Grant: Strategic Network Grants Program

The NSERC Canadian Robotics Network (NCRN) brings together an astounding team of Canadian roboticsresearchers, companies, and government players in a new initiative focused on robotic technologies withsubstantial commercialization potential. We work on robotics technology for smart Internet-enabled devicesthat drive down the road, swim underwater, monitor a shopping mall, and fly over valuable natural resources,all based on inter-related core science and technology. The NCRN brings together big and small industrialpartners in several sectors, a strong application focus and a tech-transfer strategy to inject valuable newrobotics technology and software into Canadian industry. The main organizing themes of the NCRN are (i)interactive autonomy and, (ii) resilient autonomy. These are key technological areas that are both critical to thedevelopment of many classes of robotic systems and strategically relevant to all our industrial partners. We willalso train exceptional HQP to meet the acute need for talent and experience in this area of rapid internationalgrowth.Like all robotic system today, or approach is based on Internet enabled, learning-based autonomous systemsthat can be used in many fields of commercial and strategic importance. Applications areas include homemonitoring, industrial delivery and automation, self-driving trucks and cars, autonomous aircraft for securityand resource assessment, manipulation and delivery of medical devices, environmental assessment andconsumer electronics.