June 23, 2009

ONTARIO RESEARCH FUND

RESEARCH EXCELLENCE PROGRAM

Through the Ontario Research Fund – Research Excellence program Round Three the McGuinty government is investing $4,457,523 to support 16 world-class researchers at the University of Waterloo.

Flexible Transparent Electronics: Transformational Technology for Display industries
Lead Institution: University of Waterloo
Lead Researcher: Dr. Thorsten Hesjedal
Number of Researchers Affected: 5
Provincial Funding: $2,037,357
Funding Program: Ontario Research Fund – Research Excellence Program

Thin-Film Transistors (TFTs) are used to create high quality flat screen displays (e.g., computer monitors).  TTFTs (transparent thin-film transistors) are an important development in the emerging field of transparent electronics where wide band-gap semiconductors achieve invisible circuits.  TTFTs have the potential to bring radically new approaches to issues like automobile navigation systems and solar energy generation.  This integrated research program will link Ontario’s established leaders in technology commercialization with the University of Waterloo’s leading flexible electronics experts.  Their focus will be on transforming TTFT technology to create transparent, flexible, large-area electronic devices.  The resources/expertise combination positions the project to achieve an ambitious goal of establishing TTFTs in a broad market.  There will be significant benefits for Ontario and Canada and the potential for local industries to have a competitive edge in the international marketplace.

Private Sector Partners: Dalsa Corporation, Ignis Innovation

Mobile Health: A New Frontier in Wireless Technology
Lead Institution: University of Waterloo
Lead Researcher: Dr. Amir K. Khandani
Number of Researchers Affected: 11
Provincial Funding: $2,420,166
Funding Program: Ontario Research Fund – Research Excellence Program

Diseases, illness, injuries and premature death have enormous direct and indirect costs.  Health care costs are growing at a faster rate than provincial revenue growth .  Emerging technologies like MEMS — Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems — (combining computers with tiny mechanical devices like sensors and valves embedded in semiconductor chips) have the potential both to improve the productivity of heath care services and to benefit Ontario’s medical device industry.  The University of Waterloo’s proposed research will investigate how to apply new technologies in remote health monitoring and drug delivery systems.  The findings will benefit patient care, be immediately applicable in Ontario’s strategically important medical device industry and the development of intelligent medical systems in the future.  Training highly qualified, multi-disciplinary people will enhance the province’s global competitiveness in the wireless, MEMS, information technology and health sciences sectors.

Private Sector Partners: Mark IV, Nortel, ON Semiconductor

Investing in research and innovation has been a cornerstone of Ontario’s economic planning since 2003 and is captured in Ontario’s Innovation Agenda. The agenda is a $3.2 billion plan to make Ontario one of the best places in the world to turn world-class research into world-class jobs.