The talk, 鈥淭ime Reversal Array Imaging Algorithms: Application to Breast Cancer Detection鈥�, will take place tomorrow, from 3 to 4pm at 3033 Computer Science & Engineering Building, Keele campus.

Left: Amir Asif

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death after lung cancer among women, but diagnostic mammography frequently generates many abnormal findings leading to additional, costly imaging procedures and biopsies. Asif will discuss a different backscatter imaging paradigm based on time-reversal signal processing that uses multipath propagation to its advantage for breast cancer detection.

With听the introduction of听time reversal, says he believes for the first time there is analytical proof of the phenomena of super resolution focusing observed with time reversal. He will discuss time-reversal imaging algorithms used for detecting and accurately estimating the location of targets in a high-scattering environment with strong clutters.

The time-reversal beam-forming imager is applied for detecting and locating early-stage breast cancer tumours from MRI data, says Asif. He will present initial results based on the finite difference, time domain electromagnetic model and illustrate that the proposed detector estimates the locations of breast cancer tumours with a higher accuracy than some of the current state-of-the-art signal processing estimation algorithms they have tested.

Asif received MSc and PhD degrees in electrical and computer engineering from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh, Penn. He was formerly on the faculty of CMU, and the Technical University of British Columbia (now part of Simon Fraser University) in Vancouver.

Asif works in the area of statistical signal processing and communications. His current projects include error-resilient, scalable video compression; time-reversal, array imaging detection; genomic signal processing; and sparse, block-banded matrix technologies.

He has authored over 100 technical contributions, including invited ones, published in international journals and conference proceedings.听He is also co-author of the听textbook, Continuous and Discrete Time Signals and Systems (Cambridge University Press, 2007).

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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Join Professor William Gage, associate dean of research & innovation in the Faculty of Health (FoH) at 91亚色, and Professor Andrew Eckford of 91亚色鈥檚 Department of Computer Science & Engineering in the Faculty of Science & Engineering (FSE), for the launch of the eHealth Alliance brown bag lecture series. They will discuss the importance of accelerometers in studying the walking behaviour and interactions of participants in their natural environment.

Right: William Gage

The first eHealth Alliance lecture, 鈥淲ireless Accelerometers to Monitor Walking Activity and Behaviour鈥�, will take place Thursday, Oct. 20, from 3 to 4pm at 402 Health, Nursing & Environmental Studies Building (HNES), Keele campus.

Gage and Eckford will also look at why these walking measurements are changing how scientists understand the activity levels of healthy individuals, and importantly, how illness and injury alter activity levels.

鈥淲e will describe the development our sensor system and contrast this development with other sensor systems in the literature; we will focus the application of our measurement system with healthy individuals, patients with stroke and patients with knee replacement,鈥� says Gage, also a professor in the School of Kinesiology & Health Science, where he teaches a graduate level course in biomechanics and neuromuscular control of posture and gait.

Left: Andrew Eckford

Gage holds scientific appointments as an associate scientist in the Centre for Stroke Recovery at Sunnybrook Health Science Centre and as a scientist at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. He is particularly interested in how balance and walking are affected by age, by joint disease, such as arthritis, and by stroke.

A graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada and the University of Toronto, Eckford has written many papers on wireless networking and has research interests in wearable wireless networks, as well as signal processing for biomechanics. He also holds an adjunct professorship at the University of Toronto.

The eHealth Alliance came about after some 30 faculty members from the School of Health Policy & Management, FoH, and the Department of Computer Science & Engineering, FSE, got together. They discussed the need for building a 91亚色 alliance in e-health that would bring the two Faculties together with relevant 91亚色 and external partners, such as industry leaders, 91亚色 Region hospitals and the Central LHIN - Local Health Integration Network, says Professor Serban Dinca, undergraduate program director, coordinator of the Health Informatics Certificate in the School of Health Policy & Management and eHealth Alliance chair.

鈥淭he eHealth Alliance lecture series is the first step in coagulating the alliance and making connections with the industry,鈥� says Dinca.

