Engineers on top of the world

“There are some very interesting ones this year and I think there is the possibility for commercialization, definitely.”
--Mohamed Bakr, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering

Dr. Bakr’s talking about the projects by more than 200 students in electrical, computer, and biomedical engineering programs, work that starts in the fall and can take up to eight months. Some of these projects originated in his Engineering Design course.

So, engineers say they rule the world? Head over to the McMaster student centre on Tuesday and get in on this little conceit. You’ll see projects that feature wireless devices that ‘talk’ to biomedical implants, heart-smart clothes that offer ECG readouts, a hovering robot. Or how about blinds that control lights and temperature, a sleepy-driver detection system, and an automated sorter for recyclables? Demos -- or at least cool posters -- of more than 50 projects in all.

The day starts at 9 a.m. at the CIBC Hall, third floor. It’s all about innovation, engineering-design creations, and the top three even score some cash: on Tuesday, six judges -- including two from RIM in Waterloo -- will assess the entries and give the top three $500 awards. Some entries might even go to market. This year, one group of participating fourth-year students is among five finalists in a North American innovative design contest involving Altera Corporation. Their Big Idea is on-screen 3D imagery that uses two cameras. Three years ago, I wrote about the CPRGlove team, whose entry went on to national competitions and later grabbed sales in the cardiac-products market.