INVENTION :Next Generation :Next
ATLANTIC BUSINESS TALKS TO LOCAL RESEARCHERS ABOUT SOME OF THE EXCITING NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN REGIONAL
DIGITALIZATION By Chet Wesley Transformers
34 Atlantic Business Magazine | November/December 2017 THE DIGITALIZATION OF LIFE is becoming as pervasive and routine as the air we breathe. Whether it’s heating our homes, powering our smartphones, keeping our children safe, growing food, getting operated on by a surgeon a thousand kilometers away, or exploring the world in a driverless vehicle, digital technology is affecting civilization on an epoch-changing scale. Many of those mind-blowing, world-changing technologies are being developed and exported from right here in Atlantic Canada. Here’s a look at nine of our most compelling and promising innovators and companies in the midst of lighting up our little corner of the digital world.
atlanticbusinessmagazine.com | Atlantic Business Magazine 35 almost dizzying as you zip up and down and around the “With our visualization mountains and valleys of the world. software, ...decision After almost a decade in development, 3D Worldview makers can immediately is finally ready to hit the market. It’s anticipated it will see where a (telecom) push both personal and business decision-making into tower should go because an entirely new direction. “Many telecom companies are contacting us because they can interact with when they build a tower, they need to know the hills, mountains, and topography of the land, where the signal can reach, valleys in 3D.” and how accessible the site is,” says Dr. Zhang. “There DR. YUN ZHANG is software, but it needs experts to understand and interpret the raw data. With our visualization software, non-expert decision makers can immediately see where a tower should go because they can interact with hills, VISUALEYES mountains, and valleys in 3D.” Dr. Zhang says the technology has countless An entirely new dimension is about to emerge that’s applications for real estate development and tourism— going to change the way you see the world, thanks to even disaster relief. “In 2005, there was a devastating the University of New Brunswick’s Dr. Yun Zhang’s 3D earthquake in the high mountains of Nepal. Everyone Worldview software. around the world tried to help. But with 2D maps, “Currently all online mapping sites use line maps and everything looks flat. The few roads zig-zag and are satellite images to show the earth in detail, but all you too steep for big trucks with heavy loads of supplies,” see are flat images. You can’t tell how high anything is says Dr. Zhang. “With 3D maps, disaster relief workers or how hard the terrain is to navigate,” says Dr. Zhang. can see this problem immediately, and make informed He knows what he’s talking about: Zhang created decisions how to overcome it before they even leave.” technology that powers part of Google Earth and Google Maps Street View. “So we have taken geospatial data from public and SUNSPOTTER private databases to generate a 3D map that anyone can use to visualize the entire earth, to as close as one Every hour, the sun emits enough energy to power the metre.” The view is so photo-realistic that looking at it is entire Earth for one year. Collecting that energy has
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36 Atlantic Business Magazine | November/December 2017 “The technology has Dr. Koleilat is currently testing fabrics for her the potential to create experiments and it’s not an easy task. She’s searching the circuits a computer for a textile product that can be thrown into a washing machine, over and over again, and still come out as a needs and to power functioning computer. itself with (solar) light instead of a bulky, rechargeable battery.” NETSAFE DR. GHADA For anyone older than a millennial, playing safe as a KOLEILAT kid meant looking both ways before crossing the street and staying away from the train tracks. Today, as more kids turn to tablets and smartphones to have fun with traditionally been done by rigid, glass solar panels, friends, playing safe is more about keeping them away but that’s all about to change: Dr. Ghada Koleilat at from adult content and your credit card. Moncton-based Dalhousie University is experimenting with ways to Itavio has created a mobile app that allows parents to transform your clothes into energy-generating devices. manage their children’s online gaming. Using carbon nanotubes, Dr. Koleilat can bathe or “With our app, parents can filter the types of games spray fabrics with an invisible liquid that will one day and content their children can access and remove their turn your sportswear into a computer—and power it too. “What we’re talking about is the bio-functionality of “With our app, parents clothing so that it can listen to your heartbeat, test body can filter the types of fluids like sweat, or monitor muscle movements and wirelessly send the information to a mobile device,” says games and content their Dr. Koleilat. “The technology has the potential to create children can access … It the circuits a computer needs and to power itself with also lets the parent be the light instead of a bulky, rechargeable battery. People timekeeper, with settings don’t want to feel technology in their garments.” that determine how long The technology is also suitable for turning other they’re allowed to play.” fabric-based products into solar power generators, MELANI FLANAGAN including tents, window blinds, and furniture.