See the following list for upcoming eHealth Alliance lecture presenters:

• Nov. 17 - Serban Dinca, undergraduate program director and coordinator of the Health Informatics Certificate in the School of Health Policy & Management, from 3 to 4pm at 402 HNES Building
• Dec. 15 - Amir Asif, chair of the Department of Computer Science & Engineering, from 3 to 4pm at 3033 Computer Science & Engineering Building
• Jan. 19 - Harvey Skinner, dean of the Faculty of Health, from 3 to 4pm at 402 HNES Building
• Feb. 16 - Professor Farah Ahmad of the School of Health Policy & Management, from 3 to 4pm at 402 HNES Building

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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Weighing just 1.3 kg and measuring 80cm x 80cm x 30cm, the Aeryon Scout is flying no more than 60 metres off the ground, with a video camera focused on buildings, walkways and trees,听as well as听the activity around them.

鈥淢apping of urban environments is typically done from aircraft flying high above the city, or vehicles on the ground 鈥� i.e. Google Street View. But a lot of the important details lie somewhere in between,鈥� says James Elder, a professor in both the Department of Computer Science & Engineering and the Department of Psychology at 91亚色. 鈥淭his vehicle 鈥� the Aeryon Scout 鈥� can acquire the high-resolution imagery of building facades required to reconstruct the detailed 3D structure of our cities.鈥�

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The research team has developed proprietary computer vision algorithms and a geospatial web-mapping system to detect and track people and vehicles in real-time video streamed from city cameras, and then to project them as avatars into 3-D city models. This allows the life of the city to be experienced in a natural 3-D context, and viewed from any angle through web browsers. This is augmented by visual intelligence about the scene 鈥� for example, recognition of objects and activities, as well as things like vehicle speed.

Right: A close-up of the Aeryon Scout. Photo by Keith LaPlume

The vertical takeoff and landing missions, continuing today, are a small but important part of the ongoing , a major initiative funded by the federal government鈥榮 Networks of Centres of Excellence program and the provincial government鈥檚 Ontario Centres of Excellence.

The larger goal of the project is to develop a system that gives people a window into the life of a city, whether it is an urban planner watching how people are using city sidewalks, police or security officials trying to prevent crimes or a tourist wondering what is happening at Dundas Square.

The UAV component of the project is a collaboration between Professor Claire Samson鈥檚 lab in the Department of Earth Sciences at Carleton University, Elder鈥檚 Human & Computer Vision Lab in 91亚色鈥檚 Centre for Vision Research and Professor Gunho Sohn鈥檚 lab in the Department of Earth & Space Science & Engineering in 91亚色鈥檚 Faculty of Science & Engineering.

Researchers from four other Canadian universities are also involved in the project, along with Aeryon Labs of Waterloo, Ont.,听which designs and manufactures the Scout UAV, and Neptec of Ottawa, which is providing 3-D structure from motion software technology. The Aeryon Scout is piloted (from the ground) by Tara Jones, as part of the requirements for her master's in earth sciences from Carleton University.

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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Titled 鈥淕ame Changers: How local innovations are creating a new 鈥榖usiness as usual'鈥�, the (YTA) showcase encouraged participants from industry, academia and government agencies to display discovery research and innovations through six-minute Lightning Lectures and a hands-on Demo Lounge.

91亚色 Professor , chair of the Department of Computer Science & Engineering in the Faculty of Science & Engineering, presented the 91亚色-led Centre for Innovation in Information Visualization and Data-Driven Design (CIV-DDD). The project, which involves researchers in the Faculties of Fine Arts and Science & Engineering, along with graduate students and other industry and academic partners, promises to develop the next generation of data discovery, design and visualization techniques by developing new computational tools, representational strategies and interfaces.

Right: 91亚色 Professor Amir Asif, second from left, chats with visitors at the 91亚色 Technology Alliance's Solutions Showcase event

Professor and a group of undergraduate students from her laboratory in the Department of Earth & Space Science & Engineering displayed 91亚色鈥檚 Mars rover and spoke about their successful involvement in international Mars rover competitions. A group of graduate students from Professor 鈥檚 laboratory in the School of Information Technology, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, also spoke about their recent research.

MBA students Navneet Budhia, Boris Chan, Vitaliia Rubinovitch, Eli Ilatov and Shakti Kumar from the Schulich School of Business鈥� (EVCG) also participated; their members apply their skills to help local entrepreneurs grow their businesses. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really important for students to get off campus and interact with real companies,鈥� said Budhia, president of EVCG. 鈥淭his is where academia and industry meet to create value for both the companies and the students.鈥�

Left: The Mars rover was on display at the showcase and was accompanied by a team of undergraduate students from the Department of Earth & Space Science and Engineering

Stan Shapson, vice-president research & innovation, agreed. 鈥淯niversities usually expect companies to come to our campus,鈥� he explained. 鈥淏y co-locating with industry organizations like YTA and creating a presence in the for our service unit, , 91亚色 is sending a very powerful message to our partners. We鈥檙e helping industry enhance and forge new connections to 91亚色鈥檚 research and training capacity, which demonstrates our openness to collaboration.

