IRIS - Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Systems

www.precarn.ca

The Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Systems (IRIS) was one of the original Networks funded by the NCE Program in 1990. IRIS's university-industry collaborative research focused on the essential elements of an intelligent system – the ability to perceive, reason and act. It was the only Network managed by another entity – Precarn Incorporated – a consortium of companies interested in applying the results of IRIS research. Precarn's support, both financial and administrative, helped IRIS leverage its federal funding and also permitted it to broaden its scope beyond the core program into other agreements and programs.

Funding from the Technology Gap Assistance Program (T-GAP) gave researchers the opportunity to bridge the gap between commercializable academic results and a marketable reality. Twenty-seven T-GAP grants were awarded totalling $1.2 million.

The short-term Emerging Opportunities Fund (EOF) allowed tenured researchers to explore the early stages of ideas and concepts with commercial potential. The Fund distributed 32 grants totalling $900,000.

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) ($200,000), IRIS and Precarn ($150,000) funded a one-year agreement to promote Canadian leadership in space telerobotics and telemedicine technologies, which also served to train highly qualified people. The agreement funded eight projects.

The Precarn Scholars Program provided a $1 million funding pool for 191 top-ranking Canadian graduate students. In addition to providing much-needed resources, the program provided a means of promoting the student's work, establishing industry contacts and broadening their own academic network.

During its lifespan, the Network took full advantage of the NCE funding to grow and develop HQP, patents, licences and start-up companies to commercialize inventions that will benefit Canada and Canadians. IRIS research resulted in 151 technology disclosures, 50 licences, and 55 patent applications, of which 47 have been issued. This new knowledge was applied in areas such as robotic manipulation, data mining and motion planning.

Altogether, 37 start-up companies were launched. Nine of them are no longer active and six others were acquired by companies but maintain a Canadian operation. Twenty-eight start-up companies are still in business, four of which used T-GAP funding to help build their products.

Among IRIS's research successes: Cyberhaptix Inc. was founded in 2003 to commercialize haptic (sensory) devices such as prosthetics. A multi-robot simulation software system developed at the University of Waterloo was licensed by Bombardier Inc. A method for evaluating shoulder joint stability before surgery was commercialized by Western Clinical Engineering. Clinical trials are in progress of a prototype developed at the University of Manitoba that performs remote abdominal palpations and ultrasound imaging. Motion planning software from the University of Windsor and software from the University of British Columbia to control robotic manipulators, for use in underwater unmanned vehicles, was licensed by International Submarine Engineering.

Over the course of IRIS, the Research Program linked an average of 120 professors per year, who supported over 3,000 students, postdoctoral fellows and other highly qualified people. Over 80 per cent of the graduating students chose to remain in Canada, mostly in academia and in industry. Ten of these students went on to become IRIS Project Leaders.

Over the lifetime of the Network, IRIS supported 156 projects. From its final phase, 18 core projects are continuing beyond the NCE Program using other sources of funds.

Provincial Reach:

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Distribution of Research Personnel in 2004-2005

For more information visit the IRIS Web site.