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MASTER IN QUANTITATIVE sobey.smu.ca/impactblog INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FINANCE Zlatan Fazlagić, Chief Marketing Officer and Mary Weimer, Chief Operating Officer; Kena Paranjape, co-founder Upcoming topics: BRIKA; Dr. David Sobey; Gordon Stevens, CEO Uncommon Group at the University of New Brunswick’s • Distributed leadership Fredericton campus • Customer satisfaction MAKING AN innovative • Co-operative businesses Gain high-value career skills employers ECONOMICS • Employee satisfaction want at Canada’s only graduate-level • Entrepreneurship IMPACT WITH PURPOSE • Social media quantitative investment management program. Our David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retailing and Services celebrated Retail Week in early October by presenting the 1st annual National Retail Innovation Awards to Hillberg [email protected] PROGRAMMING & Berk for Product Innovation; Brika for Innovation in Retailing; and Uncommon Group for (506) 453.4766 Community-Focused Retailing.
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f atlanticbusinessmagazine.com | Atlantic Business Magazine 37 kids’ constant asks for money or office space on the 48th floor of Housekeeping seal of approval. credit cards for the magic berries Hearst’s iconic Manhattan tower We would never get this kind of and little hearts they want to plus access to the company’s top exposure with any other investor.” enhance their game,” says Melani marketing talent. According to Flanagan says the company’s stay Flanagan, CEO and co-founder. Flanagan, Hearst is well known for in New York is only temporary, and “It also lets the parent be the doubling-up on funding for start- that she and her co-founder, Matt timekeeper, with settings that ups that take off under their wing. Pichette, continue to maintain their determine how long they’re allowed “Right now we’re working residences in Moncton. to play.” with some amazingly talented “We started the company with Two years into its development, people from Cosmo and Seventeen just the two of us and a small and now available for sale, magazines who are working with amount of money we stretched the company is in the midst us to take our product and brand out over two years, living on a of ramping up its sales with a to an entirely new level, and shoestring, and it’s all been so $250,000 investment from New Esquire is helping us with public worthwhile,” says Flanagan. “I York-based media giant Hearst relations,” says Flanagan. “We may love my province, and even though Communications. The deal includes also be considered for the Good raising capital on the East Coast is fun, we just couldn’t get enough to fund our company fully. That’s mostly because New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and P.E.I. are always in competition with each other when they should be working together.” For now, it’s safe to say that when it comes to play, especially the financial game, Itavio is in the right place at the right time, with the means to make the online world a little safer for kids.
H EAT ER
With rising power costs and the effects of climate change, many people are looking for ways to conserve energy. One way is with a programmable thermostat—if ADVANCE WORKPLACE you can figure out how to set up calendars, clocks, and temperatures SKILLS ANYWHERE, ANYTIME using two buttons and screen resembling a 1980s digital 100% online professional development courses, wristwatch. Another option is to certificates, and programs offer a flexible, convenient install a smart thermostat that can be programmed and controlled from way to strengthen and enhance workplace skills. anywhere with your smartphone. For most Atlantic Canadians, Choose from: however, who heat their homes • Pathway to Coping with baseboard heaters and a • Management Essentials thermostat in every room, smart • Occupational Health & Safety thermostats aren’t practical for • Occupational Health Nursing the average household. Then • Bachelor of Integrated Studies there’s Mysa, a new St. John’s, Newfoundland start-up that got into • Online degree credit courses in Business, Biology, the game with their own lower cost, Psychology & more! baseboard-friendly solution. Co-founded by Zach and Joshua FOR MORE INFORMATION Green, the idea struck after the 506 447-3340, toll free 1 866 599-4646 twenty-something brothers went into business doing residential www.unb.ca/online energy audits. They set out to design the hardware and software for what they call the world’s first smart thermostat for multi-room baseboard heating. What sets it apart from the competition is its networking capability for baseboard
38 Atlantic Business Magazine | November/December 2017 “What’s great about Mysa up or cooled off, the brothers Green will have a greener is you can install them way to create your own Goldilocks zone—before you even get there. (smart themorstats) in any room you want—just the ones you use most CHARGER or all of them. Over time it learns about your Based in Mount Pearl, Newfoundland, wireless-charging behaviour and optimizes technology company Solace can charge electronic itself.” devices through thin air. It works by embedding hardware into everyday objects (like furniture or ZACK GREEN automobiles) that any electronic device with wireless charging capability can detect, tune into and recharge heat at one-third the price. You can have them in every its battery. Unlike magnetic wireless chargers, Solace’s room of your house, adjust them individually, group system does not require touching or precise alignment. them in zones, or control them all together from the “If our RC² power system is built into a conference palm of your hand. table, all you need to do is be near it to start charging, “What’s great about Mysa is you can install them in so when you’re in