Mobile computing and its supporting industries are pervasive in our society and the need for innovative solutions is pressing and immediate. The technological advancements of Internet of Things (IoT), Wearable Computing, Augmented/Virtual Reality (AR/VR), and Machine Learning will enable businesses to improve their productivity, competitiveness, market share and profitability.
I'm proud to announce $2.3 million for Sheridan's Centre for Mobile Innovation (CMI) that will immediately benefit local and regional companies by making it possible for them to engage faculty expertise in developing solutions to their mobile computing challenges. Sheridan will also be receiving an additional $1 million from the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s (CFI) Infrastructure Operating Fund, which assists institutions with the incremental operating and maintenance costs associated with the new infrastructure, for an overall federal investment total of $3.3 million for Sheridan College.
The infrastructure funding awarded to Sheridan College, will enhance the institution's mobile innovation technology expertise and will offer dozens of students each year opportunities to advance their training in solving real-world industry problems. In particular, the research will focus on using biomedical sensors, wearable devices and other mobile technologies for gathering health data and detecting and treating disease.
Part of this funding flows from the recent $37.4 million announced by the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science, on May 2, 2017, for 37 projects through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s (NSERC) College and Community Innovation (CCI) Program.
I am immensely proud that Oakville is home to a world class educational institution like Sheridan College. Sheridan has extensive experience in mobile computing and in engaging industry partners in ground-breaking applied research. The CMI, through this program’s funding, will enable access to specialized equipment to develop highly qualified students who will bring the latest research knowledge with them to local and regional companies. Through our Government’s investment, Sheridan’s CMI will strengthen local and regional competency by engaging faculty, students and industry partners in collaborative projects to improve business innovation.
The overarching plan for the CMI is to focus on the domain of Healthcare, creating innovative solutions to healthcare problems using leading mobile and technologies trends.
“Sheridan welcomes this support from NSERC’s College and Community Innovation program, which will position the Centre for Mobile Innovation to make a real and tangible impact in our communities. Sheridan has a strong track record of working with small and medium sized enterprises through its research centres to foster innovation and enhance competitiveness, and the CMI will provide another avenue for SME’s to tap into our faculty expertise and motivated student researchers to develop cost-effective solutions to their mobile computing challenges,” said Dr. Mary Preece, President and Vice Chancellor, Sheridan College.
The Government of Canada recognizes that colleges play a valuable role in research and innovation in Canada. Strong ties with their communities place colleges in a unique position to collaborate with local companies to develop innovations that strengthen economic growth and create new quality jobs that help support a vibrant middle class. That is why the Government of Canada is committed to investing in partnerships between colleges and industry to help spur innovation and the development of new technologies that benefit all Canadians.
“Our colleges and universities play a critical role in research and innovation in Canada. Strong relationships between colleges and their communities enable them to collaborate with local companies to develop innovations and technologies that grow our economy, create jobs and improve our competitiveness on a global scale,” said Pam Damoff, Member of Parliament for Oakville North-Burlington. “I am proud of the ground-breaking research and work being done at Sheridan College’s Centre for Mobile Innovation and look forward to seeing how their revolutionary approach to mobile computing will advance technologies used in the healthcare industry to improve productivity and information sharing.”
“Our government supports investments that are helping to build an innovative economy, and will create quality jobs to support a vibrant middle class. Fostering strong partnerships between Canada's colleges and industry partners leads to new, innovative ideas and transforms the results of R&D into new products that will benefit all Canadians." – The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science