By land, by air: Engineering sustainable travel
People used to say that the journey was as important as the destination. But that was back when travel was exotic and exciting—before voyagers were so infuriated by gridlock, so concerned about safety and so consumed with their carbon footprint that the journey became something to endure, rather than savour. It doesn’t have to be […]
No more poking at your smartphone: Students unveil ideas for new mobile user interfaces
Poking at your smartphone with your finger is so 2014—it’s time to find new ways to interface with the mobile devices we all carry. That’s the challenge Professor Parham Aarabi (ECE) of The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at University of Toronto posed to his graduate class. “I encouraged students […]
New technique offers spray-on solar power
Pretty soon, powering your tablet could be as simple as wrapping it in cling wrap. That’s Illan Kramer’s (ECE) hope. Kramer and colleagues have just invented a new way to spray solar cells onto flexible surfaces using miniscule light-sensitive materials known as colloidal quantum dots (CQDs)—a major step toward making spray-on solar cells easy and cheap […]
How organic LEDs are the future of sustainable, affordable lighting
Originally published in the Fall 2014 issue of Edge Magazine. There’s a revolution happening in the world of lighting, and Professor Zheng-Hong Lu’s (MSE) research into organic LEDs is leading the charge. The award-winning researcher from the Department of Materials Science & Engineering is delving into the centuries-old puzzle of energy efficiency: how to provide […]
New $5-million NSERC network uses enzymes for greener manufacturing
Instead of using fossil fuels to make plastics and industrial chemicals, what if we could harness eco-friendly enzymes—nature’s smallest helpers—to do the work? On Nov. 28, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) announced a five-year, $5-million grant to create the Industrial Biocatalysis Network (IBN). Based at the University of Toronto and led by […]
Engineering a healthy heart: a closer look at the Rogers family $130-million gift
A new frontier in cardiac health care On November 20, the Rogers family donated an unprecedented $130 million to create the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research (TRCHR). The new Centre unites research expertise from the University of Toronto, the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University Health Network (UHN). Together, these organizations are […]
Historic $130-million gift to establish the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research
Largest private donation in Canadian healthcare history will bring together the strengths of SickKids, UHN and U of T in personalized genomic medicine, tissue engineering and advanced cardiac care to address heart failure across the lifespan. With the goal to reduce hospitalization for heart failure by 50 per cent over the next decade, the Hospital […]
Newly engineered surface repels blood clots and bacteria
Engineering a surface that is so slippery even geckos can’t stick to it may sound like a fun science fair project. But new surface-coating technology developed by materials science and engineering professor Ben Hatton (MSE), together with colleagues at Harvard University’s Wyss Institute, does just that—and its slick properties have the potential to save lives. […]
Six ways U of T researchers are engineering your health
Through startups and partnerships, leading researchers from U of T Engineering’s labs, centres and affiliated hospitals are commercializing cutting-edge technology and revolutionizing the current state of health care. Click on the icons below to explore six of these promising technologies, originally shared in the 2014 issue of Skulematters. Technology that kick-starts your heart Timing is […]
