion of solar energy – mostly visible sunlight. Our technology is capable of collecting the entire solar energy spectrum by using semiconducting nanocrystals (NCs) […]

Ecoatra is applying new developments in nanotechnology to solve the long-standing problem of hazardous substance use in the wood industry- one of our oldest and largest industries. Ecoatra’s formulation uses nanotechnology to enable deeper and more uniform penetration into wood, versatile application,  increased performance and potency at lower material quantities translating to reduced costs, multifunctional […]

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has indicated that driving while drowsy is the cause of 22 to 24 percent of car crashes, and results in a four- to six-times higher crash/crash risk compared to driving while alert. Therefore, the use of assistive systems that monitor a driver’s level of vigilance and alert the […]