Research

From the sepia tones of a Coen brothers film set in the Dust Bowl to a child’s red coat in Schindler’s List, filmmakers have long known the power of colour in movies. Now, computer scientists have analyzed 60 years of films to paint a picture of the past six decades in film.

Researchers at the University of Waterloo used a technique called k-means clustering to analyze the trailers for more than 29,000 North American movies released between 1960 and 2019.

As Canada’s aviation sector struggles through post-pandemic turbulence, a major University of Waterloo initiative has taken off to offer it stability — and even clearer skies ahead. Since its founding in late 2021, the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics (WISA) has assembled a diverse, multidisciplinary team of more than 100 academics pooling world-class talents to deal with the challenges facing this vital industry, all while mentoring a new generation who will continue the job.

Dr. Thomas Jennewein, a faculty member at the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) and the University of Waterloo’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, has his sights set high and wide — specifically on a quantum satellite orbiting high above the Earth to connect Canada and Europe via a secure quantum communication link.

SDG Week Canada is a country-wide collaboration from March 6 to 10, with more than 50 campuses across the country hosting events. The initiative encourages cross-disciplinary engagement with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Long COVID is associated with reduced brain oxygen levels, worse performance on cognitive tests and increased psychiatric symptoms such as depression and anxiety, according to new research studying the impacts of the disease.  

Researchers from the University of Waterloo combined the results of two new parallel studies: a laboratory study involving cognitive testing and imaging of oxygen levels in the brain, and a national population survey of Canadians in 2021 and 2022. 

The University of Waterloo was awarded nearly $10 million in federal funding today for a major initiative to rebuild Canada's pandemic-battered aeronautics sector and position it for a more sustainable future. 

A tiny robot that could one day help doctors perform surgery was inspired by the incredible gripping ability of geckos and the efficient locomotion of inchworms.

The new robot, developed by engineers at the University of Waterloo, utilizes ultraviolet (UV) light and magnetic force to move on any surface, even up walls and across ceilings.

ChatGPT, a language processing tool driven by artificial intelligence (AI), has been making headlines since its launch late last year.

Waterloo’s School of Pharmacy has already been utilizing a generative AI platform since early-2018 to enhance experiential learning for pharmacy professionals and students. Now, the School is looking to incorporate ChatGPT technology in that same platform.

Within the rapidly changing landscape of data providers, governments must address concerns over who collects and uses data to support the public interest. Dr. Peter Johnson, a geographer at the University of Waterloo, is an expert on spatial data and navigating the complexities of this evolving landscape.

What’s spatial data?

There is still one billion people with unreliable energy supply in the world, but Bayo Akomolafe is well equipped to address this gap. With 10 years of experience working in the power generation industry and his lived experience growing up in energy poverty in Nigeria, Akomolafe’s pursuit of creating affordable, reliable, and sustainable modern energy systems for developing nations is well fuelled.