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Look At These Renderings Of Awesome Sustainable Upgrades Fleming College Is Getting
/Fleming College, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2017, is receiving vital and necessary upgrades to classrooms and labs at its Frost and Sutherland campuses through infrastructure funding from the federal and provincial governments.
The projects will update building areas that are original to their construction in the 1970s, and are slated to be completed by Spring 2018.
Culinary lab rendering supplied by Fleming College
The renovations provide an opportunity for Fleming to significantly improve sustainability. Renewal of the buildings’ exterior envelope, cladding and roofing—along with the installation of new lighting, mechanical and electrical systems—will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, via the Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund (SIF), will provide Fleming College with $6.23 million to renew its health sciences facilities at Sutherland Campus.
This will be combined with a $1.36 million contribution from the provincial government and $4.87 million in institutional funding from Fleming for a total project cost of $12,463,000.
Nursing lab rendering supplied by Fleming College
Science lab rendering supplied by Fleming College
SIF will further fund a renovation to the GeoCentre and environmental sciences area at Frost Campus. The federal government will contribute $2.26 million to that project with another $2.26 million funded by Fleming for a total cost of $4,520,500.
“We are pleased to welcome this funding announcement from our federal and provincial governments,” says Fleming College President Tony Tilly. “With the recent opening of the Kawartha Trades and Technology Centre and the Fleming Sport Complex, we are excited to embark on yet another project to further improve and enhance our learning spaces on campus.”
Exterior Sutherland
Society Study Space, Sutherland campus
Renovations at the Sutherland Campus will include:
-> Renovation of eight classrooms and five labs/skills simulation centres
-> Renewal of original classrooms that have little access to daylight or views
-> Redesign of corridors and staircases that experience overcrowding, particularly in the area where students access public transportation
-> New social study areas
-> Renewal of IT infrastructure
Renovations at the Frost Campus will include:
-> Renovation and expansion of existing geoscience labs: two new geology labs, two new storage rooms, four new offices, and a realigned corridor
-> Renovation of the existing fish hatchery lab/classroom into a dedicated classroom and adding two new environmental science labs
-> The labs will feature state-of-the-art learning technologies and flexibility in design
-> A secondary entrance will be added to the east wing, along with an elevator and ramp, to improve access and circulation
-> New technology and AV infrastructure
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First Ever Hackathon Taking Place At Trent University
/Trent University is proud to host its first hackathon in Peterborough. Electric City Hacks (ECHacks) will include about 350 student tech leaders from across Canada and beyond who will design, build, demo and make their dreams a reality.
RIM and the Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster are major sponsors for the Hackathon, which takes place November 4th to 6th. Electric City Hacks—comprised of a group of computer science students at Trent—partnered with Major League Hacking to do this 36 hour event taking place November 4th to 6th at Gzowski College on Trent’s Symons campus. This Hackathon will challenge student innovators to design, build and demonstrate their developments.
Electric City hack members (computer science students at Trent): Yashar Morabbi Heravi, Waun Broderick, Laura Mann, Matthew Barnes & Dexter Fichuk
ECHacks has invited all post secondary and high school students interested in the development, innovation and progression of technology to apply for this collaborative event, which will demonstrate the best of computer and engineering tech skills.
Creating an environment for students to learn, create and excel, Electric City Hacks will also be a fantastic chance to vie for future employment as many of their sponsors will be sending representative scouts to find student talent in the tech industry. Other sponsors include TD Financial, Fresh Books Cloud Accounting and TribalScale.
“We are extremely excited to support the first ever Electric City Hacks at Trent University," says Michael Skinner, President & CEO of the Innovation Cluster. "Hackathons are a fantastic way to expose talent, grow, recruit and bring new innovative companies to Peterborough.”
Over a dozen workshops will be taking place over the course of the weekend, targeting both university students as well as high school students to highlight the possibility of tech. Coding, robotics and a hackathon bootcamp for high school students are just a few examples of the amazing workshops that will be held throughout the 36 hour event.
“We decided to hold Electric City Hacks because we saw how many opportunities it brought to the schools that hosted them, and how it completely revolutionized tech industries in each community,” says Dexter Fichuk of ECHacks.
The entire event—breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as snacks—will be provided to participants free of charge. The Innovation Cluster will also be hosting the "Chill Zone" with beanbag chairs for the hackers to think creatively and relax.
For more info and to apply, click here.
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Peterborough-Based Noblegen Is Becoming One Of The Startups To Watch In Canada & Beyond
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Inventor Adam Noble and his growing team have the potential to change the world
Read MoreA Peterborough Based Startup Has Launched A Device That Could Revolutionize Laboratory Systems
/A Made in Peterborough device is set to become an essential component in medical laboratories around the world. Trent University-based Lab Improvements is launching the CapTrack, an innovative, benchtop medical specimen capping and archiving device into the U.S. market.
CapTrack is the brainchild of local entrepreneurs Alex Bushell, 28, and Steve Wright, 56, who have more than two decades of combined experience in the design, installation and servicing of lab automation systems around the world.
From left: Peterborough Innovation Cluster's Rosalea Terry & Mike Skinner; Lab Improvement founders Alex Bushell & Steve Wright
Bushell and Wright saw a need for a compact, affordable solution for labs that could not justify a full-scale automation system.
“While small labs face many of the same issues as larger ones, the traditional automation systems used by high volume labs are not practical for smaller facilities, such as those found in hospitals," says Bushell.
