Projects: Information, Electronics and Communications Technology
Canadians rely on the use of electronics in all aspects of life, including learning, communication and entertainment. New and innovative electronic technologies are also essential for industry to maintain a competitive edge and SAIT is helping lead the way.  | Projects within this category of research span a variety of technologies, but all have a goal of improving the safety, reliability, speed and accuracy of electronically-controlled devices or advancing the way we gather, store and retrieve information. | Past Successes
Quantum Key Distribution
When the University of Calgary was looking for a partner with practical expertise and industry knowledge in developing a real-world optical test bed for this project, SAIT was their first choice.  | The challenge of security in the electronic transfer of data is one that continues to grow with our dependence on computers. The goal of this project is to manipulate photon polarization to maximize secure communications over a high speed fibre optic link between the two institutions. | The overall project has been running since 2007 and has spawned a smaller, specific research project on quantum polarization control that was funded by Alberta Association of Colleges and Technical Institutes (AACTI) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). A number of SAIT students from the School of Information and Communications Technology assisted in the research and continued research on an independent level is being investigated. On July 13, 2011, a celebration of the achievements made to date on this project was held at the University of Calgary, with representatives from education, industry and government, including the Honourable Greg Weadick, Minister of Advanced Education and Technology. Visit our News section for coverage of the event. Results have been published in the September 2009 issue of the New Journal of Physics and an article was published in the September 7, 2010 issue of SPIE in the Optoelectronics & Optical Communications section. Contact: Steve Hosier - Principal Investigator,Quantum Key Distribution
Conducted Energy Weapon (CEW) Taser Testing
Concern over the safe use of tasers, or Controlled Energy weapons (CEW) by law enforcement personnel has been heightened in recent years with news coverage involving their use.  | Early in 2009, the Solicitor General contacted SAIT to develop a testing protocol. SAIT hosted the first Alberta CEW Technology Demonstration and Workshop in December. | During the workshop, representatives from government, police services and three educational institutions agreed to begin work on a province-wide applied research project sponsored by the Alberta Solicitor General. The mandate of this project is to develop the capacity to test the electrical output of conducted energy weapons in Alberta. Work will include the design, development and validation of test standards and equipment for CEWs. The work will be done as a collaborative effort between SAIT and NAIT and is expected to continue through December 2010. Contact:
applied.research@sait.ca Past Successes SpeechLab Development Project SAIT Lead: School of Information and Communications Technologies Collaborators: Southern Alberta Intellectual Property Network (SAIPN), University Technologies International (UTI) Start/End: March 2007/October 2007 Background:
In 1999/2000, SpeechLab was developed and implemented in-house for broadcast speech training, replacing an expensive hardware-based speech lab. It utilized SAIT’s desktop and laptop computer labs, with each student purchasing their own low-cost microphone headset. SpeechLab is an excellent alternative to a hardware-based speech lab, which costs up to ten times as much as a PC desktop or laptop lab, yet can only be used for a single function. In 2005, a major redesign was completed, and over 50 enhancements were added, and the application was renamed SpeechLab 2.0. Since its implementation, six instructors and over 500 students have used SpeechLab effectively. Objectives:
To develop a speech training product with serious commercial potential, incorporating features that enable the technology to be applied to sectors beyond broadcast speech training. For example, helpdesk and reception practice, or pronunciation for specialized vocabularies such as legal and medical. The program can also be effective for evaluating practice sales and marketing pitches, or as an aid to teaching public speaking and acting. Outcomes:
The outcomes of the proposed project will be an enhanced version of SpeechLab, benefiting SAIT students in the classroom, and software with heightened commercial potential.
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