The New Brunswick Innovation Foundation has announced $1 million of investments in a trio of artificial intelligence research and development projects via its Strategic Acceleration program for ongoing research projects.
The three university-based R&D groups have also leveraged the money from NBIF to raise another $946,000 of funding, including money from the private sector. The Strategic Acceleration Fund requires recipients to have already leveraged any potential NBIF backing for additional investment or be on track to do so within three months. Projects must also be slated for completion within two years of being funded.
In a press release, NBIF said a key goal of the latest payouts is to create job-training opportunities for students — 33 of them.
University research is emerging as a key R&D pipeline for Atlantic Canadian startups, as several programs are focusing on developing researchers as entrepreneurs. These include Lab2Market program offered at Dalhousie, Memorial and other universities, and University of New Brunswick's I-Stem program.
Here’s a look at the three projects:
Energy and Industrial AI
NB Power, Nuvoola inc. PMC Energy, Wyverstone, CFM
NBIF Funding: $400,000
Leveraged Funding: $446,160
Led by the Université de Moncton’s Moulay Akhloufi, this team is working on developing an AI system to use computer vision, robotics and predictive modelling to “improve performance and predictiveness in the energy sector.”
One aim of the project is to facilitate recruitment of “high quality personnel,” which Statistics Canada defines as workers with, at a minimum, bachelors degrees. Some of the money will also go towards buying modernized equipment for project members.
Healthcare AI
Verosouce, Stepscan, Breathe Biomedical, Eh Eye
NBIF Funding: $400,000
Leveraged Funding: $350,000
The University of New Brunswick’s Erik Scheme plans to use the NBIF money to train students in how to design and build machine learning systems. Some of the money will also go towards backing his slate of research projects with industry partners, including on the topics of human-machine interfaces, medical rehabilitation, digital health, diagnostics, “aging in place” for elderly people who want to remain in their homes, cybersecurity and biometrics.
Industrial Automation AI
Imperial, Dynamik Robotik Solns, Groupe Savoie, JMN Entreprises
NBIF Funding: $200,000
Leveraged Funding: $150,000
Yassine Bouslimani, Mohsen Ghribi and Sid Ahmed Selouani are a trio of researchers from the Université de Moncton working on using machine vision to detect, locate and inspect equipment and products during industrial processes, including the automation of manufacturing processes usually carried out by skilled workers.
Their work is aimed at automating jobs that are difficult or dangerous for humans to perform.
The NBIF money will fund a study about AI-based systems for identifying naturally occurring and man-made materials on production lines. Seafood, for example, will be classed as naturally occurring, while wood products will be considered man-made.