The CapTrack is a portable device that manages refrigerated inventory and caps specimen tubes for medical laboratories. "Our patented technology uses a combination of robotics, process control and software that saves time and money while reducing risk and increasing the quality of laboratory results," says Wright.
Adds Bushell: "Our device allows for smaller labs to process samples automatically, reducing the risk of sample contamination and decreasing staff exposure to blood borne pathogens and repetitive strain injuries. We like to refer to the CapTrack as a ‘co-bot’, meaning a machine that works collaboratively with lab technicians to make their jobs easier, safer and more efficient. It does not replace them."
Bushell and Wright have been working out of the Innovation Cluster's incubator The Cube at Trent University for the past two years. Along with their team of five employees, the duo have taken the CapTrack from a bright idea to market readiness.
"Alex and Steve have had access to our incubation space located at Trent University as well as our knowledge partners and business experts who provided networking, patent application help and strategic planning," says Rosalea Terry, Entrepreneurship & Marketing Coordinator at the Innovation Cluster.
Members of the Lab Improvements team pictured at Trent University's The Cube
Here Is How CapTrack Works...
-> Once lab technicians have loaded the samples into the CapTrack, the device robotically caps the filled tubes before rotating them through a scanner, reading their bar codes and inputting the information into a database.
-> The samples are then placed into racks for storing. During this process, the device will illuminate any faulty sample that needs a closer look by surrounding it with red light, immediately notifying the lab staff of a problem.
-> Samples that require further testing are normal in any lab, says Bushell: “The CapTrack allows staff to look up a sample on the device and find where it is located within the fridge, versus the current method that could take a lab tech managing the cold in the fridge up to two hours at a time to locate just one sample."
Bushell and Wright recently inked an agreement with Holland, Michigan-based M2 Scientifics to market and distribute the CapTrack to the lucrative American health sciences sector. They plan to market to Canada’s 1,300 hospitals and the broader global market in subsequent phases of development.
"Lab Improvements will manufacture and service every CapTrack in Peterborough," says Wright, adding that the company currently has the capacity to build four devices a week. While traditional large-scale automation systems can cost upward of $3 million, the CapTrack retails for under $50,000 U.S., making it affordable for laboratories of all sizes.
You can watch a video to learn more about how it works here...
"The invention of this device is a huge step forward for the medical industry and it is very exciting that the manufacturing of this product will continue to remain in Peterborough, which will help strengthen our local economy," says Michael Skinner, President & CEO at the Innovation Cluster.
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Innovation: Fleming College Students To Utilize New Space In Downtown Cube
/The Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster (GPIC) has announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Fleming College. Fleming will occupy 1,000 square-feet of dedicated space for use by business and technology students in the newly expanded downtown incubator located in the newly launched VentureNorth building at 270 George St. N.
“At Fleming, we are always seeking new ways to enhance work-integrated learning," says Maxine Mann, Dean of the School of Business and the School of Trades and Technology. "We know the actual nature of work is changing with innovation, entrepreneurism and synergies amongst technology and business being keys for the future success of our students and our communities. This space recognizes this change and allows our students to gain the skills needed for this cultural shift."
The Applied Project space will be integrated into the current youth zone for entrepreneurs under 29 years of age, which is located on the 3rd floor of the VentureNorth building.
“We’re very excited about the deep level of collaboration between GPIC and the Fleming College staff and students," says Michael Skinner, President & CEO of the Innovation Cluster. "Our past partnership through the FastStart program has already proven to help generate the awareness among students about entrepreneurship as a career path."
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An Innovative Entrepreneur Hub Called VentureNorth Is Forming In Downtown Peterborough
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This could be game changer for innovation economy
Read MoreCity Of Peterborough Now Offering Super Handy 2016 City Construction Interactive Map
/The City Of Peterborough has just released a new interactive map which identifies road construction work throughout the city.
The City’s Utility Services Department Engineering Division announced the launch of the new “2016 City Construction Interactive Map”, which you can find here.
Screengrab from interactive map
The map is a super handy reference tool for residents, businesses and visitors to get information about City roads projects and to plan their transportation routes accordingly.
The interactive map shows the road construction projects throughout the City—listing project contact information, anticipated completion date and details on the type of work being performed. The map also identifies new subdivisions currently under development.
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Peterborough Police Outfitted Traffic SUV With Automated Licence Plate Recognition System
/The Peterborough Police Service’s Traffic Management Unit just unveiled its newest crime prevention and proactive policing program: The Automated Licence Plate Recognition (ALPR) system.
Three cameras installed on traffic SUV's roof
HOW IT WORKS...
-> Using infrared technology, the ALPR system—consisting of three sophisticated cameras installed to the roof of a Traffic Unit SUV (see pictures)—scans licence plates at a rate of three plates per second.
-> The system looks for violations including but not limited to expired validation stickers, stolen licence plates and suspended and unlicensed drivers.
-> The ALPR works in conjunction with the new in-car tablets which also contributes to the officers’ efficiency.
Traffic Sergeant Jeff Chartier and Traffic Constable Cameron Kenny demonstrate the technology
Traffic Sergeant Jeff Chartier says that the camera system reads licence plates and compares the plates to a known list that is downloaded daily. This includes information regarding stolen plates, unattached plates, prohibited and suspended drivers.
The system also allows for officers to input licence plate information for various alerts, including AMBER alerts where time is of the essence.
Traffic Constable Cameron Kenny demonstrates the new technology