a meeting, your battery is being any room you want—just the ones you use most or all replenished just sitting there,” says company CEO of them,” says Zack. “Over time it learns about your behaviour and optimizes itself. We’re also working to integrate with smart home systems like Amazon Alexa “If our RC² power system and Apple Home.” is built into a conference They’ve already sold thousands of their table, all you need to manufactured-in-Ontario standard 24-volt thermostats do is be near it to start for the average in-home baseboard room heater. With charging, so when their eyes set on the lucrative big-city condo market, you’re in a meeting, the company is currently finalizing the design and manufacture of a new high voltage thermostat, with your battery is being plans to expand their technology for use with cooling replenished just sitting systems. So no matter where you are or what you’re there.” doing, when you feel it’s time to get yourself warmed KRIS MCNEIL
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atlanticbusinessmagazine.com | Atlantic Business Magazine 39 Kris McNeil. “Even the conference bridge and its “We developed a web- cumbersome power and communications cords could based data visualization become wireless and portable.” With patents filed in 23 countries, the start-up tool that developers and recently signed a licensing agreement with Byrne, a citizens can interact with Michigan-based power and data solutions company. and move things around Byrne provides technology integration products for to see the impact it the $18-billion North American office, hospitality, and makes on people and residential furniture manufacturing industry. the environment.” “We are delighted to partner with a market leader LORI CLAIR like Byrne in developing high-quality products for our RC² technology. They’re a perfect fit for licensing our technology as we continue to execute on our strategies artificial intelligence, and design to make it work. for growth and profitability,” says McNeil. The first pilot project is currently underway in Sussex, He says using wireless charging can also be better New Brunswick, for a new middle school construction for the bottom line of the average user since it can project. charge a battery as fast as a power outlet and with “Working with the South East Regional Service much better efficiency. “If you take a standard laptop or Commission, we created ‘Sackville the Game’ to deploy phone adapter, you’ll notice that it can be quite hot to in community meetings and online. Citizens will create the touch when plugged in. That’s the way adapters get their dream scenario and then view a comprehensive rid of excess energy that the device doesn’t need,” says analysis of its impact,” says Clair. “Both citizens and McNeil. “Adapters are about 50 per cent efficient.” government will have access to the best performing and Even though many machines will need to remain most popular designs in real time.” hard-wired, wireless battery charging is already finding In the future, the company is planning to open its its way into objects other than telecommunication solution to commercial real estate developers with devices. Say goodbye to the pesky hanging wires you additional features including demographics, foot traffic, find dangling from your table lamps and TVs. It’s just parking, and transportation. a matter of time before they’re replaced with wireless ones, and hopefully without packaging that reads “batteries not included.” W H AT TAG E
If there’s one measurement that means nothing to most MUNICIPLAN people, it’s the number of kilowatt hours of power you use each month. Shown on most power bills in one lump Whether it’s a new public school or big box store, sum, it says nothing about how much energy you’re getting a construction project off the ground takes consuming using different things around the house. more than throwing a ceremonial shovel of dirt. Full With energy prices on the rise and climate change on socioeconomic and environmental impact studies are the mind, the psychological adage “you can’t change expected, and citizen engagement is a must. Lori Clair what you do not acknowledge,” rings just as true for and Dr. Jake Arsenault, co-founders of New Brunswick- electricity usage as it does for anything else in life. based The Black Arcs, are making that process easier That was until Simptek Technologies entered the through big data visualization. scene in 2014. Based in Fredericton, New Brunswick, “Citizen engagement is a real pain point for the fledgling company’s web-based software uses data municipalities and getting them to understand all of from power meters to detect almost every appliance in the variables around community planning,” says Clair. your house, how much energy each uses, and what it “So we developed a web-based data visualization tool costs to operate every month. From hot water tanks to that developers and citizens can interact with and move air conditioners (even your hairdryer!), it keeps track of things around to see the impact it makes on people and your electricity use and make suggestions about how to the environment.” stay on budget—in real time. Using a touch-enabled screen inside a table-sized “For now, our solution for homeowners is only available console, people can move buildings and parking lots to through participating utilities,” says company CEO Asif different building sites. For every move they make, the Hasan. “Smart meters and smart grid technologies are system returns visual data that shows population reach, becoming more plentiful across North America, and how many can walk versus driving to the location, proximity to sensitive areas, flood risk, even resulting increases and decreases in carbon emissions. “It’s important for people “Where a building is built and how people get there to do what they can to are fundamental components of urban planning and a save energy, especially primary driver of community health and wealth,” says at peak times, because Clair. “Unsuccessful designs can contribute to traffic the more power we and parking problems, obesity, heart disease, mental demand as consumers, health concerns, and poor air quality. For developers, time is money, and they go through the same type the more expensive it is of engagement as municipalities, so it’s worth the to generate it.” investment.” ASIF HASAN The company uses open data, predictive analytics,
