Engineering startup aims to lift language skills of underprivileged children
A handheld device and “talking stickers” are a University of Toronto startup’s strategy to improve the vocabulary and communication skills of children in impoverished communities. “We wanted to create something that was play-based,” said Aisha Bukhari (ElecE 0T8), a graduate of both U of T Engineering and the Rotman School of Management MBA program, who […]
Five innovative ways the new CEIE will engineer tomorrow’s entrepreneurs
This story is Part 6 of an eight-part series, Engineering Experiential Learning, running throughout spring and summer 2015. Next month, U of T Engineering will begin construction of the Centre for Engineering Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CEIE) — a vibrant new hub that will foster hands-on learning and multidisciplinary collaboration. With state-of-the-art facilities, the building will bring together students, […]
Making the entrepreneurial leap: a Q&A with alumnus and robotics pioneer Raffaello D’Andrea
Although alumnus Raffaello D’Andrea (EngSci 9T1) has been an engineering professor, entrepreneur and artist, he’s better known as the inventor of several types of autonomous robots — machines that can juggle, play soccer and also accomplish more practical tasks. In the early 2000s, D’Andrea co-founded Kiva Systems, a company that designs and builds large robotic systems […]
Five U of T Engineering student startups to watch
Could engineering improve your basketball jump shot, optimize your sleep schedule or help you make smarter investment decisions? These are just a few of the challenges that are motivating the next generation of entrepreneurs in U of T Engineering. The Faculty is creating more student startups than ever — due in part to the growth […]
Three commercialization fellowships bring new U of T Engineering research to market
Three promising new technologies from U of T engineers are one step closer to market thanks to the latest round of Heffernan Commercialization Fellowships. Researchers are awarded $17,000 per year, with the possibility of a one-year renewal. This year’s recipients include an alumnus from IBBME and EngSci who is creating a smaller, less expensive machine […]
U of T Engineering receives $1.65 million from NSERC to CREATE 150 drone experts
The word ‘drone’ often conjures up invasive images of military aircraft, but if Professor Hugh Liu of the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS) has his way, that perception is about to change. Liu has just received $1.65 million from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to train 150 new experts in the […]
Three U of T engineers named Inventors of the Year
Engineering professors Parham Aarabi (ECE), Richard Cobbold (IBBME, ECE) and Hugh Liu (UTIAS) have been named Inventors of the Year by the University of Toronto. The honour recognizes exceptional researchers who are commercializing new technologies that can benefit society. Three of the five winning inventions announced at the U of T Celebrates Innovation event on May 7, 2015 came from researchers […]
A closer look at the Banting & Best Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship
The Nobel Prize-winning discovery of insulin by Frederick Banting and Charles Best remains one of the most significant research achievements from the labs at U of T. But discovery alone is not enough; the drug is still saving the lives of diabetics around the world today because those researchers commercialized their discovery. “Banting wasn’t an entrepreneur. Best wasn’t […]
Engineering alumni startup Nanoleaf creating green jobs in Toronto, China
It started with a viral campaign for the world’s most energy-efficient light bulb in 2013. Now, international media are also calling Nanoleaf a “green job” leader. Founded by University of Toronto engineering alumni Gimmy Chu (ElecE 0T6), Tom Rodinger (IBBME PhD 0T7) and Christian Yan (ElecE 0T6), the company has grown from its days as a crowdfunded venture working from […]