鈥淧aradoxically, we鈥檙e finding that it鈥檚 sometimes easier to get students and researchers to interact at our new 91亚色 Region home in the MCC than it is on our main campus.鈥�

Other showcase participants included the and , 91亚色 Region鈥檚 recently announced Regional Innovation Centre. 91亚色鈥檚 participation in the YTA Solutions Showcase was made possible by a Regional Opportunities Fund grant from NSERC.

The 91亚色 Technology Alliance听Showcase was one of many ongoing events at the MCC that provide faculty and students with opportunities to seek research collaboration and internships with industry. 91亚色鈥檚 also runs programs and services at MCC providing a space to support collaboration with 91亚色 Region community organizations and municipal agencies.

To learn more about Innovation 91亚色, contact Dan Lynch, manager of industry liaison.

By Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer

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The group will visit听seven top-tier universities and research institutes during their trip. Along the way they will stop at听the India Institute of Technology's听facilities in听Mumbai (Bombay) and Madras, the University of Calcutta, the Indian Space Research Organization,听the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research together with visits to other听institutes and universities during the nation-wide trip

鈥淥ur faculty considers international partnerships as the key cornerstone supporting our strategic priorities. Partnerships like those with India stimulate the spirit of innovation with clear focus on research outcomes that have an international impact,鈥� says Janusz Kozinski (right), dean of the Faculty of Science & Engineering at 91亚色 and a member of the听delegation to India.

The key mandate for the trip听is to enable researchers from 91亚色 and across India to establish joint bilateral research and development projects. Halfway through their trip, the 91亚色 delegation will pause to听participate in a two-day听workshop听co-sponsored by the International Science听& Technology Partnerships Canada, Global Innovation & Technology Alliance,听the Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering & Research and India's Defence Research & Development听Organisation (DRDO).

The听workshop will bring together听more than 100 participants from research institutes and universities from Canada and England, and will include researchers and university vice-chancellors from across India.听Rajagopala Chidambaram, the principal scientific adviser to the government of India, and Vijay Kumar Saraswat, director-general of DRDO, the secretary of defence听research and development and scientific adviser to Indian Defence Minister Raksha Mantri, are among the diginitaries participating in the听workshop.

This workshop will give participants the opportunity to discuss advances and innovations in their respective areas of research, exchange information and ideas and听create further opportunities to听establish research collaborations. The gathering will be held at the DRDO听building in New Dehli.

Travelling in the 91亚色 Science & Engineering delegation are:

• ,听professor, Department of Chemistry;
• , professor, Department of Physics & Astronomy and associate dean of academic affairs in the Faculty of Graduate听Studies;
• , professor,听Department of Earth听& Space Science and Engineering;
• , professor,听Department of Computer Science听& Engineering
• ,听professor,听Department of Languages, Literatures & Linguistics, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
• , professor, Department of Chemistry;
• , professor,听Department of Mathematics & Statistics;
• Paulina Karwowska-Desaulniers, research officer,听Faculty of Science & Engineering;
• , dean,听Faculty of Science & Engineering and professor, Department of Earth听& Space Science and Engineering;
• , professor,听Department of Earth听& Space Science and Engineering;
• Brian Solheim, adjunct professor, Department of Earth听& Space Science and Engineering;
• , professor,听Department of Biology.

For more information about the trip and the 91亚色 Science & Engineering delegation, visit the website.

91亚色 computer science Professor Andrew Eckford is also .

Republished courtesy of YFile 鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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Two 91亚色-led industry-academic partnerships have received a total of $1,237,136 through the 's (NSERC) Strategic Projects Grants program.

Sergey Krylov, professor in the Faculty of Science听& Engineering and Canada Research Chair in Bioanalytical Chemistry, has received $773,200 over three years to explore new therapies to treat metastatic cancers听鈥� secondary tumors that originate from a malignant primary tumor and subsequently invade different organs.

