News

Researchers track the personalities of social robots to improve how they interact with humans

An interdisciplinary research team from the University of Waterloo's Social and Intelligent Robotics Research Lab (SIRRL) has found that people prefer interacting with robots they perceive to have social identities like their own.

This finding was made by a pair of Waterloo professors: Dr. Moojan Ghafurian, based in the Department of Systems Design Engineering and Dr. Kerstin Dautenhahn, from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, who worked together to conduct new research on human interactions with social robots. These robots possess social abilities and can interact with humans in interpersonal and social manners.

Electrical and computer engineering professor, Xuemin (Sherman) Shen, has been elected an International Fellow of The Engineering Academy of Japan (EAJ). The EAJ is composed of leading experts from academia, industry, and government institutions who possess a wide range of knowledge and have made outstanding contributions in engineering and technological sciences, and closely related fields.
 

A research team from the University of Waterloo is using radar technology to monitor people’s health while at the wheel, turning the ordinary car or truck into a mobile, medical hub.

Dr. George Shaker, an adjunct professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo, and Ali Gharamohammadi, the lead PhD student on the project, have integrated radar with evolving vehicle technology to make health checks easier—without the need for any type of wearable.

The radar, smaller than a USB thumb drive, is integrated into the vehicle cabin and sends out signals that detect human vibrations, which are then sent back to the radar. The technology can detect tiny movements like the rise and fall of a chest from breathing or heartbeats. 

Electrical and computer engineering professor, Amir-Hossein Karimi is the recipient of this term's Igor Ivkovic Teaching Excellence Award for his commitment and dedication to teaching the course ECE 457B.

Each term the Engineering Society welcomes nominations from students to recognize lecturers, professors, or laboratory instructors from the Faculty of Engineering who exemplify the spirit of Professor Igor Ivkovic’s teaching, through employing non-conventional teaching techniques, allowing opportunities for experiential learning, and showing a commitment and dedication towards ensuring the academic success of students. 

Today, in E7 from 10am to 3pm, the next big breakthrough in Canadian technology could be among the Waterloo Electrical and Computer Engineering student projects on display at the annual Capstone Design symposia at the University of Waterloo. Our students will showcase the projects they have spent months designing and building.

Electrical and computer engineering professor, En-Hui Yang, has been designated "University Professor" by the University of Waterloo's Tenure & Promotion Committee. 

The University of Waterloo owes much of its international reputation and stature to the quality of its eminent professors.  The designation "University Professor" is the way Waterloo recognizes exceptional scholarly achievement and international pre-eminence. Once appointed, a faculty member retains the designation until retirement. Not counting retirees, it is anticipated there will be one University Professor for approximately every 60 full-time regular faculty members, with at most two appointments each year.

Congratulations to ECE PhD student, Nada Gohider!  Out of 162 entrants in the GRADflix competition, Nada took fourth place! 

GRADflix is an annual competition that gives graduate students an opportunity to communicate their amazing and complex research to a broader public audience. They can create a video, moving slide show or animation of no longer than 60 seconds. 

 

Electrical and computer engineering is pleased to welcome two new first-year students to its cohort, through the Schulich Leader Scholarships program. Awarded annually to 100 high school students across Canada, the Schulich Leader Scholarships are granted to exceptional students who show great entrepreneurial promise in the field of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

The Royal Society of Canada (RSC) and its Members have elected this year’s new Fellows and named the incoming class of the RSC College.

One hundred and one new Fellows have been elected by their peers for their outstanding scholarly, scientific and artistic achievement. Recognition by the RSC for career achievement is the highest honour an individual can achieve in the Arts, Social Sciences and Sciences. One of those newly elected Fellows is electrical and computer engineering professor, Kerstin Dautenhahn.