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.

Clockwise from left, Marian Daniel (Year 2 ECE), Patrick Howell (ECE 1T7), Professor Jonathan Kelly (UTIAS) and Maya Burhakpurkar are just a few members of the research team who have developed a low-cost system that enables electric wheelchairs to become partly or fully autonomous.

Wheelchairs get robotic retrofit to become self-driving

Low-cost technology developed by multidisciplinary U of T Engineering research team could assist people with limited mobility due to multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s or other conditions

"Medicine by Design offers a remarkable opportunity to do high-impact research that has the potential to advance and even redefine key areas of regenerative medicine,” said Michael Sefton (IBBME, ChemE), who will become the initiative’s new executive director on July 1, 2017. (Photo: Neil Ta)

Tissue engineering pioneer Michael Sefton to lead Medicine by Design as executive director

The multidisciplinary University of Toronto initiative is accelerating discoveries in regenerative medicine research to improve treatments for conditions such as heart failure, diabetes and stroke

U of T Engineering alumna Foteini Agrafioti (far left), head of the new RBC Research Institute, and RBC CEO David McKay (far right) present awards to Professor Glenn Gulak, second from right, and U of T colleagues at MaRS. The RBC Research Prize recognizes Gulak's leading work in cybersecurity for the financial sector. (Photo: Chris Sorensen)

U of T Engineering cyber-security research recognized by Canada’s biggest bank

ECE Professor Glenn Gulak honoured with prize at launch of RBC Research Institute

Professor Anglea Schoellig with graduate students Karime Pereida Pérez and Thomas Bamford. Schoellig is co-chairing the first international symposium of the Centre for Aerial Robotics Research and Education (CARRE). (Photo: Neil Ta)

Drone researchers and industry experts talk autonomous flight at international symposium

Students to learn about self-navigating aerial vehicles through talks, panel discussions and demonstrations at U of T Engineering conference

Clockwise from back left: Rafid Mahmood (IndE PhD candidate), Yusuf Shalaby (IndE 1T7), Ben Potter (IndE MASc candidate), Albert Loa (EngSci Year 3), Professor Tim Chan (MIE) and Michael Shin (EngSci Year 4). (Credit: Marit Mitchell)

Engineering the perfect NHL team: U of T Engineering researchers create draft optimizer for new Las Vegas expansion

Data-driven draft predictor designed by Professor Tim Chan and his team accounts for player performance, cost and availability

Postdoctoral researcher Lukas Kohl (ChemE) and undergraduate student Cynthia Jing (Year 2 EngSci) will sample homes in northern Alberta for ash left over from last summer’s wildfire. (Photo: Tyler Irving)

U of T Engineering researchers search for toxins in the aftermath of Fort McMurray wildfire

Project aims to test household dust for evidence of ash, lead contamination and more

Optimizing traffic flow between the City of Oshawa, at right, and Toronto, lower left, is one challenge that Master of Engineering students in the Cities Engineering and Management program at U of T will study in the newly established ‘teaching city.’ (Image: Google Maps).

New partnership establishes a Canadian teaching city for engineering students

A first in Canada, the agreement between academia, industry and the City of Oshawa launches the municipality east of Toronto as a ‘living lab’ for exploration in fields from traffic to urban planning

Left to right: Rahim Rezaie (U of T Engineering), Erastus M. Mwanaumo (Assistant Dean, School of Engineering, University of Zambia) and Professor Murray Metcalfe (U of T Engineering) at the University of Zambia. A partnership between U of T Engineering and various institutions in Africa aims to prepare the engineering leaders who will build the world’s fastest-growing cities.

Preparing the next generation of engineering leaders to grow Africa’s megacities sustainably

U of T Engineering initiative to offer scalable online education in partnership with universities in Mauritius, South Africa, Zambia and others

Anna Jiang (MIE MASc candidate) demonstrates her passive water controller for community members in Pedro Arauz, Nicaragua. The device could help farmers make more efficient use of irrigation water. (Photo: Anna Jiang)

U of T Engineering invention could help Nicaraguan farmers save water

Electricity-free solution developed by master’s student ensures that water is delivered only when crops require it