NEWSLETTER | OCTOBER 2024 | | | | | | | | | | | | | “Rooted in the Seven Grandfather Teachings, research guided by wisdom, respect, and truth fosters meaningful understanding and action for community. With humility, we engage diverse voices anchored in lived experiences, ensuring (every)one’s insights illuminate our path forward.” | | | | | Director ( Research & Innovation) | | | | | | | | | | | Featured Research Project | | | | | | | | Ettractive is a Windsor-based startup revolutionizing the EV vehicle industry. Their specialty is custom EV solutions with flexible bodywork options. Ettractive ATTO project is a research project that involves the modular design of the Ettractive vehicle systems. Their chassis interchanges bodywork styles for flexible Network Electric Vehicles (NEV). The main focus of this project was to create Digital Twin 3D visualizations of various vehicle bodywork designs that would adapt well to Ettractive’s NEV Chassis designs. Initially, we set out to create three styles of vehicle bodies. - Utility Bodywork (similar branding to Kubota)
- Van Delivery Bodywork (i.e. Canada post, UPS)
- Pickup Bodywork (large rear cargo spaces, knobby tires)
The first step was to create sketches and layouts for the digital twin model. Second step was to utilize Autodesk Maya and/or other similar programs to Model 3D assets and textures based on the consolidated design between Ettractive's CAD designs and the vehicle body designs. Once the Digital Twin models were completed or near completion, they would be shared with Ettractive for any further feedback that could help improve the overall design and to match the client's vision. The final product was three, fully completed, Digital Twin models that meshed well with Ettractive’s flexible Network Electric Vehicle chassis design. Fully textured and rendered in Autodesk VRED for an overall clean and smooth showcase that matched the clients original concept. | | | | | | | | | | | | OVIN STEM Robotics Digital Curricula | | | | | The OVIN STEM Robotics Digital Curricula is an advanced web-based platform developed to inspire Grade 7 and Grade 9 students in STEM, automobility and robotics. It combines hands-on learning in robotics assembly, coding, and STEM theory in a single, easy-to-use platform. This platform builds on the curricula originally developed for the OVIN STEM Learning Workshops held in 2023 and 2024. Now digitized, it offers several key benefits, including scalability, allowing more students to access the material; repeatability, enabling students to revisit lessons as needed; and on-demand access, offering flexibility to learn anytime, anywhere. Key features include: - Robotics Assembly: Interactive modules guide students through building and assembling robots.
- Coding Integration: Introduction to coding concepts necessary for operating robots.
- STEM Learning: Engaging lessons aligned with Ontario’s STEM education standards, fostering a deeper understanding of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
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| | | | | | | | OVIN STEM Robotics AR Solution – Expanding Learning Through Augmented Reality | | | | | | | The next evolution of the OVIN STEM Robotics Digital Curricula takes STEM education to new heights by introducing Augmented Reality (AR) for the robotics assembly lessons. In this phase, students will have the ability to assemble robots in a fully immersive AR environment, offering a hands-on experience without the need for physical components. This cutting-edge AR application, currently in development, will allow students to interact with 3D models of robots, building and coding them in real-time, fostering deeper engagement with STEM concepts. The AR experience makes complex robotics concepts more accessible and interactive, further enhancing the practical learning aspect of the curricula. Key features of this phase include: - Augmented Reality Robotics Assembly: Students can assemble robots in a virtual space, providing a lifelike hands-on experience.
- Enhanced Engagement: The AR environment offers an immersive way to explore robotics, improving comprehension of engineering principles.
- Scalability & Accessibility: As a mobile application, this phase will be available on both iOS and Android, ensuring students can access the curricula from any location.
This innovative AR solution is currently under development and will be available soon on mobile platforms. Stay tuned for updates on its official release! | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Dr. Masoud Akhshik from St. Clair College’s Research and Innovation department participated in the Elevate Festival 2024 in Toronto, Canada’s premier event for technology and innovation. The festival showcased global technology advancements, featuring discussions on AI, cybersecurity, sustainability, and opportunities for networking with industry leaders. Key Highlights: - AI & Cybersecurity: Sessions focused on AI's role in combating AI-driven cyberattacks, emphasizing the future need for quantum cryptography as current security measures may become obsolete in the next 5-10 years.
- Ethical AI: The importance of responsible AI development was highlighted, including transparency, open-source models, and potential ISO standards to ensure ethical AI practices across the industry.
- AI Innovation: Leading companies like OpenAI and Google DeepMind showcased AI applications, including medical breakthroughs, wildfire detection, and environmental conservation efforts. Meta’s initiatives on AI transparency and Mozilla’s competition with industry leaders were also discussed.
