News

An interdisciplinary research team at the University of Waterloo is working to improve treatment adherence for a children’s eye condition with the help of a social robot.  

Dr. Kerstin Dautenhahn, a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Ali Yamini (MASc ‘22, electrical and computer engineering) joined colleagues with backgrounds in optometry and psychology to develop this novel treatment for ‘lazy eye’.   

Convocation is a time of immense pride and celebration across campus. This year, 13 outstanding students have been chosen to represent the graduating Class of 2024. Among these exceptional individuals is Shahed Saleh, a remarkable engineering valedictorian who has made significant contributions during her time at Waterloo.

The Government of Canada announced funding for several University of Waterloo faculty members through the New Frontiers Research Fund (NFRF).

“The New Frontiers in Research Fund supports high-risk, high-reward Canadian projects with the potential to spark transformational innovations,” said Charmaine Dean, vice-president, Research and International. “This year’s awardees from the University of Waterloo represent a variety of truly impactful research areas, including equitable approaches to climate change adaptation and improving eye health outcomes in children. Congratulations to the 2024 winners.”  

Team Collaborative Deliciousness, led by Dr. Yue Hu and composed of team members Jeffery Lee (MASc in progress, mechatronics) and Cheng Tang, an undergraduate student in computer engineering, was selected as one of three finalists in the prestigious international competition for the KUKA Innovation Award at Hannover Messe, one of the world's largest industrial trade fairs. This year's theme was "Robots for the People."   

The mission of FIRST Robotics Canada is to promote robotics alongside science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects to Canadian youth. To do this FIRST organizes robotics competitions for students from elementary to high school. Students design, build and program robots to compete in a variety of fun challenges, from shooting balls into hoops to stacking boxes. FIRST provides resources, mentorship and support to participating teams, giving them the foundation to work together and use their ingenuity to solve problems.

Forcen, a robotics sensing company, has received Pre-A $8.5 million funding round as it scales operations for its prototype production facility to support more customers and to continue developing its research and development for its force sensing technology for robots. 

Cobionix, the startup developing Codi™️, an AI-powered robotics system that can perform ultrasounds, met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Honorable Marci Ien, Minister responsible for Women and Gender Equality Canada, and Honorable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs at Saskatoon’s Virtual Health Hub earlier this week.

The University of Waterloo’s Health Initiatives team designed the Graham Seed Fund (GSF) for researchers to submit their proposals for innovative health-care solutions that address the world’s most pressing challenges.  

Talking to a robot often feels stilted or delayed, thanks to computer software trying to keep up with the conversation. However, new research from the University of Waterloo has improved the ability for humans to communicate naturally with humanoid robots.

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.