Right: Sergey Krylov

Laurie Wilcox, associate professor in the Faculty of Health鈥檚 Department of Psychology, is co-principal investigator on Depth in Motion with Ali Kazimi, associate professor in the Faculty of Fine Arts鈥� Department of Film. Theirs will be the first research project to rigorously assess human responses to moving content in stereoscopic 3D film (S3D), while challenging current practices and intuitions filmmakers have garnered through 2D and static 3D experience. The grant is provided through a collaborative initiative between NSERC and the ; NSERC has provided $286,836 while the Canada Council has provided $177,100 for a cumulative three-year total of $463,936.

Left: Laurie Wilcox

Krylov has partnered with , whose Canadian offices are based in Concord, Ontario, to create personalized diagnoses and therapy monitoring for metastatic cancers. Current difficulties in detecting and eradicating these tumors significantly contribute to cancer mortality rates; therapies that are efficient for one patient often do not work for others. Their research uses "aptamers"听鈥� short DNA strands capable of selectively binding molecules on cell surfaces听 to serve as tracers for metastatic cancer tumors and, potentially, as vehicles to deliver drugs to metastatic cells.

Wilcox and Kazimi will collaborate with , associate professor in the Faculty of Science & Engineering鈥檚 Department of Computer Science & Engineering and member of the , to create an independent S3D film installation based on a piece of dance choreography and presented in both a large-scale S3D projection format and on multiple S3D displays. Audience members will move through a gallery space and choose to view the large-scale screen or one of the alternative displays containing different motion in depth sequences. The project will evaluate movement鈥檚 effect through depth on observer preferences, determine if these preferences are contingent on the nature of the movement, and determine if pacing differences exist between 2D and S3D film content.

Right: Ali Kazemi

Jim Mirkopolos, vice-president of operations for Toronto-based , is the project鈥檚 industry collaborator; Cinespace's Kleinburg studios are providing space to set up and test the installation later in the project.

鈥淭hese projects build on 91亚色鈥檚 expanding expertise in digital media and life science research, and our value-added industry-academic partnerships,鈥� said Stan Shapson, vice-president Research & Innovation. 鈥淒epth in Motion is a natural next step in the 3D film research 91亚色 began through the in partnership with Toronto-based industry leaders, and demonstrates the innovation unleashed when the creative arts and science converge. Professor Krylov鈥檚 work with in 91亚色 Region has a six-year history that involves two past successful collaborations and will further contribute 91亚色鈥檚 scientific expertise to the region鈥檚 growing and vibrant biotech sector.鈥�

91亚色鈥檚 projects were among 120 chosen to receive a total of $55 million in funding under听NSERC鈥檚 Strategic Project Grants program, which aims to turn the results of academic research into real benefits for Canadians.

The announcement was made by听Gary Goodyear, minister of state (Science听& Technology) in Waterloo, Ontario. 鈥淪upporting science and research is critical to Canada鈥檚 future economic growth,鈥� said Goodyear. 鈥淭his investment will bring together 100 teams of some of the world鈥檚 top researchers to work with industry on promising new projects that will help strengthen our economy, create jobs and bring other benefits to communities.鈥�

鈥淭hese Strategic Project Grants show that the NSERC community has risen to the challenge and is putting the federal S&T strategy to work,鈥� said NSERC President Suzanne Fortier. 鈥淲e received a high number of quality submissions, and the peer review committees were impressed with the research teams鈥� excellence, their proposals鈥� importance and potential impact, and the strong support from partners.鈥�

For a complete list of NSERC recipients, visit the website.

By Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer.

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Litoiu has won awards before, but these particular ones stem from his pioneering work in cloud computing, the next big evolution in computing technology. 鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the hot topics in computing these days,鈥� he says. Since cloud computing surfaced as a brilliant idea in 2007, he鈥檚 led much of the exploration into this new frontier.

Right: Marin Litoiu

Cloud computing will spell the end of desktop computers and institutional servers in five to 10 years, predicts Litoiu. Instead, hardware functions such as storage, memory and processing, and office and enterprise software听will be provided and managed automatically from remote servers via the Internet (or 鈥渃loud鈥�).

Through the Internet, off-site service providers will automatically update software, provide security and guarantee uninterrupted service. Software as a Service, as it鈥檚 called, will be cheaper, more convenient and more reliable, says Litoiu.

He compares it to the evolution of electricity delivery. In the early days, companies and institutions used their own generators to supply power. Now we all plug into a remote continental grid.

