Research & Ideas

Illustration of a face speaking into a device which turns that speech into text.

Word Perfect

New software will help people with speech problems be more clearly understood

Illustration of mobile devices and charging cables as square academic convocation hats.

Screen Time

Online courses are big, bold and potentially game-changing for higher education

Photo of students writing an exam.

An “A” for Teamwork

You’ve heard of crowdfunding. With crowdmarking, a U of T prof hopes to change how students are evaluated

A 3D model of a body part.

The Augmented Body

A learning tool that combines gaming software, 3-D modelling and a CT scan could change how students learn anatomy

Photo of traffic lights.

Making Traffic Smarter

An intelligent transportation system could reduce wait times at traffic lights in Toronto by more than half

Photo of Minuum keyboard on a smart phone.

The Tiny Perfect Keyboard

As devices get smaller, a U of T company has created a keyboard that makes typing easier while using less screen space

Intelligent Clothing

Architecture grad student Stacie Vos has developed a "smart" shirt that can detect germs and protect its wearer from them

Joyce Poon. Illustration by Adam Cruft

Speed of Light

Joyce Poon is developing optical devices that could make computers vastly more powerful and a whole lot faster

Illustrations of technology

The Technopreneurs

Science students get a month-long crash course in turning an idea into a viable business at U of T’s “Techno” program

Tissue Printer developed at U of T

Second Skin

Machine-made skin being developed at U of T may be safer, faster and cheaper than traditional grafts

Do the Locomotion

U of T’s Knowledge Media Design Institute challenges its students to use media to raise awareness

Watchful Eyes

Security cameras are everywhere. A new app invites Torontonians to help map them

Illustration of the sun shining down on solar panels on vines/stalks.

Power Plants

A blueprint for an “artificial leaf” could lead to solar cells that generate a lot more power

Image of solar ship in a desert

Solar-Powered Flight

A new kind of aircraft could fly 1,000 km powered only by the sunlight that shines on its back

Photo of music notes on a screen.

Is That Mozart, or a Machine?

Software developed at U of T can compose music in classical, pop or jazz styles – and as a solo or an ensemble of different instruments

Photo: Keith Beaty/Getstock.com

Ode to Joy

Master’s student Eric Wan helped develop software that allows anyone, including people with severe physical disabilities, to make music

Photo of Aakash Sahney and Alexander Levy by Brent Lewin

Say the Right Thing

Student-developed app helps people with speech problems express themselves – at a fraction of the cost of other devices

Photo of a nurse with a child in a dental practice

Fighting Tooth Decay

A new way of peering inside teeth could find lesions before they become cavities and eliminate the need for “drilling and filling”

Photo of laptops

The End of Moore’s Law?

For almost half a century, computer chips have doubled in power every 18 months. But this may not hold true for much longer, says Eugene Fiume

Aerial image of forested area in a city.

The Urban Forest

"Neighbourwoods" uses Google Earth to share info about the health of city trees

Tough Love

Dating at university is supposed to be easy. But many of today’s U of T students find campus romance elusive. Enter Love@UofT, a new online matchmaker

Photo of the ornithopter.

Like a Bird

A U of T engineering student has become the first ever to fly a human-powered “ornithopter”

Photo of a man covering his face and holding up one finger into a mirror.

All Clear

Surveillance and surgery could both get a boost from a new kind of video camera that can focus on near and distant objects at the same time

Architectural rendering of an arctic bridge structure.: the Bering Strait Ice Link.

Polar Express

Architecture prof's Arctic designs include proposed Russia-Alaska rail link

Illustration of a piggy bank through an x-ray

Cheaper Digital X-Rays

Physicist John Rowlands has invented a way to deliver high-quality X-rays at a fraction of the regular cost

Illustration of a pixelated city block - cross section of a building with people inside of it.

Second Opinion

The real world offers many sources of medical advice. Soon virtual worlds may, too

Image of a snowed-in cabin

Smarter Buildings

A U of T computer scientist is developing a program to help predict – and ultimately reduce – buildings’ energy use

Cool Computing

A new kind of optical switch could allow computers to run 100 times faster - without overheating