Research news

Learn more about the latest discoveries and innovations from the U of T Engineering community. Our researchers are developing new ways of capturing and storing clean energy, medical devices that can save and extend lives, smarter ways to design and build cities and much more.

Max Planck Society President Martin Stratmann (left) and U of T President Meric Gertler participated in a virtual launch event for the Max Planck-University of Toronto Centre for Neural Science & Technology (photo by Axel Griesch für MPG and Johnny Guatto)

U of T and Max Planck Society establish centre to study neural science and technology

The Max Planck-University of Toronto Centre for Neural Science & Technology aims to develop and deploy advanced technologies to study brain circuits for the improvement of human health, while charting new territory in computing

Zeus, a self-driving electric car created by a team of students from U of T Engineering, dominated the first series of the intercollegiate Autodrive Challenge. Now, the team is preparing to compete in the SAE Autodrive Challenge II. (Photo: Chude Qian)

U of T Engineering to compete in SAE AutoDrive Challenge™ II

aUToronto team dominated first series of the competition, winning three straight years — now they’ve been invited back to take on a new round of challengers

Heat-map images are used to evaluate the accuracy of a novel explainable artificial intelligence algorithm developed for LG’s display screens. (Image courtesy of Mahesh Sudhakar)

New ‘explainable’ artificial intelligence algorithm could lead to smarter manufacturing

The technology is the first product of a collaboration between ECE and LG’s AI Research division

Professor Eric Diller (MIE) holds up a magnetic capsule that can be used to non-invasively sample the gut microbiome, thereby advancing research into a host of human health conditions. (Photo: Eric Diller)

Magnetic microbiome sampler among seven projects supported by Connaught Innovation Awards

New funding advances research in fields from digital imaging to nutrition

Austin Mclean (MechEng 1T5+PEY, MEng 1T9) and Rashmi Satharakulasinghe (ChemE 1T7) demonstrate the electricity-free irrigation controller they developed to help farmers in developing countries make more efficient use of water in agriculture. (Photo: Corridor Water Technologies).

Social enterprise aims to bring smarter irrigation to areas without electricity

Recent U of T Engineering graduates spin off Corridor Water Technologies to help farmers around the world make the most of limited water resources

A new adjustable multi-dimensional (AMD) loading system will soon be added to U of T Engineering’s Structural Testing Facility. (Image: Myron Zhong)

Disaster-proof: Major lab upgrade lets engineers design structures that can better withstand earthquakes, hurricanes and tsunamis

Canada Foundation for Innovation funds major overhaul to U of T Engineering’s Structural Testing Facility, unique in the world

A U of T Engineering team, led by ECE graduate students, designed a UV lamp fitted with distance sensors to more efficiently disinfect contaminated surfaces. It has recently been prototyped. (Image: Jonathan Qu)

Smart UV lamp could fight COVID-19 and other diseases

ECE graduate students lead a large U of T Engineering team to bring new device from inception to prototype

Left to right: Professor Marianne Hatzopoulou (CivMin), MASc candidate Keni Mallinen (in vehicle) and research associate Dr. Arman Ganji with the UrbanScanner. The vehicle is a rolling laboratory capable of monitoring air quality, traffic, trees and the built environment. (Photo: Phill Snel)

The UrbanScanner Project: Mobile monitoring of air pollution in cities

Professor Marianne Hatzopoulou (CivMin) and her team have designed and built a vehicle to enable detailed tracking of urban air pollution over space and time

A bifacial perovskite/silicon tandem prototype being field-tested at King Abdullah University of Science & Technology in Saudi Arabia. The new technology is the result of a collaboration that includes U of T Engineering researchers. (Photo: Michele De Bastiani)

Two-sided solar cells can collect scattered light to gather more energy

New technology developed by international team from Saudia Arabia, Canada, Germany and Italy