At 91亚色, a few cluster groups, including his own, already operate on clouds. Facebook and Google run on cloud computing systems, though they鈥檙e not completely automated, he says. Banks don鈥檛 yet, but 鈥渋t鈥檚 just a matter of time before everything is run on virtual systems.鈥�

Litoiu started his career as a computer science professor in Romania. He immigrated to Canada in 1996 and started a second PhD, this听one听in systems engineering. Within a year, IBM recruited him as a senior researcher at its Centre for Advanced Studies, where he led more than 30 research projects with academics and partners across the globe.

In 2007, when the idea of cloud computing began percolating in labs around the world, IBM created the Centre of Excellence for Research in Adaptive Systems () and appointed him director. 鈥淲e were among the first in the world to create a centre to look at this very new concept of cloud computing,鈥� says Litoiu.

Even after his return to academia in 2008, when he joined 91亚色鈥檚 School of Information Technology, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, Litoiu continues to collaborate with IBM on developing computing tools and infrastructure. 鈥淚鈥檓 a strong believer in collaborating with industry because it gives students industrial experience and a chance to apply their skills to real problems. I want their theses to be relevant.鈥�

This year, IBM named him CAS (Centre for Advanced Studies)听. The award recognizes Litoiu's leadership in cloud computing research,听research that听benefits听IBM听and industry听at large, and Litoiu鈥檚 continuing efforts to share his research and knowledge with IBM developers.

Left: Marin Litoiu (left) accepts Faculty Fellow of the Year award from IBM's Bart Vashaw

Litoiu specializes in adaptive computing systems听鈥� in computers that take care of themselves. In naming him Faculty Fellow of the Year, IBM cited two of his collaborative research projects. One was 鈥淩eal-time monitoring and simulations of business processes鈥�, which aimed to pinpoint then shorten delays in automated functions, such as听those used听in finance and human resources applications. The other was developing a business-driven cloud optimization architecture, which resulted in several prototypes and papers. One paper won the at the 2010 Association for Computing Machinery Symposium on Applied Computing in Switzerland in March.

In 2009, Litoiu also won the IBM Project of the Year Award for building a two-layered听cloud computing model for desktop virtualization: the first layer would provide storage and raw computation; the second, services such as software management (see YFile Dec. 18, 2008).

鈥淭hese awards validate my assumption that the work we do is meaningful and has an impact not only on the academic community but also on industry, on one of the biggest players in the world in computing,鈥� says Litoiu, of IBM. 鈥淭he other important thing is that students involved in the research are directly or indirectly exposed to the industry and industrial technology and that their research is rewarded as well.鈥�

At 91亚色, Litoiu leads a research team of 12 post-doc and graduate students. Soon they will be working in a new lab dedicated to cloud computing research. The Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada has just granted him $234,000, and IBM has made up the difference for a total of $500,000 to start a new project in cloud computing.

鈥淲e live in a pretty exciting world,鈥� says Litoiu. 鈥淭here are a lot of things to be done in computing. We鈥檙e not even halfway through this computer revolution.鈥�

By Martha Tancock, YFile contributing writer

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin

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AQUA, an amphibious, otter-like robot, is small and nimble, with flippers rather than propellers, designed for intricate data collection from shipwrecks and reefs.

The robot, a joint project of 91亚色, McGill and Dalhousie universities, can now be controlled wirelessly using a waterproof tablet built at 91亚色. While underwater, divers can program the tablet to display tags onscreen, similar to bar codes read by smartphones. The robot鈥檚 on-board camera then scans these two-dimensional tags to receive and carry out commands.

Cutting the cord on underwater robots has been a long-standing challenge for scientists; water interferes with radio signals, hindering traditional wireless communication via modem. Tethered communication is cumbersome and can create safety issues for divers.

鈥淗aving a robot tethered to a vehicle above water creates a scenario where communication between the diver, robot, and surface operator becomes quite complicated,鈥� says (right), professor in 91亚色鈥檚 Department of Computer Science & Engineering in the Faculty of Science & Engineering and co-author of the forthcoming paper, "Swimming with Robots: Human Robot Communication at Depth".

鈥淚nvestigating a shipwreck, for example, is a very delicate operation and the diver and robot need to be able to react quickly to changes in the environment. An error or a lag in communication could be dangerous,鈥� Jenkin says.

