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.

Professor Parham Aarabi (ECE) is the CEO and founder of ModiFace, a spin-off company that uses augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) to build advanced facial visualization software for the beauty and medical industries. ModiFace has been acquired by L'Oreal. (Credit: Johnny Guatto)

U of T Engineering AI researchers design ‘privacy filter’ for your photos that disables facial recognition systems

New algorithm protects users’ privacy by dynamically disrupting facial recognition tools designed to identify faces in photos

Professor Gisele Azimi (ChemE, MSE), seen here with PhD candidate Bill Yao and undergraduate researcher Jiakai (Kevin) Zhang, leads a team dedicated to recovering strategic materials such as rare earth elements from both pre-consumer and post-consumer waste streams. (Photo: Tyler Irving)

Mining your phone: Recovering rare earth elements from e-waste

U of T Engineering professor harnesses chemical processes, such as those used to decaffeinate coffee, to recover valuable materials from waste

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A way with water

U of T Engineering researchers ensuring a safe and sustainable global resource

Toronto’s King Street includes a complex mix of various transportation modes, including cycling, walking, driving and transit. How infrastructure impacts commuter choices is one of the topics being examined by U of T Engineering researchers within the new U of T School of Cities. (Image: City of Toronto, via Flickr)

Sustainable cities: Three U of T Engineering researchers join multidisciplinary research initiative

Initiative brings together faculty members from a wide variety of disciplines to address the myriad challenges facing the world’s urban areas

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Inspired by art, engineering researchers use sound and visuals to simulate blood-flow patterns of brain aneurysms

“Imagine I’m a patient with what I feel is a ticking time bomb in my head…I want to provide more information for the clinician”

Professor Steven Waslander (UTIAS) joined the University of Toronto on May 1, 2018. He is a leading expert in control systems for aerial and terrestrial robotics. (Courtesy: Steven Waslander)

Robotics by land and air: A Q&A with Steven Waslander

Internationally renowned expert in robotics and AI joins the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies

Quantum computing will bring a whole new set of security concerns to the internet — but U of T Engineering advancements in Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) are providing solutions to these emerging challenges. (Creative Commons)

Going the distance with future-proof quantum cryptography

Professor Glenn Gulak and team show that error-correction decoding is no longer a computational bottleneck in long-distance Quantum Key Distribution

Dr. Cao-Thang Dinh, left, and Dr. Md Golam Kibria (both ECE) demonstrate their new catalyst. In a paper published today in Science, their team demonstrated most efficient and stable process for converting climate-warming carbon dioxide into the building blocks for plastics, all powered using renewable electricity

New catalyst upgrades greenhouse gas into renewable hydrocarbons

Research team out of U of T Engineering designs most efficient and stable process for converting climate-warming carbon dioxide into a key chemical building block for plastics – all powered using renewable electricity

Professor Tom Chau, a University of Toronto paediatric rehabilitation engineer, works with two graduate students to develop a brain-computer interface for children. Chau has been named a 2018 Governor General’s Innovation Award recipient for contributions to the country’s success and inspiring the next generation. (Credit: Neil Ta)

Tom Chau receives Governor General’s Innovation Award

U of T paediatric rehabilitation engineer to be honoured for contributions to country’s success and inspiring the next generation