Provincial funding boosts U of A research on autonomous systems to improve health, transportation and industry

Technology driven by data and AI among four innovative U of A research projects receiving funding.

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(From left) Catherine Swindlehurst, interim VP University Relations; Eric Flaim, director, Elko Engineering Garage; Fraser Forbes, dean of the Faculty of Engineering; Walter Dixon, interim VP Research and Innovation; Matina Kalcounis-Rueppell, dean of the Faculty of Science; U of A president Bill Flanagan; Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides; Aaron Zidichouski, applications engineer; and Jobs, Economy and Innovation Minister Doug Schweitzer visited the Elko Engineering Garage as part of a provincial funding announcement at the U of A on Oct. 21. (Photo: Nicole Roy))

A University of Alberta-led initiative drawing together cutting-edge research projects from across the province into one co-ordinated effort focusing on AI technologies to automate transportation, surgery, manufacturing and industry received substantial provincial funding support today.

To assist continued artificial intelligence excellence at the U of A, the Alberta government pledged $4.5 million from the province's Major Innovation Fund to bolster the university's Autonomous Systems Initiative.

The initiative was created in March 2019 thanks to a $14.9-million investment split between the provincial government and industry partners. The project has a mandate to use the collective academic might of post-secondary institutions across Alberta-including the universities of Calgary and Lethbridge, SAIT, NAIT, and colleges in every corner of the province.

"Sensing, communication and computation technology are advancing dramatically, and these lead to data-driven technology. This has the potential to establish the foundation to improve our community with more data and connections compared with the old ways," said Tony Qiu, Canada Research Chair in Cooperative Transportation Systems, ​NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Intelligent Transportation Systems and researcher in the Faculty of Engineering.

"It is important to develop a fundamental tool and theoretical base to automate the process of transportation, medical treatment and industrialization."

Qiu, whose own research platform aims to create collision- and congestion-free commutes and automating transportation for people and goods, said part of this collective research push is capturing ever-increasing data being generated from our devices, and then using that to build more connections.

"The potential for this research is beyond our imagination," he said.

The funding will be primarily used to train the next generation of scientists for automated system-related research, which U of A president Bill Flanagan said will ensure our discoveries and research improve their daily lives, strengthen Alberta's economy and communities, and help our province to not only overcome the challenges of today, but also chart a course for tomorrow.

"Investments such as these from the Government of Alberta are crucial to ensuring we can continue to deliver the results that Albertans have seen and come to expect from the U of A," said Flanagan.

Doug Schweitzer, Alberta's minister of jobs, economy and innovation, added Alberta has transformed itself into one of the top research destinations for artificial intelligence and machine learning.

"That's why we are making a strategic investment in projects like the Autonomous Systems Initiative," he said. "This research has huge commercial applications here in Alberta for jobs today and tomorrow."

This round of support from the province also includes $1.8 million from the Research Capacity Program to develop world-class facilities to study the use of lasers in potential treatments for skin diseases and cancer, and remote sensing solutions for the oilsands; to support research on the role carbohydrates may play in diseases; and to enhance innovation related to seniors.

Alberta's Major Innovation Fund supports research and innovation investments to attract and retain top talent to Alberta and support industries and local businesses. The Research Capacity Program helps Alberta's post-secondary institutions get the small equipment and large research infrastructure they need to attract, retain and develop researchers in the province.

Other announced funding recipients

Carole Estabrooks, Faculty of Nursing
Scalable Data Analytics and Visualization Portal for the Canadian Long-Term Care Sector
$100,000

Robert Fedosejevs, Faculty of Engineering
Terawatt Laser Facility for Advanced Applications
$200,000

Lara Mahal, Faculty of Science
Canada Excellence Research Chair in Glycomics
$1.5 million