Realizing there was no device on the market that fit the bill, Jenkin and his team at 91亚色鈥檚 Centre for Vision Research, including the paper鈥檚 lead author,听master in computer science听student , set to work constructing a prototype. The resulting device, fittingly dubbed AQUATablet, is watertight to a depth of 60 feet. Aluminum housing with a clear acrylic cover protects the tablet computer, which can be controlled by a diver using toggle-switches and on-screen prompts.

鈥淎 diver at 60 feet can actually teleoperate AQUA 30 to 40 feet deeper. Needless to say this is much easier on the diver, physically and much safer,鈥� Jenkin says.

The tablet also allows divers to command the robot much as if they were using a video game joystick; turn the tablet right and AQUA turns right, too. In this mode, the robot is connected to the tablet by a slim length of optical cable, circumventing many of the issues of a robot-to-surface tether. The optical cable also allows AQUA to provide video feedback from its camera to the operator. In a totally wireless mode, the robot acknowledges prompts by flashing its on-board light. Its cameras can be used to build 3-D models of the environment which can then be used to guide the robot to particular tasks.

鈥淭his is a huge improvement on [a robot] having to travel to the surface to communicate with its operators,鈥� Jenkin says.

In the past, divers have used laminated flashcards to visually communicate with robots while underwater. However, these limit the diver to a pre-set sequence of commands.

鈥淚t鈥檚 impossible to anticipate everything you鈥檙e going to want the robot to do once you get underwater. We wanted to develop a system where we could create commands on the fly, in response to the environment,鈥� he says.

Jenkin and Verzijlenberg鈥檚 paper will be presented at the IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) in Taiwan.

Jenkin and Verzijlenberg are two of the researchers based in 91亚色鈥檚 new state-of-the-art Sherman Health Science Research Centre, which officially opened on Sept. 14. Jenkin leads the Canadian Centre for Field Robotics, which is based on the building鈥檚 main level. The centre is supported by a grant from the . The AQUA project is funded in part by the . 91亚色's Centre for Vision Research is part of the Faculty of Health.

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin

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Professor and graduate student of 91亚色鈥檚 Department of Computer Science & Engineering have created an underwater casing for tablet computers so that divers can control underwater robots. Motion sensors detect when the waterproofed computer is tilted, and instruct the robot to move in the same direction [].

鈥淲hat makes what we are doing unique is the idea of deploying the robot and the diver as part of a team to solve various problems,鈥� says Jenkin. 鈥淭he diver operator can remain outside dangerous environments and operate the vehicle, while the vehicle itself extends the diver鈥檚 capabilities.鈥�

The vehicle in question is called Aqua, a small submersible robot that swims using paddle legs and carries cameras and position sensors that relay information back to the screen of the tablet computer via an optical fibre.

The team is now working on signals to help robot and tablet communicate with each other even without the fibre. 鈥淎t the moment in autonomous operation the robot only communicates back to the tablet through flashing lights on the vehicle. We want to look at having the robot perform certain motions 鈥� essentially, have the robot 鈥榙ance鈥�, and use this dance to communicate from the robot to the tablet,鈥� says Jenkin.

Jenkin and Verzijlenberg are just two of the researchers based in 91亚色's state-of-the-art Sherman Health Science Research Centre, which . Jenkin leads the Canadian Centre for Field Robotics, which is based on the building's main level. The AQUA project is funded in part by the .

Posted by Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer, with files courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin

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How do you look at millions of genomic patterns and see the diagnostic implications? How do you assimilate satellite data to better predict and visualize the effects of global warming, pollution, and weather patterns? How can you chart the global migration of millions of people under slavery? How do you assess the impact millions of blog entries have had on the print media economy? How do you sift global intelligence reports to identify the real threats?

Each day, humanity poses thousands of similar questions as we produce massive data sets in every field 鈭� but as the data grows, the challenge becomes translating this data for the human senses and delivering the best analysis to solve real-world problems.

The Centre for Innovation in Information Visualization and Data-Driven Design (CIV-DDD), led by 91亚色 in partnership with the (OCAD), promises to develop the next generation of data discovery, design, and visualization techniques by developing new computational tools, representational strategies, and interfaces.

The $11.5 million five-year project brings together a unique multidisciplinary team of over 50 researchers from 91亚色, OCAD, the University of Toronto, 14 industry partners, and significant international collaborators.

