News

Governments may soon be able to use artificial intelligence (AI) to easily and cheaply detect problems with roads, bridges and buildings.

A new AI software system developed by researchers at Waterloo Engineering automatically analyzes photographs taken by vehicle-mounted cameras to flag potholes, cracks and other defects.

Ralph Haas, known in the engineering world as the father of pavement asset management, was the recipient of the University of Alberta’s highest honour, Doctor of Science, honoris causa, at the university’s spring convocation held in June.

Haas, professor emeritus of Waterloo’s civil and environmental engineering department, holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Alberta and a PhD in civil engineering from the University of Waterloo.

With the help of seven University of Waterloo co-op students, Canada’s first Spatial Atomic Layer Deposition (SALD) system is up and running. At the celebratory ribbon cutting on May 10, 2018, project leader Professor Kevin Musselman said he couldn’t have done it without the co-op students who helped design and build the machine.

“I was sitting at my desk the whole time. I don't think I ever lifted a finger so it was entirely built by the students,” laughs Musselman.

More young women will likely go into engineering if it is promoted as a profession for well-rounded people with a desire to serve society, according to a new study at the University of Waterloo.

The findings suggest that efforts to close a gender gap in the field should stress key reasons for women to pursue engineering along with the current approach of instilling confidence in their technical and academic abilities to succeed.

Progress on new artificial intelligence (AI) technology could make monitoring at water treatment plants cheaper and easier and help safeguard public health.

Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed AI software capable of identifying and quantifying different kinds of cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, a threat to shut down water systems when it suddenly proliferates.

Waterloo Engineering is pleased to announce the HeForShe travel grant, now available to female and non-binary students and faculty. The grant supports travel to conferences, workshops, professional development events, and more. Four grants are available, with a value of up to $500 each.

Researchers from Waterloo Engineering were recognized with two awards from the Canadian Network of Asset Managers (CNAM), honouring their work to advance asset management across the country.

Mark Knight, associate professor in civil and environmental engineering and executive director of the Center for the Advancement of Trenchless Technologies (CATT), accepted the 2018 CNAM Pioneer Award.

How can engineers create more effective biomedical technologies? According to Catherine Burns, executive director of the Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology and systems design engineering professor, practical knowledge is the key.

People with diabetes would be able to monitor their blood sugar without drawing blood using a system that is now being developed at the University of Waterloo.

In a recent study, a large research team led by Waterloo Engineering professor George Shaker combined radar and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to detect changes in glucose levels without the need for painful finger pricks several times a day.

Six collaborative research partnerships were established at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and University of Waterloo Workshop on Biomedical Imaging, Devices and Robotics held earlier this month on Waterloo’s campus. 

The partnerships between the two universities support student mobility and joint supervision, research and potential publications. The new agreements complement the five established between NUS and Waterloo professors at a workshop hosted by NUS in Singapore last November.