40 Atlantic Business Magazine | November/December 2017 “We aim to have the buildings, they use artificial intelligence to manage a cleanest environment company’s energy consumption remotely. possible so you can eat our product right out ROBOCROP of the container. We’re currently working on There’s no better way to taste a raw vegetable than robots that will handle freshly picked, straight out of the garden. That’s what our growing trays and TruLeaf, a farming company in Truro, Nova Scotia is produce.” providing consumers all across Canada. Using vertical GREGG CURWIN farming techniques and technology, they grow a variety of microgreens indoors, using only water and free of pesticides and herbicides. The company both licenses it’s important for people to do what they can to save its technology to other farmers and sells its greens energy, especially at peak times, because the more through its subsidiary, GoodLeaf Farms. power we demand as consumers, the more expensive “Digital technology is the backbone of our operation. it is to generate it.” NB Power is currently piloting their Our sensors and software remotely control feeding, smart grid technology with numerous homes across the building temperature, humidity, and lighting to ensure province. optimal plant health and growth,” says company CEO Until it’s ready to launch for homeowners, the company Gregg Curwin. “We also have sensors that detect has developed a new, custom solution for large commercial pathogens. We aim to have the cleanest environment real estate holders that’s now the core of their business. possible so you can eat our product right out of the “In most cases, energy studies are completed container. We’re currently working on robots that will building-by-building and can take as long as six handle our growing trays and produce.” months, leaving you with a very technical 120-page Vertical farming involves growing crops on shelving snapshot that’s difficult to understand,” says Hasan. “We systems that stack from floor to ceiling. Curwin says can visualize, analyze and show the corrective actions that this type of cultivation is one of the most important needed at several locations simultaneously, right in advancements in food security around the world, front of your eyes.” Once Simptek compares a particular especially since it requires no soil and can reuse up to building’s energy use with data from other optimized 90 per cent of its filtered water.
OPTIMIZING INDUSTRY SINCE 1867
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY DRIVEN COLLABORATIVE SOLUTION
Industrial | Power Transmission | Electrical | Pipes, Valves & Fittings Plumbing & Heating | Rotating Equipment | Specialty Valves & Instrumentation Hydraulics, Rigging & Rubber | Welding | Metalworking www.sourceatlantic.ca “Whether it’s in the desert, or in a hurricane-proof “Right now we’re building on a tropical island, our technology can save working on a virtual lives, especially with the super healthy products it reality simulator that produces,” says Curwin. will allow students and Indoor farming is also opening doors for new and higher paying jobs since the practice demands the doctors to practice specialized expertise of computer scientists, engineers, surgeries in the agriculture technicians, and businesspeople to keep the most realistic tactile environment clean and the veggies tasty. environment.” “When you wash greens you remove a lot of the taste. DR. YA-JUN PAN Using technology, we’re recreating that experience where you go out, pick a leaf from the garden, and get that beautiful taste,” says Curwin. “Most greens are sent feel the same resistance against their surgical tools that thousands of miles in dirty old trucks, they have zero they would if they were present. taste, no shelf life, and the nutrition is way off.” “For telesurgery, the biggest challenge is putting sensors on surgical tools to send information back to the surgeon,” says Dr. Pan. “If you want to make a simple OPERATOR motion like suturing a muscle or organ, you need a model and algorithm for those tissues. Right now we’re A relatively new term for the average consumer, a haptic working on a virtual reality simulator that will allow is a tactile alert that delivers physical information to the students and doctors to practice surgeries in the most user. The most common type is probably like the FitBit, realistic tactile environment.” an exercise app that tells you when you’ve met your step Dr. Pan is also working on technology for driverless goal for the day, or you’ve been sitting too long. That’s vehicles that gives remote operators the sensation the simplest application for a haptic, which is also used of different types of conditions, from rocky, bumpy to give feedback for tasks as complicated as operating a surfaces, to the all too familiar out-of-control sensation driverless vehicle and performing surgery. winter drivers face on icy roads. Dr. Ya-Jun Pan, an engineering professor at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, is prototyping new FEEDBACK haptic systems in her laboratory that will allow doctors * [email protected] who are performing surgery from a remote location to a @AtlanticBus; #Transformers
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42 Atlantic Business Magazine | November/December 2017