Can’t-miss student projects at this summer’s RE/ACTION Applied Research Showcase
Posted on Wednesday, August 7th, 2019
Algonquin College will be hosting its RE/ACTION: Applied Research Showcase on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019.
RE/ACTION highlights leading-edge applied research done in collaboration with industry, institutional, and community partners, providing a glimpse into the future of technology and the current state of innovation.
Discover over 45 projects, and engage with research teams showcasing incredible findings in the DARE District. The projects are diverse and range from glasses for the visually impaired and a robot chimney cleaner to a voice-activated bionic hand and automatic tire filling system.
Here is a closer look at four projects that have been creating a buzz in the local media:
The Vision glasses project team was featured on CBC Morning Live on August 8.
Vision Glasses is a prototype for the blind that allows the user to identify objects, read text, and identify faces.
Q: What is the Vision Project?
A: The vision project aims to help the visually impaired find and identify objects that they are looking for such as a cup of coffee, pet, or an umbrella when it’s raining outside. It can also detect the faces of familiar people, such as friends or family. The user communicates with the Vision glasses using an Android app and gives commands by voice. When identifying an object or person, the Vision glasses send feedback to the phone so the user can hear sound on their earbud or speaker. The advantage is combining deep learning with a camera, or vision sensor, to track, localize, and classify objects. The feedback is provided by four vibration motors that send the converted speech to the earbud. Alternative aids for the visually impaired provide simple feedback information, whereas this is more complex.
ARCC, or Autonomous Robotic Chimney Cleaner, was invented with the purpose of making chimney cleaning as convenient and easy as cleaning floors at home.
Q: What is ARCC?
A: Autonomous Robotic Chimney Cleaner is a robotic chimney cleaner that was created from the problem of having more than one chimney to clean. The ARCC was created as a solution, and similar to the ROOMBA floor vacuum, this chimney robot is completely automatic.
The Voice-Activated Bionic Arm is a prototype that users can control with their voice. Similar to Siri on an iPhone, the user commands it, and it moves accordingly.
Q: What is the Voice-Activated Bionic Arm?
A: The bionic arm prototype could replace a lost limb. A user controls the arm with their voice, similar to how Siri works. The bionic arm takes voice commands via an Android application. What makes this project unique is the concept of using a person’s voice to control bionics, whereas we use voice-control technology in our daily lives for things such as texting, asking a question, or listening to music.
Automatic Tire Filling System
Q: What is an automatic tire filling system?
A: The aim of the automatic tire filling system is to make life easier for those who need to inflate their tires. The system uses automatic air regulation when there is a pressure drop in the tires. The sensor will detect the pressure change and send a signal to the air regulator to start filling the tire with air. The tire will be filled using pneumatic tubes, which use the correct amount of air, and can turn off once filled completely. Cyclists can save time by not having to guess when they need to fill their tires, and can continue to safely cycle during their busy schedule.
Join the #ACResearch action on Friday, Aug. 9! To register for RE/ACTION, click here, and here for more information on the event.
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