Our research
We have research strengths in areas of control systems, biomedical signal processing and power systems.
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering continues to keep our strengths in these areas and has made great strides in sustainable energy research, fibre optics, communications and software engineering.
The Institute for Biomedical Engineering
The Institute of Biomedical Engineering, with Dr. Jon Sensinger, remains a world leader in the research and clinical aspects of advanced myoelectric control systems as well as biomechanics and motion analysis, the design of specialized prosthetic components, and modeling of neuromuscular systems.
Signal processing
ECE maintains active research strength in the areas of pattern classification, adaptive signal processing, speech and image processing, voice biometric authentication, time-frequency analysis, neural networks, data mining, speech recognition, physical layer computer communications and software and hardware solutions. The researchers are: Maryhelen Stevenson, Eduardo Castillo Guerra, Julian Meng, Richard Tervo, Kevin Englehart, Brent Peterson and Dawn MacIsaac.
Research focus:
- Neural networks
- Adaptive signal processing
- Data mining
- Speech recognition
- Voice-biometric authentication
- Image processing
Embedded systems
Researchers Mary Kaye, Chris Diduch, Richard Tervo and Eduardo Castillo Guerra specialize in embedded system design, system-on-chip development and photonics. This research is supported by CMC Microsystems, which provides access to state-of-the-art technologies.
Research focus:
- Applications of embedded systems
- Applications of systems-on-chip concepts
The optical fibre systems research laboratory
The optical fibre systems research laboratory is successful in developing and patenting the use of fibre optic cables for distributed strain and temperature sensing. The importance of industrial sponsors has allowed the researchers, Bruce Colpitts, Eduardo Castillo Guerra and Brent Petersen to continue to research new commercial applications.
Research focus:
- Prototype sensor development
- Non-linear optical fibre modeling
- Distributed sensing of strain and temperature
- High-speed electronic circuit design
- Distributed sensing applications development
- Coherent and microwave optical systems
Software systems
Dawn MacIsaac and Yevgen Biletskiy's focus their research on how software tools provide interoperability between users as consumers and diverse forms of electronic information, methods and algorithms, semantic web and global information exchange.
Research focus:
- Software tools that provide interoperability between users as consumers and diverse forms of electronic information
- Methods and algorithms
- Semantic web
- Global information exchange
Controls and instrumentation
Controls and instrumentation research work is performed by Chris Diduch, Jon Sensinger and Howard Li and involves control system analysis and design monitoring, failure detection and isolation, computer control systems, robot controls, nonlinear systems and system identification.
Research focus:
- Intelligent control
- Monitoring, failure detection and isolation
- Haptic systems
- Robot control
- Nonlinear systems
- System identification
Emera & NB Power Research Centre for Smart Grid Technologies
The Emera & NB Power Research Centre for Smart Grid Technologies, led by Dr. Liuchen Chang, is a global leader in the transformation of electric power systems into smart grids through R&D, innovation, commercial partnerships, high-quality researchers and state-of-the-art research facilities.
Smart Grid Research Lab
The lab undertakes research and development in the early stage of the innovation cycle, and acts as a platform for developing new smart grid concepts, models and algorithms.
For over 10 years members of the Smart Grid Research Lab have worked on large-scale, multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary R&D projects with industry and government partners such as NRCan, Government of New Brunswick, NB Power, Siemens Canada, and many others.