Dr. Akhshik’s engagement at the event strengthens St. Clair College’s commitment to staying at the forefront of technological innovation and expanding its industry partnerships for future growth. | | | | | | | | | | | Ms. Sonja Popovski from St. Clair College’s Research and Innovation team attended an event where Premier Doug Ford announced a strategic collaboration between OVIN and Mercedes-Benz. The partnership launches the Startup Autobahn Incubators, aimed at transforming Ontario-developed intellectual property into local startups integrated within the global supply chain. The pilot phase will establish incubators in Windsor, Toronto, and Kitchener/Waterloo, focusing on commercialization and regional economic growth. The keynote, “Desire Created by Innovation”, was presented by Eileen Böhme, Director of Strategy, Innovations & Future Technologies R&D at Mercedes-Benz AG. She outlined the program’s global success and Mercedes-Benz’s innovation selection process, emphasizing its impact on Canada’s innovators. Networking sessions followed, offering opportunities for participants to discuss challenges, solutions, and collaboration interests. This event marked an important opportunity for St. Clair College to connect with industry leaders and expand its innovation network. | | | | | | | | | | | | | “There is no elevator to success: you have to take the stairs.” | | | That’s one of the many inspiring quotes from the International Day of the Girl event hosted at St. Clair College Centre for the Arts Thursday morning. “I've discovered I've gotten a lot out of actually giving mentorship, just as much as I have gotten from getting mentorship, because I truly believed that all leaders shouldn't create followers. We have to create more leaders.” | | | - Manjit Minhas An entrepreneur and co-founder of Minhas Breweries, Distilleries and Wineries | | | | | | | | | | | | | Emerging Tech 2024: "A glimpse into innovation" | | | | | Research and Innovation at St. Clair College made an impactful appearance at the Emerging Technologies in Automation Conference & Trade Show held in Windsor, Ontario on October 23, 2024. Our booth became a hub of excitement as visitors engaged with our team to explore the latest advancements in cutting-edge fields such as Advanced Manufacturing, Digital Twin Technology, Electric Vehicle Technology, and Social & Community Research. The event provided a unique opportunity for attendees to interact with our experts, share valuable insights, and learn more about the innovative projects driving change in these dynamic areas. The incredible response from visitors further solidified the importance of our work in pushing the boundaries of technology and innovation. A heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who visited our booth and to our dedicated team for making the event a huge success. | | | | | | | | | | | | | Upcoming Event: Don’t Miss out! | | Circular innovation forum 2024 | | | Online | November 6, 2024 | 11 am - 4 pm | | | | | | | | | | | | Join Us at the Upcoming Online Event! | | | We are proud to announce that Dr. Akhshik, Program Manager from the Research and Innovation team at St. Clair College, will be one of the featured speakers at an exciting event on November 6th, 2024. This online event will bring together thought leaders to discuss key topics that drive innovation and research. Don't miss this opportunity to hear from Dr. Akhshik and other experts! | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ”My internship at St. Clair College’s Research and Innovation Department in IT has been an amazing experience. Working here has really brought to life the skills I learned in the Business Administration and Information Communication Technology (BBA ICT) Program. I got to dive into data analysis for the STEM program using Tableau and took charge of managing the department’s website with WordPress. These tasks not only sharpened my technical abilities but also showed me how crucial data analytics and IT are for innovation. The BBA ICT Program gave me the tools I needed for this role. The hands-on experience and the supportive environment at St. Clair College made it possible for me to apply what I learned and gain valuable insights into the industry. This internship has been a key step in my professional journey, setting me up for future success in the IT field.” | | | | | | | | | | | | | “St. Clair College’s Robot LEGO camp really sparked my interest in robotics. The challenges were engaging, and I learned a lot about teamwork and problem-solving. The college environment made it feel like a real STEM experience, and I’m excited to join the robotics team at school now.” | | | | | “I loved every minute at robot summer camp. The coolest part was the robot talent show. We got to show off our robot's special skills. My robot was a hand waving robot. The counsellors were so nice and made learning about robots really fun.” | | | | | “The robot LEGO camp was a blast, especially because we got to work on line detection and understand how sensors and motors control movement. I’m excited about the future of cars and how technology will change how we drive. The camp showed me that there’s so much more to explore, and I can’t wait to see how these skills apply to real world projects.” | | | | | “The STEM Robotics camp was effective in fostering learning in both a balanced and enjoyable way for the students. The success of the camp was evident in the growth and development of the students skills and their positive remarks throughout the weeks. Seeing the creativity of the kids and their enthusiasm to learn was inspiring and a very rewarding aspect of the program!” | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | bUSINESS dEVELOPMENT mANAGER (Research & INNOVATION) | | | | | | | If you have any inquires please visit our Contact Us Page: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