(left), Canada Research Chair in Computational Vision and Distinguished Research Professor of Vision Science at 91亚色, is the project鈥檚 principal investigator. , professor of artificial intelligence and data mining in the Faculty of Science & Engineering, will co-lead 91亚色鈥檚 team of 14 researchers, who include , professor and chair of the Department of Computer Science & Engineering, and , Canada Research Chair in Digital Culture and associate professor of film in the Faculty of Fine Arts.

Sara Diamond, visualization design researcher and president of the Ontario College of Art & Design, will lead OCAD鈥檚 team of 12 researchers, who include Vladimir Spicanovic, dean of the Faculty of Art, and Greg van Alstyne, professor in the Faculty of Design and director of Research, Strategic Innovation Lab.

has provided over $3.8 million in funding through the Ontario Research Fund-Research Excellence Program; industry partners will contribute over $3.6 million, with the remaining $4.1 million coming from the project鈥檚 institutional partners.

鈥淗umans鈥� capacity to interpret sensory stimuli is limited, which is why the human processing strategy is to attend to the relevant and ignore the irrelevant,鈥� says Tsotsos. 鈥淒etermining what鈥檚 relevant is a key task. Equally important is discovering how best to present such data in a form that is quickly and effectively understood. By combining our team鈥檚 expertise in computer science, design, digital media, visual perceptual science, fine arts, and the social sciences, CIV-DDD will discover and provide new visualizations for underlying patterns, processes, and relationships within data sets. These in turn will suggest new research directions and applications, laying the foundation for a new wave of knowledge creation and technological products.鈥�

CIV-DDD formalizes many existing research collaborations, both within 91亚色鈥檚 faculties and departments and among researchers at 91亚色, OCAD, and U of T. 鈥淚n the new paradigm of data-driven discovery, art and design researchers have a profound role to play in partnership with scientists, making the invisible visible, heralding a new era of knowledge, cultural creation, and technological products,鈥� said Diamond. 鈥淭his preeminent research hub for the development of next-generation data visualization techniques is unique in its level of interdisciplinary fire power, strong collaboration with end-users and international links. It aggregates and extends much successful collaboration amongst the researchers, and between OCAD and 91亚色.鈥�

Many techniques and technologies developed by research groups associated with CIV-DDD will become resources for the entire team as they focus on new data-driven design and information visualization solutions in four thematic areas:

• bioinformatics and medicine
• fine and performing arts
• engineering and physical sciences
• humanities and social sciences

Collaboration between industry and academia is crucial to the project鈥檚 success. 鈥淧latform Computing is honoured to support the CIV-DDD project and provide the students and researchers at 91亚色 and the OCAD with cutting-edge technologies to explore and create the next generation of visualization solutions and services and help them tackle scientific, social and human challenges,鈥� said Jingwen Wang, vice-president, products, at . 鈥淐ollaboration and information sharing are fundamental to academic research and Platform products enable researchers and students to easily collaborate and manage data and resources to capture, simulate and analyze their results.鈥�

CIV-DDD鈥檚 industry partners highlight its wide applicability across sectors, including:

• Mass media and communications studies, ethnography, and cultural studies 鈭�
• Enterprise and knowledge management businesses 鈭�
• Technology service providers 鈭� , , and
• Physics 鈭�
• Sustainable, intelligent systems, and green technology 鈭�
• Computer and communication technologies 鈭� , , and
• Entertainment and Web-related industries 鈭� , , and
• Research and innovative presentation 鈭�
• Business intelligence work 鈭� and
• Mobile technology and applications developers 鈭� Zameen
• Medicine and bioinformatics 鈭� U of T鈥檚 , the , and McMaster University鈥檚

鈥淐IV-DDD responds both to a dramatic paradigm shift in the health, social and economic challenges facing Canadians and the need for more research capacity and state-of-the-art infrastructure in this region,鈥� said Stan Shapson, 91亚色鈥檚 vice-president Research & Innovation. 鈥淚t also builds on the existing strengths of 91亚色鈥檚 , the Institute for Research on Learning Technologies in the Faculty of Education, and in the Faculty of Fine Arts, among others.

鈥淏y leading the Consortium on New Media, Creative, and Entertainment R&D in the Toronto Region (CONCERT), 91亚色 and its partner universities and industries identified the preconditions necessary to develop a high-end visualization industry in Ontario. This unique collaboration will help fulfill one of CONCERT鈥檚 long-term objectives, which was to grow the region鈥檚 entertainment, screen-based and other innovation-driven creative industries into a globally competitive cluster.鈥�

CIV-DDD will also support Ontario鈥檚 economy by producing innovative technology for commercialization, such as new:

• data-mining algorithms
• 3D-vision and 3D-modeling technologies
• data-display tools and protocols
• visualization-design methods and techniques
• data-inquiry paradigms
• user-friendly interfaces that can be scaled to a variety of screen displays
• new aesthetics and research practices

鈥淲e鈥檙e proud of the cutting-edge work that our researchers do at 91亚色 and the wealth and jobs they create in 91亚色 West and across Ontario,鈥� said , MPP for 91亚色 West. 鈥淣ew discoveries will continue to be made and we want those people, those ideas and those jobs right here in our community.鈥�

CIV-DDD is one of 21 projects funded by the Ontario Research Fund鈥揜esearch Excellence program, which has provided almost $69.5 million to support more than 214 researchers in seven cities across Ontario. The Ontario Research Fund is a key part of the province鈥檚 Innovation Agenda, a $3.2 million strategy designed to move world-class research from the lab to the global marketplace in key areas such as life sciences, digital media, and green energy to ensure Ontario will be among the 21^st Century鈥檚 winning economies. The Research Excellence program helps develop Ontario鈥檚 research talent while ensuring Ontario researchers have the operating funding they need to undertake world-leading projects.

For a full list of funded projects, visit MRI鈥檚 .

91亚色鈥檚 researchers:

• John Tsotsos, Canada Research Chair in Computational Vision, distinguished research professor of vision science, Faculty of Science & Engineering, and member of the Centre for Vision Research (CVR)
• Nick Cercone, professor of artificial intelligence and data mining, Faculty of Science & Engineering
• Amir Asif, associate professor and chair of the Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Faculty of Science & Engineering
• Caitlin Fisher, Canada Research Chair in Digital Culture and assistant professor of film, Faculty of Fine Arts
• Robert Allison, associate professor, Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Faculty of Science & Engineering
• Melanie Baljko, assistant professor, Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Faculty of Science & Engineering
• James Elder, associate professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health and a member of CVR
• Jimmy Huang, associate professor of information technology, Faculty of Science & Engineering
• Michael Jenkin, professor, Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Faculty of Science & Engineering and a member of CVR
• Jennifer Jenson, associate professor of pedagogy and technology, Faculty of Education
• Paul E. Lovejoy, distinguished research professor in the Department of History and Canada Research Chair in African Diaspora History
• Don Sinclair, professor and coordinator of Fine Arts Cultural Studies, Faculty of Fine Arts
• Wolfgang Stuerzlinger, associate professor, Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Faculty of Science & Engineering, and a member of CVR
• Nell Tenhaaf, associate professor, Department of Visual Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts, and associate dean, Graduate Studies, Research, Planning, in the Faculty of Fine Arts.
• Laurie Wilcox, associate professor of psychology and biology, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health and associate director of CVR
• Richard Wildes, associate professor, Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Faculty of Science & Engineering

OCAD鈥檚 researchers:

• Sara Diamond, visualization design researcher and president of the Ontario College of Art & Design
• Vladimir Spicanovic, dean, Faculty of Art
• Greg van Alstyne, professor, Faculty of Design and director of research, Strategic Innovation Lab
• Patricio Davila, assistant professor, Faculty of Design
• Paula Gardner, associate professor, Faculty of Liberal Studies
• Julian Goss, professor, Faculty of Design, and chair of Industrial Design
• Anda Kubis, associate professor, Faculty of Art, and chair of Drawing and Painting
• Martha Ladly, associate professor and director of the Interdisciplinary Art, Media and Design Program
• Francis LeBouthillier, sculpture and installation artist and chair of Sculpture and Installation
• Laura Millard, associate professor, Faculty of Art
• Luke Painter, assistant professor, Faculty of Art
• Barbara Rauch, assistant professor, Digital Futures Initiative, Faculty of Design
• Suzanne Stein, associate professor, Digital Futures Initiative, Faculty of Design

U of T鈥檚 researchers:

• Ravin Balakrishnan, associate professor of Computer Science and Canada Research Chair in Human-Centred Interfaces in the Department of Computer Science
• Karan Singh, associate professor of Computer Science, Department of Computer Science

By Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer. Photos courtesy of YFile 鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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